Wind turbine location suitability

Introduction

Objective

Methods

Introduction

With the growing expansion of the city Ottawa energy capacity requirements become an integral issue. Currently the Energy Ottawa Company supplies 100% of its energy to the city through what is known as the ‘run-of-the-river’ generating system. This is a series of small scale hydroelectric dam facilities spread out across the regions watershed (Energy Ottawa, 2010).

This method of energy generation is considered by some as a green means of producing energy as it does not typically involve emitting pollution into the atmosphere such as coal, petroleum, natural gas, and other popular generation methods. What is often overlooked is the negative affects that hydroelectric dams pose to the health of watershed, impacting many aspects of both the natural and social environment. These adverse affects have caused the number of hydroelectric dams being built to be drastically reduced in Canada (Natural Resources Canada [NRC], 2009).

This has led many governments to seek alternative green energy production techniques. As such wind energy has come to the forefront of this search. Wind energy is however not without its negative implications as well. Recent studies have been produced in which attribute the construction of wind farms as causing degradation the environment in sensitive areas, as well as possibly having negative implications to human health with prolonged exposure in close proximity to wind turbines. To mediate these concerns the provincial government of Ontario has released various restrictions, limiting areas in which the construction of wind farms is permitted.

File:Test.bmp

Objective

The objective of this tutorial is to demonstrate a technique which identifies spatial regions deemed as potentially suitable locations for the development of wind energy production. This will display means for consideration of the restrictions imposed by the provincial government to evaluate the purposed region.

Restrictions

The Provincial Government of Ontario has provided the following restrictions in relation the spatial placement of wind energy turbines for use of commercial applications:

• 135m from all existing public roadways

• 135m from all existing railway lines

• 1000m from all existing power lines

*These restrictions are relative to the turbine specifications of the Vestas V90, 3 megawatt model

Methods

Smaller Heading

• lsallslsak
• jjjjj

1. kkkk
2. jjjjj
   1. kkkkk