Environmental & Siting R&D Program Peer Review Meeting Bob Thresher & Karin Sinclair, NREL Laura Miner, DOE Bonnie Ram, Energetics Incorporated Golden, Colorado May 10, 2006

Environmental & Siting is Related to Program Mission Primarily land-based focus Barriers relate to cost of energy and deployment delays Potential showstoppers Reasonable permitting requirements Public perception and involvement Collaborative research and peer review process Establish framework for comparative risk assessment

FY06 Budget Allocation $900,000 NREL technical oversight, research, workshops NWCC wildlife & siting workgroups and publications Bat Wind Energy Cooperative Prairie birds & grassland species Offshore Wind Energy Collaborative ( DOE, MTC, GE )

Environmental FY06 Selected FY06 Activities ($900,000) Priority Challenges Environmental & Social Impacts Public Perception Improved Tools for Industry and Government Consistent Policies and Leadership Grassland and Shrub Steppe Species Collaborative Bat and Wind Energy Collaborative ($75K) Siting Workshop results Offshore and onshore policy and research support Wildlife Research Meeting V State stakeholder workshops ($575K) Mitigation tool box, Nocturnal Methods and Metrics, and Risk Assessment framework ($250K) DOE-Minerals Management Service MOU Offshore Wind Energy Collaborative State legislation briefings and materials ($50K)

Challenges & Measures Priority Challenges Environmental & Social Impacts Public Perception Improving Tools for Industry and Government Consistent Policies and Leadership Progress Measures Improved assessments of species and population impacts; better understanding of relative and cumulative impacts Studies show risks and impacts reflect public concerns; greater awareness of the benefits of wind to national energy security Reasonable permitting requirements, studies, & process; siting strategies Policy and enforcement measures that support the sustainable development of wind energy

Are Wind Projects Impacting Population Viability of Greater Prairie-Chickens? $165,000 for FY06 NWCC – Oversight Committee KSU Research Team NREL - Technical Monitor

Collaboration between Industry, Government, University, and NGOs FPL Energy Horizon Wind Energy Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL) PPM Energy The Nature Conservancy, Kansas & Oklahoma

Are Wind Projects Affecting Bat Populations in Certain Regions? Formed Cooperative in 2004 –NREL, BCI, AWEA, FWS 6 week intensive mortality study June 2005 Draft Report Acoustic deterrent tests Ultrasound sample 2006 Pre-construction monitoring

National Wind Coordinating Committee (NWCC FY06) Blueprint Update Measures & Metrics document (nocturnal focus) Oversight of prairie birds & grassland species collaborative Initiate mitigation tool box Explore benefits of applying ecological risk assessment framework

NWCC Meetings and Workshops Air Quality Issue Forum, Oct 20 th, Lansing, MI NWCC Business Meeting #36, Nov 30 th, Washington, DC Technical Considerations in Siting Wind Developments Research Meeting, Dec 1-2, Washington, DC Wildlife Workgroup Core Group Meeting & Risk Assessment Workshop, Feb 27-28, Washington, DC Conduct monthly scheduled conference calls UPCOMING Wind Energy Contributions in a National Energy Strategy Issue Forum, May 18-19, Washington, DC Wildlife Workgroup Core Group: Gaps Prioritization Meeting, June 20-21, Boulder, CO Wildlife Research Meeting VI, Nov 14-16, San Antonio, TX

NREL and DOE Keeping Up with Workshops and Activities 2005 NAS study GAO Report DOE/NREL Environmental Strategy WPA – Raleigh, NC NYSERDA Wind & Wildlife Working Group 2006 AWEA/Audubon Wildlife in California Columbus, OH – IAFWA Toledo, OH USFWS/EPA Colorado State, Fish and Game Services

Selected Offshore Meetings and Workshops 2005 Raleigh, NC Mineral Management Service – tutorial & regulatory IEA Annex Great Lakes Offshore Wind NJ Public Hearing Houston’s OTC OWEMES Atlantic Ocean Gulf of Mexico Cape Wind Associates Winergy LIPA & Florida Power and Light W.E.S.T. LLC Hull Municipal Southern Company Green Energy Ohio Toronto Hydro

Offshore Activities MMS Actions –New regulations expected –Memorandum of Understanding –Scoping meetings on PEIS NREL Actions –White Paper –SeaCon Studies –IEA Annex 23 Workshop Offshore Wind Energy Collaborative business plan Cape Wind Tower feet

Offshore Project Challenges Complex siting process in the ocean New regulations may create a one-stop-shop Better understanding of public acceptance Conduct comparative risk assessment framework Need government support for Before-After-Control- Impact (BACI) studies Put demonstrations in the water

Proposed Technical and Outreach Activities FY07 Support and fully participate in the collaboratives for avian and bat species –Identify cost effective technologies and strategies to mitigate impacts to the site ecology Facilitate Interagency Efforts –Offshore regulations with MMS –Fish and Wildlife Service –DOD radar hazards –NEPA analysis State/Great Lakes/Regional Actions –Offshore –Land-based guidelines –Wind Powering America – regional focus groups International –IEA Annex 23 –R&D studies

National Activities to Watch National Academy of Sciences Report US Fish and Wildlife Guidelines State Guidelines for land-based projects Wildlife Society Report Mineral Management Service regulations and NEPA

Strategic Challenges Offshore International lessons learned Risk assessment and multiple uses Complex siting process Public education Land-Based Proliferation of State Guidelines Identifying Priorities and Gaps Comparative Risks Cumulative Risks Addressing Surprises – Radar Public acceptance More than 400MW added in next 10 years Public benefit charge for renewable energy

Bonnie Ram Thank you DOE and NREL for supporting this research