Renewable Energy

Haines Borough Energy Sustainability Commission

Links to Resources Helpful for Installing Renewable Energy Infrastructure

Many tools to evaluate options for generating your own electricity are avaiable at the US Department of Energy, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Energy Calculators & Software webpage, http://www1.eere.energy.gov/calculators/renewable_energy_systems.html Tools are available for wind, solar, biomass, and microhydro.

HYDRO		SOLAR		WIND

Alaska Wind Energy Development, Best Practices Guide to Environmental Permitting and Development, AEA, September 2009{2.5 MB} Wind in Alaska Capacity Factor of Wind Power: Realized Values v. Estimates, Boccard, N. September 2008 {Download} Summary: For two decades, the capacity factor of wind power measuring the mean energy delivered by wind turbines has been assumed at 35% of the name plate capacity. Yet, the mean realized value for Europe over the last five years is closer to 21% thus making levelized cost 66% higher than previously thought. We document this discrepancy and offer rationalizations, emphasizing the long term variations of wind speeds. We conclude with the consequences

of the capacity factor miscalculation and some policy recommendations. From www.windaction.org/documents/18754. Vertical Axis Wind Turbines Vertical axis wind turbines seem to have some advantages over traditional bladed wind turbines. They may be less hazardous to birds, quieter, operate well in low and high wind speeds, and in situations where wind speed is variable. Windside Wind Turbines are produced in Finland and do not seem to be available yet in the US. However, this product may be one to keep an eye one for potential application in Haines.

Micro Hydroelectric Systems, Oregon Hydro Working Group

What you need to know about microhydro systems, US Department of Energy

Alaska Sun

A Solar Design Manual for Alaska. Rich Seifert, Cooperative Extension Service. Go to Alaska Sun to download sections or to order a hard copy for $10.00.

Mark Zeiger from Haines offers the following resource that he used to determine the specifics of his photovoltaic installation on the peninsula in Haines:

Here's a URL to a Web site that will create the type of sun azimuth charts contained for other Alaska communities in A Solar Design Manual for Alaska:

http://solardat.uoregon.edu/SunChartProgram.html.

This can be set for Haines, or more exact if you know your Latitude and Longitude (for instance, we plotted for our homestead, which is slightly different than Haines).

The flaw in this, for me, is that it only plots half the year, so you need to do it twice to get the whole year, but it's really great for figuring solar panel placement, etc.

This page is under construction. Please contact the Haines Borough Energy & Sustainability Coordinator to suggest links that you would like to see posted on this page. Thanks!