The American Wind Wildlife Institute The American Wind Wildlife - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

▶
the american wind wildlife institute the american wind
SMART_READER_LITE
LIVE PREVIEW

The American Wind Wildlife Institute The American Wind Wildlife - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Oct 18, 2022 208 likes •420 views

The American Wind Wildlife Institute The American Wind Wildlife Institute Results Through Collaboration and Transparency R Revolution: Oklahoma l i Okl h Wind Energy Conference Wind & Wildlife Panel Wind & Wildlife Panel

slide-1
SLIDE 1

The American Wind Wildlife Institute The American Wind Wildlife Institute

“Results Through Collaboration and Transparency”

R l i Okl h Revolution: Oklahoma Wind Energy Conference Wind & Wildlife Panel Wind & Wildlife Panel December 2, 2008

slide-2
SLIDE 2

Table of Contents Table of Contents

  • What is AWWI?
  • Why Getting Wind Right Matters
  • Challenges
  • Examples of Responsible Wind Development

2

slide-3
SLIDE 3

What is AWWI? What is AWWI?

  • American Wind Wildlife Institute
  • Idea generated through American Wind Energy Association

(AWEA) Siting Committee in 2006

– Vetted through NGO/Industry/Agency process in 2007 – Pro-active, landscape versus project specific, reactive approach to addressing wildlife issues – Recognizes that wind industry is held to a higher development standard than traditional development than traditional development

  • First of kind, national, jointly governed 501c3 in

Energy/Environment Intersection

– Industry & NGOs working together early in industry growth curve to Industry & NGOs working together early in industry growth curve to chart responsible development road map of wind industry

  • $3M raised to pursue four major initiatives
  • Board of Directors Installed in October 2008

3

slide-4
SLIDE 4

AWWI Founding Members AWWI Founding Members

  • AES Wind Energy
  • Iberdrola Renewables*

gy

  • Association of Fish &

Wildlife Agencies*

  • BP Alternative Energy*
  • National Audubon Society*
  • Natural Resources Defense

Council*

  • BP Alternative Energy*
  • Babcock & Brown
  • enXco*

Council*

  • Nordic Windpower
  • NRG Systems*
  • Clipper Windpower
  • E.on

E i t l D f

  • Renewable Energy Systems

Americas

  • The Nature Conservancy*
  • Environmental Defense

Fund

  • GE Wind Energy*
  • The Nature Conservancy
  • The Sierra Club
  • Union of Concerned

4

  • Horizon Wind Energy

Scientists*

  • Vestas Americas

Note: * Indicates AWWI Board Member

slide-5
SLIDE 5

AWWI Mission Statement AWWI Mission Statement

The Mission of AWWI is to facilitate timely The Mission of AWWI is to facilitate timely and responsible development of wind energy while protecting wildlife and wildlife while protecting wildlife and wildlife

  • habitat. We do this through research,

mapping, mitigation, and public education mapping, mitigation, and public education

  • n best practices in wind farm siting and

habitat protection. habitat protection.

5

slide-6
SLIDE 6

AWWI Initiatives AWWI Initiatives

Education/ Miti ti Mapping R h Education/ Outreach/ Training Mitigation pp g Research

Create Risk Rating System for responsible landscape scale Cost effective and beneficial mitigation Science-based criteria Put impacts in perspective Inform public and decision makers Prioritize & fund urgent research needs Create data repository landscape scale development Coordinate existing mapping efforts Guide application of GIS Explore regional mitigation solutions Industry and NGO training/quality control Commit to highest academic standards

6

pp data

slide-7
SLIDE 7

AWWI Progress on Initiatives g

January 2008 September 2008 Outcomes/Status

Mapping proposal

January 2008 M i

  • Jan. 14-15

September 2008

Mapping proposal Mitigation options

May 12-13 Minneapolis, MN

Mapping Mitigation

Ja 5 Boulder, CO

Understand research priorities and interests

Research

Branding AWWI

Outreach/ Education

Over the past two years, attended 16 meetings in 11 states and the District of Columbia.

7

slide-8
SLIDE 8

Representative Types of Landscape Scale Research Landscape Scale Research Needs

8

slide-9
SLIDE 9

Why Getting it Right Matters Why Getting it Right Matters

  • Environmental Threats at Unprecedented Levels

p

– Climate change – Biodiversity (wildlife and habitat) Loss y ( )

  • Millennium Ecosystems Assessment- Losing Ecosystem

Services at an unsustainable rate

  • Oklahoma – How many acres have been lost to existing

development?

Wi d i d t i l t t d f th

  • Wind industry is a long term steward of the

landscape in rural communities

9

  • Predictable and sustainable economic development
slide-10
SLIDE 10

Focus: Consequences of Ecosystem Ch f H W ll b i Change for Human Well-being

10

slide-11
SLIDE 11

Why Getting it Right Matters cont.

  • Not doing it right will create new problems and slow or stop

growth

– Regulatory Realities: ESA listings, Migratory Bird Treaty Act – Increased permitting hurdles M l i f i l d d NGO – More lawsuits from private landowners and NGOs

  • The days of the developing the next best energy solution at the

expense of the local and global environment have gotten us where we are where we are.

  • New Energy (Renewables) Solutions need to deliver multiple

benefits to multiple stakeholders at different scales and must be developed in a responsible and sustainable fashion developed in a responsible and sustainable fashion.

  • Oklahoma has a chance to lead the New Energy Economy to

further bolster its already stellar energy credentials-but a BAU development philosophy will not get us there

11

development philosophy will not get us there.

slide-12
SLIDE 12

Where is Oklahoma? Where is Oklahoma?

  • ~700 MW’s of new installations over the past few years

p y

  • OG&E is stepping up to break transmission impasse
  • But……..Lesser Prairie Chicken challenges are very serious

g y

  • Species on brink of being listed
  • Overlap with strong wind resources and lack of geographical flexibility

versus surrounding states

  • Major top 5 issue nationally that wind industry is struggling with

– Whooping Crane and Bat challenges are also emerging

  • Good news: Oklahoma has a good group of stakeholders
  • Good news: Oklahoma has a good group of stakeholders

who are earnestly seeking to address these issues

  • Solution must provide a level playing field for industry

12

Solution must provide a level playing field for industry participants

slide-13
SLIDE 13

Wi d/Wildlif Ch ll Wind/Wildlife Challenge Example- Lesser Prairie Chicken Lesser Prairie Chicken

13

slide-14
SLIDE 14

Examples of Responsible Wind E D l Energy Development

  • Off Site Voluntary Conservation Bank to

Off Site Voluntary Conservation Bank to address Project Site Habitat Concerns

Kansas: Horizon Wind Energy – Kansas: Horizon Wind Energy

  • Avian Bat Protection Plan (ABPP)

M l i l P j Ib d l R bl USA – Multiple Projects: Iberdrola Renewables USA

14

slide-15
SLIDE 15

Horizon Wind-Voluntary Conservation Bank

Mer idian Way Wind F ar m 200 MW T AR GE T T AR GE T Conser vation Ar ea 15

15

21 November 2008

Initial Project Area 1GW 5 Different Projects

slide-16
SLIDE 16

Outcomes and Benefits

  • Outc o me s

Outc o me s

  • Mo st ec o lo gic ally sensitive areas avo ided
  • 2nd c ho ic e site had mo de rate habitat value with

ec o no mic ally viable wind and transmissio n ac c ess

  • Re maining o n site impac ts addre sse d thro ugh a
  • Re maining o n site impac ts addre sse d thro ugh a

20,000 ac re o ff-site vo luntary c o nservatio n bank

  • Project participants: Horizon, Ranchland Trust of

Kansas, The Nature Conservancy, Pheasants Forever, Kansas Department of Wildlife & Parks, US Fish &

16

16

21 Nove mbe r 2008

Wildlife Service, USDA-NRCS

slide-17
SLIDE 17

Outcomes & Benefits cont Outcomes & Benefits cont.

  • Benefits

Benefits

– Significant improvements in grassland bird habitat Multi stakeholder best in class wind and – Multi-stakeholder, best in class wind and conservation, project enabled Strengthens the conservation partnerships between all – Strengthens the conservation partnerships between all parties – Sets a high standard for ecological responsibility in Sets a high standard for ecological responsibility in wind energy development – Horizon recognizes ecological offsets as a component

17

Ho izo ecog izes eco ogica o sets as a co po e t

  • f wind energy development
slide-18
SLIDE 18

Iberdrola Renewables (IBR) Iberdrola Renewables (IBR) Avian and Bat Protection Plan

  • Modeled on Avian Protection Plans developed by

utilities to deal with impacts of transmission and di ib i li bi d distribution lines on birds

  • Corporate-level plan addresses how IBR plans,

develops constructs and operates wind projects develops, constructs and operates wind projects

  • “Stepped down” to project-specific Plans for

each wind project each wind project

  • Includes a commitment to reporting to the

USFWS and responding to bird and bat impacts of p g p projects

slide-19
SLIDE 19

What do these examples mean?

  • Responsible Wind Development can happen at large

p p pp g scale

  • You can delineate high and low risk wildlife areas to

give guidance to developers give guidance to developers

  • Mitigation Costs can be carried by most projects with

minimal impact to economics

  • Need level playing field so that good actors acrue

benefits and bad actors are punished

  • AWWI working to further vet out landscape scale
  • AWWI working to further vet out landscape scale

responsible development solutions at national level through its four initiatives

19

slide-20
SLIDE 20

Thank You

20