Alternative Energy Draft EA - NASA Visitor Center at Wallops Flight ...
Alternative Energy Draft EA - NASA Visitor Center at Wallops Flight ... Alternative Energy Draft EA - NASA Visitor Center at Wallops Flight ...
Proposed Action and Alternatives The power generated by the solar panels would be connected via underground distribution lines to a set of switchgear that would be enclosed in a small 5-meter by 6-meter (16-foot by 20-foot) pre-fabricated building. Solar panels would be installed in open, grassy areas of the Main Base (Figure 5). All solar panels would be installed facing south to maximize their power generating capability. All solar panels would be located and situated to have no effect on cultural resources, wetlands, or on pilots flying in the Aircraft Operating Area. The installation period for the solar panels would be approximately 2 months. Operation, Maintenance, and Decommissioning Operation, maintenance, and decommissioning for wind turbines would be the same as described under the Proposed Action Alternative. Maintenance and operation of solar panels would primarily consist of mirror washing every few weeks or mirror replacement as necessary. Existing WFF maintenance staff would be used to monitor and maintain the solar panels and transmission system; no new staff would be hired for the operation and maintenance of the solar panels. After the expected 25-year life span of the solar panels, the PV cell systems would be decommissioned. NASA would recycle the solar panels by sending the spent cells to a smelting or refining facility that specializes in reclaiming materials such as glass, aluminum frames, and semiconductor materials. 2.3.3 Alternative Two: Residential-Scale Wind Turbines and Solar Panels Under Alternative Two, NASA would install up to five 2.4 kW wind turbines at the Main Base and Mainland as described under the Proposed Action Alternative. In addition, NASA would install a system of solar panels at Wallops Main Base that would be capable of generating 10 GWh/year of power. To produce this amount of energy, WFF would install approximately 38,000 1.4-square-meter (15-square-foot) panels that would equal an area of approximately 6 hectares (15 acres). Panel spacing requirements (to avoid shading and allow maintenance) would increase the overall required land area dedicated to solar panels to approximately 32 hectares (80 acres). The power generated by the solar panels would be connected via underground distribution lines to a set of switchgears that would be enclosed in a small 5-meter by 6-meter (16-foot by 20-foot) pre-fabricated building. All solar panels would be installed facing south in open, grassy areas of the Main Base (Figure 5). All solar panels would be located and situated to have no effect on cultural resources, wetlands, or on pilots flying in the WFF Aircraft Operating Area. The installation period for the solar panels would be approximately 4 months. Operation, maintenance, and decommissioning of solar panels would be the same as described under the Alternative One. 2.3.4 Comparison of Costs Among Alternatives A primary reason for NASA’s preference for employing wind energy at WFF is its cost and relatively fast payback; it would be the most economically feasible of the alternatives. Table 6 below presents a summary of estimated savings or costs that would be realized for each alternative. It does not include costs for the installation of up to five residential-scale wind 28
turbines because these costs would be the same for each alternative since all three alternatives include an identical proposal for the installation of the residential-scale turbines. Table 6: Comparison of Costs Among the Action Alternatives Proposed Action Alternative One Alternative Two Annual energy production at WFF 10 GWh/year 10 GWh/year 10 GWh/year Total Installed Cost 1 $10.1 million $31.0 million $52.0 million Estimated 25-year Savings (Cost) 1, 2 $14.4 million ($5.1 million) ($24.8 million) 1 All costs are in 2010 dollars 2 Assumes $0.075/kWh at Year 1 with 3 percent annual escalation 2.4 NO ACTION ALTERNATIVE Under the No Action Alternative, NASA would not fund or construct renewable energy sources at WFF to supplement the current supply of electricity that is provided by the local electric cooperative. The requirements for the implementation of sustainable practices for energy efficiency and reductions in GHG emissions, and for the use of renewable energy set forth in the 2005 EPAct, EO 13423, and EO 13514 would not be met by WFF. WFF would not meet its own goals of reducing GHG emissions and supporting NASA’s goal to set an example for environmental stewardship and accountability by a Federal agency. Additionally, WFF would not work towards its goal of reducing annual operating costs by investing in self-sufficient, renewable energy generation. The cost of electricity would continue to depend on the cost of the traditional, non-renewable energy sources used to produce it; as the supply and availability of fossil-fuel burning energy sources decreases, fuel costs are expected to continue to rise and ultimately the cost of electricity to the end user, WFF, would increase. 29
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Proposed Action and <strong>Altern<strong>at</strong>ive</strong>s<br />
The power gener<strong>at</strong>ed by the solar panels would be connected via underground distribution lines<br />
to a set of switchgear th<strong>at</strong> would be enclosed in a small 5-meter by 6-meter (16-foot by 20-foot)<br />
pre-fabric<strong>at</strong>ed building. Solar panels would be installed in open, grassy areas of the Main Base<br />
(Figure 5). All solar panels would be installed facing south to maximize their power gener<strong>at</strong>ing<br />
capability. All solar panels would be loc<strong>at</strong>ed and situ<strong>at</strong>ed to have no effect on cultural resources,<br />
wetlands, or on pilots flying in the Aircraft Oper<strong>at</strong>ing Area. The install<strong>at</strong>ion period for the solar<br />
panels would be approxim<strong>at</strong>ely 2 months.<br />
Oper<strong>at</strong>ion, Maintenance, and Decommissioning<br />
Oper<strong>at</strong>ion, maintenance, and decommissioning for wind turbines would be the same as described<br />
under the Proposed Action <strong>Altern<strong>at</strong>ive</strong>. Maintenance and oper<strong>at</strong>ion of solar panels would<br />
primarily consist of mirror washing every few weeks or mirror replacement as necessary.<br />
Existing WFF maintenance staff would be used to monitor and maintain the solar panels and<br />
transmission system; no new staff would be hired for the oper<strong>at</strong>ion and maintenance of the solar<br />
panels.<br />
After the expected 25-year life span of the solar panels, the PV cell systems would be<br />
decommissioned. <strong>NASA</strong> would recycle the solar panels by sending the spent cells to a smelting<br />
or refining facility th<strong>at</strong> specializes in reclaiming m<strong>at</strong>erials such as glass, aluminum frames, and<br />
semiconductor m<strong>at</strong>erials.<br />
2.3.3 <strong>Altern<strong>at</strong>ive</strong> Two: Residential-Scale Wind Turbines and Solar Panels<br />
Under <strong>Altern<strong>at</strong>ive</strong> Two, <strong>NASA</strong> would install up to five 2.4 kW wind turbines <strong>at</strong> the Main Base<br />
and Mainland as described under the Proposed Action <strong>Altern<strong>at</strong>ive</strong>. In addition, <strong>NASA</strong> would<br />
install a system of solar panels <strong>at</strong> <strong>Wallops</strong> Main Base th<strong>at</strong> would be capable of gener<strong>at</strong>ing 10<br />
GWh/year of power. To produce this amount of energy, WFF would install approxim<strong>at</strong>ely<br />
38,000 1.4-square-meter (15-square-foot) panels th<strong>at</strong> would equal an area of approxim<strong>at</strong>ely 6<br />
hectares (15 acres). Panel spacing requirements (to avoid shading and allow maintenance) would<br />
increase the overall required land area dedic<strong>at</strong>ed to solar panels to approxim<strong>at</strong>ely 32 hectares (80<br />
acres).<br />
The power gener<strong>at</strong>ed by the solar panels would be connected via underground distribution lines<br />
to a set of switchgears th<strong>at</strong> would be enclosed in a small 5-meter by 6-meter (16-foot by 20-foot)<br />
pre-fabric<strong>at</strong>ed building. All solar panels would be installed facing south in open, grassy areas of<br />
the Main Base (Figure 5). All solar panels would be loc<strong>at</strong>ed and situ<strong>at</strong>ed to have no effect on<br />
cultural resources, wetlands, or on pilots flying in the WFF Aircraft Oper<strong>at</strong>ing Area. The<br />
install<strong>at</strong>ion period for the solar panels would be approxim<strong>at</strong>ely 4 months. Oper<strong>at</strong>ion,<br />
maintenance, and decommissioning of solar panels would be the same as described under the<br />
<strong>Altern<strong>at</strong>ive</strong> One.<br />
2.3.4 Comparison of Costs Among <strong>Altern<strong>at</strong>ive</strong>s<br />
A primary reason for <strong>NASA</strong>’s preference for employing wind energy <strong>at</strong> WFF is its cost and<br />
rel<strong>at</strong>ively fast payback; it would be the most economically feasible of the altern<strong>at</strong>ives. Table 6<br />
below presents a summary of estim<strong>at</strong>ed savings or costs th<strong>at</strong> would be realized for each<br />
altern<strong>at</strong>ive. It does not include costs for the install<strong>at</strong>ion of up to five residential-scale wind<br />
28
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