Community wind electrical power case study: Muir Beach. Final report

Technical Report · Mon Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 1979

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6811727· OSTI ID:6811727

Bluhm, R.; Freebairn-Smith, R.

Muir Beach experiences relatively steady northwest coastal winds. Recordings at anemometer stations have indicated wind speeds averaging 10 to 12 mph over the year. This compares favorably with the minimum of 8 to 9 mph generally considered necessary for feasible wind-electric generation. Given the town's wind environment, a 100 kW wind turbine of the kind planned could provide an annual output of about 150,000 kWh, or about one-eighth of Muir Beach's projected need. Especially promising for Muir Beach are other potential sites at higher elevations on neighboring Mt. Tamalpais, where federal records indicate annual average speeds of 18 mph. Each 100 kW wind turbine sited there could conservatively yield at least double and perhaps triple the output of the first system.

• Research Organization: Freebairn-Smith (Rod), Muir Beach, CA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: FG03-78SF01963
• OSTI ID: 6811727
• Report Number(s): DOE/SF/01963-T2
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

17 WIND ENERGY
29 ENERGY PLANNING
POLICY AND ECONOMY
CALIFORNIA
WIND POWER PLANTS
ECONOMICS
FEASIBILITY STUDIES
PLANNING
COST
POWER GENERATION
POWER RANGE 100-1000 KW
RESOURCE ASSESSMENT
SPECIFICATIONS
WIND POWER
ENERGY SOURCES
NORTH AMERICA
POWER
POWER PLANTS
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
USA
WESTERN REGION
170601* - Wind Energy Engineering- Applications
299003 - Energy Planning & Policy- Unconventional Sources & Power Generation- Other- (-1989)
170400 - Wind Energy- Economic
Industrial
& Business Aspects