Untitled Document

Wind Power: Use of Wind Resources for Energy Consumption
in the Finger Lakes Area

By: Lori Kay, Jennifer McDonald, and Ashley Goble,
Canandaigua City School District

Wind

Lesson Introduction

The New York State government has made a commitment to increase alternative energy use by 25% by the year 2013. One of the sources of that energy is wind turbines. Using NYS's wind energy resources is desirable since wind: is inexhaustible and non-polluting; reduces our reliance on out of state energy sources; is compatible with mixed land use, such as grazing or agriculture; is not subject to price fluctuations in sale price; and, can be constructed relatively quickly and incrementally. For utility-scale sources of wind energy, a large number of turbines are usually built close together to form a wind farm. Homeowners, farmers, and businesses in windy areas can use wind turbines to generate electricity. NYSERDA, through its New York Energy Smart program, has incentives to help these people install wind turbines at their home or business to offset their electricity purchases from the utility. (NYS Energy Resource Development Authority 2004). To site a wind farm one needs to examine whether or not there is sufficient wind energy at the site, access to transmission lines, and any conflicts with surrounding land uses or wildlife habitat.

During the environmental review process, wind energy proposals must include assessments of the impacts the project could have on wildlife - especially birds and bats - and other natural resources. As construction of wind turbines increases, there is also the increased potential for birds and bats to collide with the towers and rotating blades. The presence of spinning turbines may also induce behavioral changes in nesting or migrating birds, and in foraging bats, according to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

Onc potential source of information is the Audubon Society's Important Bird Areas Program (IBA). This is an effort to identify and conserve areas that are vital to birds and other biodiversity. By working with Audubon chapters, landowners, public agencies, community groups, and other non-profits, Audubon is trying to ensure that all Important Bird Areas are properly managed and conserved.

The Important Bird Area (IBA) Program of Audubon New York , in cooperation with a host of partners, has identified 136 critical bird breeding, migratory stop-over, feeding, and over-wintering areas in the state. Important Bird Areas have been identified throughout New York in all types of habitats, including forests, shrub/scrub, grasslands, freshwater and saltwater wetlands, and bodies of water. Since 1997 Audubon New York has been engaged in many efforts aimed at achieving conservation successes at IBAs. These efforts include several types of conservation actions, conservation planning, bird monitoring, and education and outreach.

In this lesson students will examine maps to determine where in New York State is there potential for siting wind farms and whether these locations conflict with important bird areas that are identified by the Audubon Society.

To begin the class discussion use the Wind Energy power point presentation to introduce the topic.

Sources: Audubon , DEC , Review of Impacts of Wind Farms on Avian Migration

Lesson Outcomes:

Students will be able to: