Installer Issues: Integrating D

Wind into Local Commu

Jim Green

National Wind Technology Cente

National Renewable Energy Labora

NREL/PR-500-40096Presented at Windpower 2006 Conference & Exhibition held June 4-7, 2006 in P
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Installer Issues: Integrating D

Wind into Local Commu

• Zoning• Local Permits• Installer Insurance• Installer Training/Certification• Avian Concerns• Safety• Sound• Aesthetics
Zoning Basics

• Zoning is one form of land use law• Based on legal principle of “police 

the power to regulate in order to promotmorals, safety, and general welfare of th

• Zoning authority originates from st

called “zoning enabling legislation

– Standard Zoning Enabling Act, Dept. of Com

• Enabling legislation delegates land 

authority to local jurisdictions, “Ho

– counties, parishes, boroughs, munici

townships, cities, villages, etc. 
Look at the #s

• 3,034 counties (National Association o• 16,504 townships• 19,429 municipalities (National Leag

Total: 38,9

Estimated # of local zoning jurisd

15,000-20,000
Zoning is Complicat

Denver’s 24,000 zoning and land use com
Zoning Stories

• Dave & Jan Blittersdorf of Charlotte, Ve

– Sought approval from the state Public Servi

process as large power plants

– Required 11 months and $6,250 in legal fee

an estimated $4,250 in personal time

• Bob Loebelenz of Dover, Massachusett

– Received building permit only to have it revo– A protracted approval process followed
Zoning Scenarios

1. No Zoning – some local jurisdiction

exercised their authority to regulate la

For Jurisdictions With Zoning:2. Obtain a “Variance” or a “Specia

(permission to violate the zoning code on one 

– Structures up to 35 ft (typical) are a– Hearing process can cost thousand

take several months

3. Work with the local jurisdiction to 

wind zoning ordinance 

(broad application to many properties)

4. State Preemption – state law can p

rule (California and Wisconsin)
Zoning Issues (I)

• Property size• Tower height (... as a function of p• Setbacks

– Site plan

• Maximum capacity or size• Building code compliance 

– Drawings of tower and foundations/footings– Engineering analysis, wet or dry stamp?

• National Electric Code complian

– One-line electrical drawings
Zoning Issues (II

• Compliance with FAA regulation

– FAA Advisory Circular AC 70/7460-2K– No warning lights required under 200 ft total h– Height limits may apply within 3 miles of any r

• “Approved” wind turbines (desig

– Certification to national/international standards– Evidence of reliable one-year operation?

• Notice to the utility, and/or interc

agreement

• Notice to neighbors
Zoning Issues (III

• TV/radio interference

– Not a problem for wood or fiberglass blades

• Noise 

– Apply existing rules– Exception for utility outages or severe storms?– Sound level decreases with distance

2 from the 

• View protection• Attractive nuisance

– No handholds/footholds for first 12 ft above gr

• Signage/labeling
Zoning Issues (IV

• Abandonment • Permitted use, conditional use, s• Use varies by zone?• Is a public hearing required?

– Hearings place a significant additional burden 

prepare and defend the application 
Ut

Jefferson County, Colorado
Transmission Lines

Jefferso
How Do Wind Turbines Co

Charlotte
How Do Wind Turbines Co
How Do Wind Turbines Co
Windmills Ugly? Windmills Ugly? 

No, They No, They

’re Cultural Ic

re Cultural Ic

Dutch Windmills
American Windmills

Windmills Ugly? Windmills Ugly? 

No, They No, They

’re Cultural Ic

re Cultural Ic

Ced

Limon, Colorado
Windmill... o

Adam
Windmill...

or not?

Adams County, Colorado

Credit: Jim Green, NREL
Precedent for State Preem

• Wisconsin (66.0401), 1993 - No restrict

systems allowed unless it satisfies one 

1. Serves to protect public health or safety2. Does not significantly increase the cost of 

significantly decrease its efficiency

3. Allows for an alternative of comparable co

• Similar language as in the Telecommun

1996 that enables cell phone towers to 

• The law has been upheld in 2 court cha
Precedent for State Preem

• California (AB 1207, 2001)

– Implemented consistent state-wide s

permitting small wind turbines by preto restrictions including: tower heigsetbacks, noise, turbine approval, et

– In jurisdictions without small wind zo

after July 1, 2002: Î Mandates approval of application

with default terms in the statute

– Sunset clause: statute inoperative o
Zoning Information on 

AWEA Web Site

• Model zoning ordinances

– AWEA model ordinance

www.awea.org/smallwind/documents/mo

– Wisconsin model ordinance

www.renewwisconsin.org/

wind/windtoolb

• How to do zoning hearings

– Mick Sagrillo

www.awea.org/faq/sagrillo/ms_zoning1.h

– Douglas Stockman

www.awea.org/smallwind/toolbox/windzo
Closing Thoughts

• Identify your “zoning scenario”• The primary opportunity for sma

turbines will be in rural and less-populated areas

– Zoning– Wind resource – Space for turbine installation

• Zoning costs, delays, and antiqu

zoning rules are ongoing problesome locations
Permits

• Zoning controls whether you can instal

• Permits control how you install a wind t
Types of Permits

• Two primary types of permits:

– Building permit (structural safety)– Electrical permit (electrical safety)

• Permitting is done locally• Every jurisdiction is unique• Investigate early in the process

– Talk to the local authorities– Talk to local contractors
Permit Process

• Fees varies by jurisdiction:

~ $50 up to $6,000 (in California)

• Submittals:

– Site plan– Structural analysis on foundation an

require either wet stamp or dry stam

– Electrical one-line diagram, UL label 

grid-connected device (at least)

• Inspections
Other Types of Perm

(these are the exception)

– State coastal regulations (Within the – State dept. of environmental manage

• Environmental permit (NY SEQR • Wildlife areas, wetlands, landfills, 

– Local historic districts– State historic or cultural resource co

• Designated historic area• Areas with archeological significa• Designated viewshed area

– Federal lands or National Historic Re
Installer’s Insuranc

• General Liability Insurance• Workman’s Compensation Insura
Installer’s Insuranc

• Insurers typically don't know how 

small wind installers, perception o

• Insurance is based on known stat

populations 

Å lacking for small w

• Finding reasonably-priced genera

insurance has been a challenge foinstallers 

• Premiums range from $3,000/y to 

not available 
Installer’s Insuranc

• Insurance rates vary widely, so sh• Insurance costs are sufficiently hig

coverage for occasional installatiocost prohibitive

• Worker’s compensation insurance 

required in all states, but provides protection. 

– Adds $2/h to labor rate (Wisconsin)

• Lower liability insurance rates will 

contingent on...
Installer Training & Certi
Installer Training &Certif

• “NABCEP” is the North American 

Energy Practitioners 

– Voluntary credentialing and certificat

renewable energy professionals 

– Existing “Solar PV Installer” certificat– Similar program for solar thermal sys

development

• NABCEP initiated an effort in 2004 

training & certification process for turbine installers

– “Small wind” defined as 

≤100 kW
Installer Training &Certif

• NABCEP Small Wind Technical C

– Mick Sagrillo, Chair– Trudy Forsyth, Co-Chair– 20 committee members representing 

multiple states, manufacturers, non-consultants, academia, AWEA, and 

– NABCEP lead is Pete Sheehan

• “Task Analysis” is underway to de

– www.nabcep.org/wind.cfm
Installer Training & Certi

• Draft task analysis will be availabl

comment in late June

• NABCEP is also seeking commen

need for this certification program

• Yet to be completed:

– certification exam– requirements to sit for that exam– training curriculum 
Avian Concerns
Birds, Bats, and Wind F

• Bird kills by wind turbines have be

specific and species-specific

• Wind farms on Altamont Pass, Ca

seen more bird kills than any othe

• Migration-season bat kills have be

at two wind farms in the Mid-Atlan

• Pre-construction bird studies seem 

helping the industry avoid problem 
Birds and Small Wind Tu

• Use observation & common sense 

frequented for feeding, watering, nestin

• Small wind turbines are less a con

– They have small rotors– They are dispersed, installed individ

• Perception - Small wind turbines are 

wildlife refuges, nature preserves, NatioParks, etc.

• Guy wires may be an additional ri• Nesting sites create additional risk
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

• Bergey Windpower Excel wind 

turbine, 10 kW, 23-ft rotor

• Commissioned May, 2002• 3-year study of bird kills• 15 fatalities/year – starlings 

(nesting & roosting on the turbine)

• 3 fatalities/year - all other birds

Eastern Neck 

Wildlife Refuge, 

Maryland
Installer Issues: Integrating D

Wind into Local Commu

• Zoning• Local Permits• Installer Insurance• Installer Training/Certification• Avian Concerns• Safety• Sound• Aesthetics