How Wind Farms Weather Hurricanes
Recently, we published a blog on the Intermittency of Fossil Fuels highlighting the connections between natural disasters (earthquakes, floods, drought) and their impact on traditional power plants and wind farms. Since then, Hurricane Irene raked the East Coast with deadly force and devastating floods and the intermittency question has come back in a new form: Can wind turbines survive a hurricane?
If you’re limited for time, I’ll get right to the point: Yes. Wind turbines can survive hurricanes. Both structural engineering and risk analyses are vital to ensuring wind farms are developed to survive reasonably expected problems.
In the Southeast, wind farms have been proposed in coastal and offshore areas. Wind Capital Group has proposed an onshore wind farm in Palm Beach County, Florida. The Sugarland Wind Farm would have a capacity of up to 150 MW in the heart of hurricane-prone Florida. In North Carolina, two major wind parks have been proposed onshore including the 300 megawatt (MW) project near Elizabeth City and another 300 MW (See “Irene Would Have Impacted Two North Carolina Proposed Wind Farms” below) project between Camden and Currituck Counties. These two multi-million dollar projects would have been directly in the path of Hurricane Irene - highlighting the importance of wind turbine survivability during hurricane force winds.
Although you may not realize it, there is an entire industry dedicated to evaluating risks associated with myriad variables: the insurance industry. Unlike investors in financial markets, “risk” is a nasty word to insurance companies to be avoided. Anyone that owns a sports car, or a home in a flood zone knows that the higher the risk of a “total” loss of an asset (such as a completely destroyed car that is a “totaled” car), the higher the insurance premiums are to protect those assets. Energy developers similarly have projects insured to protect against unforeseen disaster - the random earthquake, the freak tornado, the extreme weather. For nuclear developers , the private insurance industry will not insure a new nuclear reactor without a guarantee from the federal government that taxpayers will pick up the tab should a developer default on a loan. These “loan guarantees” are essential for the nuclear industry to secure insurance, even though this industry has a 50% default rate on previous loans. Higher risks (either from natural disasters or manmade ones) may impact whether or not a project developer can get project financing - loans or debt - at lower interest rates. Also, higher insurance premiums increase operation costs of energy projects, and thus, impact the electricity prices we eventually pay as consumers.
Hurricane Zone For North Carolina - News
WASHINGTON (AFP)--Obama administration officials will travel Tuesday to Virginia, North Carolina and Vermont to survey damage and recovery efforts following deadly Hurricane Irene, the government said Monday. Homeland Security Secretary Janet
The Sugarland Wind Farm would have a capacity of up to 150 MW in the heart of hurricane-prone Florida. In North Carolina, two major wind parks have been proposed onshore including the 300 megawatt (MW) project near Elizabeth City and another 300 MW
All of those people, as well as homeowners with severe damage or whose homes were isolated when Irene cut through sections of NC 12, are waiting for help. Fortunately, so far – we'll reserve final judgment until we see real results – the government
Those of you in a disaster zone can register for FEMA aid by calling (800) 621-FEMA or sign up online at fema.gov. RALEIGH, NC – Governor Bev Perdue will be back in eastern North Carolina on Wednesday to assess disaster response to Hurricane Irene.
Last weekend, Waffle House restaurants in hurricane-struck communities in North Carolina rushed to reopen. The company has built a reputation as a place where, even under rough conditions, you can still get a hot meal.
Hurricane Zone For North Carolina - Bookshelf
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HurricaneZone.net
Satellite imagery and advisories for hurricane, typhoon, tropical cyclone formation in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans.
Irene starts to impact NC
Meteorologist Jeff Morrow is in Atlantic Beach, North Carolina where the weather is starting to deteriorate from Hurricane Irene.
Hurricane Irene moves up East Coast
Hurricane Irene is slowly moving up the East Coast. It is forecast to move into New York, and then into New England Sunday.
Hurricane Irene: NYC Zone A Residents Warning
A hurricane watch was put in place Thursday for the North Carolina coast ... That zone includes neighborhoods along the coast, including Battery ...
Local Salvation Army crew helps Hurricane Irene victims
While Hurricane Irene continued to lash out against the east coast Saturday, a group with the Salvation Army in Gainesville prepared to offer assistance in North Carolina.