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Arizona's New
High-Resolution Wind Energy Resource Maps
Click here for Wind Maps

Click Here For Interactive Wind Map

Click Here for Transmission Corridor
Maps
- Wind Map Background
- What does the windmap tell us about the
wind energy resource in Arizona?
- Potential positive impacts of wind
energy development
- The next steps... what to expect?
- The Arizona Wind Working Group
Wind Map Background
In August 2002, NAU contracted with TrueWind Solutions to
buy a set of high-resolution wind maps and the data from which the maps are
created. Using a modified weather prediction computer program and 30-years
of historical data, TrueWind has created annual, seasonal, and monthly maps
of average wind power density and average wind speed. Also included is data
indicating the diurnal variation of the wind speed throughout the state.
The set of wind maps was purchased for $65,000, of which $25,000 was provided
by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and $13,333 each from Tucson
Electric Power, Salt River Project, and Arizona Public Service. NAU
serves as the central point of contact in arranging the purchase, and is
responsible for making the maps and data publicly available.
What does the windmap tell us about
the wind energy resource in Arizona?
- Based on the wind map data, how much electricity could be
generated by wind energy on the utility scale Arizona has a potential
wind energy resource of more than 2600 MW. This estimate includes all
areas in the state with a class resource or better (annual wind speed average
at 50 meters above the ground greater than 16 mph), excludes windy sites
such as urban areas, National Parks and Monuments, etc., but does not consider
proximity to existing transmission.
- The highest wind energy resource areas appear to be concentrated
along ridge crests and on plateaus in higher elevations throughout Arizona,
especially in the northern and the eastern portions of the state.
- Two of the most promising tracks of contiguous windy lands
in the state appear to be on the Navajo Nation near Cameron, and in eastern
Arizona near Springerville.
- Arizona also appears to have a large class wind energy resource
spread across the state (on the order of 20,000 MW), which may be developable
for rural electrification, small home systems, or on a utility-scale in
conjunction with a renewable portfolio standard.
Potential positive impacts of wind
energy development
- Environmental, reduce or displace emissions from power plants
- Rural development, rural job creation and land leases to private
land owners; possibly tax revenues
- Construction job creation, approximately one job per 1 to
10 MW of installed capacity (e.g., 100 MW of wind turbine development
= 10 to 100 construction jobs)
- Long-term operations and maintenance (O&M) job creation,
in the range of 2 to 10 long term O&M jobs per 100 MW of wind turbine
development, depending on the size of the project and other factors.
- Economic impact, typically between 10% and 25% of the capital
investment (construction related costs) in wind turbine systems stay in
the local/statewide community. Each megawatt-sized wind turbine requires
an investment of approximately $1 Million, so a 100 MW wind turbine development
could lead to an economic impact of $10,000,000 to $25,000,000.
The Arizona Wind Working Group (see below) will be working over the next
year to determine an Arizona-specific estimate of the potential economic
impact.
The next steps... what to expect?
Given the information provided by the new wind energy maps,
there are several next steps to be taken in order to investigate the feasibility
of developing the potential wind resource, as well as the possibility
of realizing the potential benefits:
- Public outreach and education
- Site specific wind energy assessments of a duration of a year
or more
- Transmission studies; potentially building more transmission
capacity
- Environmental and avian impact studies
- Business planning and development assess the economic viability
of developing the wind energy resource
Some of these steps have already been initiated by wind energy
developers, utilities, and other groups in the state, and it is reasonable
to expect that some of Arizona wind resource will be developed in the
years ahead.
The Arizona Wind Working Group
The Arizona Wind Working Group was formed in November of 2001
with support of the National Wind Powering America Program. The goals
of the Arizona Wind Working Group include determining the magnitude and
geographic distribution of the wind energy resource available in Arizona
and assessing the feasibility of commercial-scale development of Arizona
wind resource. The group is composed of many stakeholders in the
state including tribes, coops, utilities, universities, state and federal
officials, private businesses, environmental organizations, and interested
individuals. Purchase of the wind map was one of the first objectives
of the Arizona Wind Working Group.
If you have questions, please call or email:
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Ms. Amanda Ormond
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Dr. Tom Acker
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Principal, The Ormond Group
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Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering
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480-491-3305
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928-523-8363
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asormond@msn.com
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Tom.Acker@nau
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