28246: Munger: (reply Haiti wind power )

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Amber Munger <amunger@uoregon.edu>

Amber Munger (reply) WInd power in Haiti
amunger@uoregon.edu

Wind power in Haiti would work and could potentially provide a reliable and 
efficient source of energy in Haiti.

There are wind power maps available at the NREL site.  There is one labeled 
under Dominican Republic that shows the ocean wind power potential around most 
of Haiti.  The web address is http://www.rsvp.nrel.gov/wind_resources.html

You can compare it to the ocean wind energy in the US by looking at the US maps 
by NREL at the following address http://www.nrel.gov/wind/wind_map.html.

Note that wind resources are extremely location specific so the maps just paint 
a general picture.

In short, the wind potential in PAP bay is not nearly as promising as the wind 
potential on the northern and southern shores.  Oddly the map does not show any 
inland wind potential.  But its likely that the most effective place for 
windmills in Haiti would be offshore for both wind potential and security 
purposes.

The investment requirements for large scale wind are much less than for solar. 
Further, wind power is the cleanest (aside from fuel cell, and solar) and 
fastest growing energy source in the world.  In the US, depending on the 
location, the cost for wind power is beginning to compete with the cost of coal 
energy (about 3.5 cents per kilowatt hour - compared to solar which is about 25 
cents per kilowatt hour).  The primary costs in developing a wind project lie 
in manufacturing and installing both the turbines and the transmission sources.

Many big investors are developing wind power in the US.  There are two primary 
reasons that wind power is not more widespread in the states: aesthetics and 
danger (or fear of danger) to birds.  The debate in the US usually centers 
around aesthetics, as the bird issue can effectively be resolved by some 
preliminary wildlife studies to ensure that the turbines are not placed in a 
direct migration path.  In Haiti the obstacles would obviously be of an 
entirely different nature.

Wind is one of the most efficient and reliable sources of energy in existence. 
There are a wealth of resources available on the web for those interested in 
learning more.  Good places to start are the national renewable energy 
laboratory; Appalachian State University Wind Page; Energy Information 
Administration.

Peace

Amber Munger
University of Oregon School of Law