Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/1019591
September 2018 WINES&VINES 45 PRACTICAL WINERY & VINEYARD WINEMAKING in higher electricity costs and an increase in greenhouse gases. "The turbine offsets this expense and impact," Lewis says. Turbines begin spinning and generating electricity when the wind blows at 7-9 mph, Lewis notes, produce full power at 34 mph, and generally shut off and enter a survival mode when the wind exceeds 56 mph. The wind above my vines Scheid ripped out 6 acres of Pinot Noir vines (to be replanted later) to clear, grade and ex- cavate the site for the turbine. The first phase of construction involved excavating at a depth of up to 35 feet from the surface to construct a foundation 15 feet in diameter. The subsur- face soil was prepared for both the foundation and pad, and any remaining soil was returned to the center of the foundation pursuant to the foundation design. Construction lasted two weeks, followed by 30 days of inactivity to allow the foundation's concrete to cure. The second phase, which took four weeks, involved the delivery and assembly of the tower, rotor, transformer and nacelle (a cover housing that houses all of the generating components in a wind turbine). Each piece was shipped and then assembled on-site using cranes. The finished turbine sits on less than one-half acre; the ad- ditional area is required for delivery and con- struction of the structure. Next, electrical work was performed to connect the wind-turbine generator to two transformers and an under- ground transmission line. The distance from the wind turbine to the circuit box is 1,000 feet. Assembly and installation by Foundation Windpower using General Electric equipment included two transformers. One transformer, located at the base of the turbine, increases the generator's 690 volts (V) to 12.47 kilovolts (kV) for delivery of electrical energy through under- ground conductors to the step-down transformer. The step-down transformer delivers 12.47 kV- 480 V and is located near Foundation's protection switchgear adjacent to Scheid Family Wines' main switchgear. Foundation's switchgear pro- vides a 52G turbine breaker operated by relays and a DC battery system. The switchgear also includes PG&E's manual disconnect switch. The wind turbine can be seen, not heard, for miles. The center line of the turbine hub is 264 feet above ground. Three propeller blades are each 132 feet long, and the top arch of the propeller blades is 396 feet above ground level. The props turn at approximately 19.5 rpm. The turbine operates on an automatic basis when- ever sufficient wind is present, 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Sound at the base of the turbine is approximately 70 decibels and less than 50 decibels at 1,000 feet. Netting it out The contract between Scheid Family Wines and Foundation Windpower is called a Power Pur- chase Agreement in which Foundation Wind- power owns, operates and maintains the turbine, in addition to providing power to the winery operations. Scheid pays a fee that includes a discount below what PG&E would charge. The turbine is connected to the energy meter at the winery and provides power for main win- ery operations. The turbine operates in parallel with PG&E. This means that when the wind is KEY POINTS California is serious about wind energy as part of the state's electricity portfolio and re- quires that electrical utilities source 50% of retail sales from renewable sources by 2030. As of 2016, wind energy accounted for 39% of California's renewable energy production. Due to efficient winds and lack of residen- tial area, California's Salinas Valley is an ideal region for select wind-farm projects. Scheid Family Wines has erected a large wind turbine in Salinas Valley and expects electricity savings from the turbine to ex- ceed $50,000 per year. TTB LABEL APPROVALS Low per-label costs Gov't. Liaison Negotiations or Footwork Reasonable Hourly Rates TRADEMARK SEARCHES As Low as $185 Your trade names or designs are searched at the U.S. Patent Office to help establish valuable ownership or avoid costly legal liability. Over 100 years' total staff experience handling every government liaison need for industry. Phone or write for details. 200 N. Glebe Rd., Suite 321 Arlington, Virginia 22203 Phone: (703) 524-8200 Fax: 525-8451 TOLL-FREE 1-800-642-6564 Major Credit Cards Accepted www.trademarkinfo.com Since 1957 GovtLiaison_Dir08 11/29/07 2:00 PM Pag