James Madison University

Wind Powering America - DMME Initiative

Principle Investigators: Environmental Resource Trust and James Madison University

Subcontractors: Virginia Tech - Alexandria Research Institute

This project has five tasks:

  1. Expansion of the State-Based Anemometer Loan Program - purchase taller anemometer towers for collecting wind data.
  2. Web Site - develop a Virginia-specific website that will provide Virginia stakeholders with wind data from the anemometer loan program, access to the high-resolution wind maps generated by True Wind Solutions, LLC, information on economic development attributes of wind power development, environmental benefits of wind power, and other topics.
  3. Virginia Wind Energy Working Group and Regional Workshop Series - form a core group of Virginia Stakeholders and organize three regional workshops.
  4. Green Power Certificate Program for Virginia Municipalities - develop the framework for a green power certificate program for municipal wind energy purchases in Virginia.
  5. Coalfield Wind Energy Development - combine geographic databases of coal mine lands and coal mine sites scheduled for reclamation with the wind resource map to determine if any of the sites are suitable for wind power.

Term: October 2002 - July 2004

Deliverables / Outcomes:

  • Expansion of the State-Based Anemometer Loan Program - taller towers purchased
  • Virginia Wind Energy Collaborative Website
  • Virginia Wind Energy Collaborative Working Group and Regional Workshops

The Job and Economic Development Impact Model (JEDI) and Educational CD are two of the activities supporting the Wind Powering America Initiative.

Job and Economic Development Impact Model (JEDI)

The JEDI model, given to the Virginia Wind Energy Collaborative (VWEC) by the National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL), calculates the economic impacts of a certain county or region, if a wind plant were to be built. The model analyzes a specific location's different spending patterns and uses region- or county-specific inputs to calculate the economic impacts. Darryl Crawford, the Senior Planner for the Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission, has approached VWEC about using this model to a number of counties in the Shenandoah area. A presentation including the results generated by the JEDI model was given at the Workshop for the Virginia Association of Zoning Officials (Region 3) and the Virginia Association of Planning Officials (Shenandoah Valley Section) on Wind Energy Issues on March 19, 2004.

Educational CD

The VWEC Educational CD will be focused toward meeting a selection of the Virginia Standards of Learning for 6th grade science. The goal of the CD is to teach students the following:

  • Differentiation between renewable and nonrenewable resources.
  • The ability to describe the role of local and state conservation professionals in managing natural resources. These include wildlife protection; forestry and waste management; and air, water, and soil conservation.
  • How to analyze resource-use options in everyday activities, and determine how personal choices have costs and benefits related to the generation of waste.
  • How to analyze how renewable and nonrenewable resources are used and managed within the home, school, and community.

The CD will be created with animation, color, and interaction to teach the students through explanation, games and quizzes.