A GREEN WINTER CASE

By Ruchira Parikh - 128 Pallavi Srivastava Sarvesh Gatonde Ankit Bavishi - 02 Rohan Nayak - 61 Jigar Shah

Introduction
Brian Fairbank CEO of Jimmy Peak Mountain Resort is worried about energy cost

Last year electricity cost increased from $0.11 per kWh to $0.16, an increase of almost 50%
Highly energy conservative Resort which used fluorescent bulbs, high efficiency lights & 0 energy gravity feed Also, development of guns for snowmaking that would reduce energy consumption by 40% It has also won an energy conservative recognition for saving 1 million kWh of energy However, Fairbank is now looking for a more ambitious energy reduction initiative, thereby roping in wind power as a source

The wind turbine project proposal

Fairbank knowing the Berkshire mountains are windy during the winters decided to investigate the feasibility of erecting wind turbines to put the wind to profitable & green use This initiative would be in line with Fairbanks corporate mission to protect environment & also undertake green marketing The implementing of this wind turbine has been outsourced to SED with a fee of $1,57,000 It has also won an energy conservative recognition for saving 1 million kWh of energy A grant of $15,000 has been received from the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative to offset part of the cost of the formal feasibility study

Jimmy Peaks

Jiminy Peak(1948) Skiing and snowboarding resort in south New England Spread across 170 acres, 45 skis and snowboard trails, 3 terrain parks, 9 lifts etc Operates in all four seasons and attracts about 250k visitors annually with around 100k during summers

Economics of harnessing the wind

Jiminy peaks consumes about 4.5 million kWh(kilowatt-hour) electricity during winter(60% of total) Solution offered by GE- 1.5MW capacity wind turbine in a year
Purchase and installation : 3.9million $

What Jiminy peaks has:

Bank loan of 3.3million$ @7.3% interest rate for 10 years Grant from Renewable energy trust(Massachusets) :$ 582k Concerns for the management
Acceptance by the local community: Aesthetics and environmental concerns May not be happy for large structures being installed on top of the mountains Road congestion and Noise during the Building of turbines

Benefits to jiminy Peaks

Supplies about half of electricity required in winters Cost savings from buying 2.3 million kwh fever per year Excess electricity could be sold for $161k per year Sale of valued REC(renewable energy credits) to third parties
Valued $166667 per year for 10 yrs

Benefit of $46k per yr- renewable energy production tax credits for 10 yrs Additional cash flows of $100k (open 2-4 weeks early because of cheaper snowmaking)

Q2: Environmental advantages of wind turbines

Wind energy is friendly to the surrounding environment, as no fossil fuels are burnt to generate electricity from wind energy. Wind turbines take up less space than the average power station. Windmills only have to occupy a few square meters for the base, this allows the land around the turbine to be used for many purposes, for example agriculture. Newer technologies are making the extraction of wind energy much more efficient. The wind is free, and we are able to cash in on this free source of energy. Wind turbines are a great resource to generate energy in remote locations, such as mountain communities and remote countryside. Wind turbines can be a range of different sizes in order to support varying population levels. Another advantage of wind energy is that when combined with solar electricity, this energy source is great for developed and developing countries to provide a steady, reliable supply of electricity.

Q3: Disadvantages of wind turbine project

The strength of the wind is not constant and it varies from zero to storm force Many people feel that the countryside should be left untouched, without these large structures being built

Wind turbines are noisy

Many people see large wind turbines as unsightly structures and not pleasant or interesting to look at When wind turbines are being manufactured some pollution is produced

Q4: Other Factors

Blocking routes of birds

Wind turbines provide more of a negative effect to bats

No wind turbines should be placed near existing houses or buildings

Large wind farms are needed to provide entire communities with enough electricity

Thank you
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