Great Lakes Wind Energy Feasibility Study

Great Lakes Wind Energy Feasibility Study

Event date:

5/1/2009

Address:

Great Lakes Wind Energy Center Final Feasibility Report

This report presents final feasibility results for the Great Lakes Wind Energy Center. The Great Lakes Wind Energy Center Feasibility Study is being conducted by juwi GmbH and its Ohio-based subsidiary JW Great Lakes Wind LLC, on behalf of the Cuyahoga County Great Lakes Energy Development Task Force. Please direct questions regarding the Great Lakes Wind Energy Center Feasibility Study to Ryan Miday at p4rm1@cuyahogacounty.us or (216) 299-9326.

Executive Summary:
juwi GmbH was hired by Cuyahoga County to perform a feasibility study for the Great Lakes Wind Energy Center (―GLWEC‖), which is envisioned to include a 5-20 MW pilot offshore wind energy project (―Pilot Project‖) in Lake Erie near downtown Cleveland and associated test, certification, and advanced research centers. juwi was the Project Manager with team members Germanischer Lloyd, BrownFlynn, Black and Veatch, Econnect, Curry and Kerlinger, and DLZ Ohio. This report presents final feasibility results across a variety of disciplines following an approximately one year study period.

The area investigated for the Pilot Project is generally three to five miles from shore, near downtown Cleveland. juwi has identified nine potential turbine configurations at different locations in the Project area. Based on established siting criteria, including water depth, geology, shipping lanes, underwater features, air navigation, radar, ecological concerns, wind resource, and others, juwi recommends an area east of the Cleveland water intake Crib, approximately three miles from shore. This location offers the highest iconic value for the Pilot Project while balancing other siting considerations and requirements. Final turbine locations will depend on regulatory consultation and approval.

Based on preliminary geological information, monopiles are suggested as the most economical foundation design alternative assuming sufficient depth for driving and load bearing strata. Wind and wave conditions can be considered moderate relative to other areas of Lake Erie, and certainly to other offshore wind energy sites in the world. A wind turbine fulfilling Germanischer Lloyd Class II requirements should be suitable for the Pilot Project.

Ice is expected to be the principal design driver for offshore wind turbines in Lake Erie. It is assumed that an ice cone will be integrated into foundation design to break up ice at the waterline, reduce loading on the structure and avoid or minimize ice induced vibrations. The cone should be designed as an inverted ice cone where upper diameter is greater than lower diameter. Final design of the ice cone may require ice modeling in a cold weather laboratory, however ice is not identified as a prohibiting factor for wind turbines in the Project area.

No ―red flags‖ have been identified with respect to marine ecology and avian species, and especially due to its small scale the Pilot Project is expected to have minimal environmental impact. The largest impacts to marine ecology will be short term and limited to the construction phase of the Project. Short term impacts would include physical disturbance of the lake bottom by removing the substrate, loss of benthic fauna, and displacement of fish.

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