A 34 meter NRG Systems, Inc. tubular-type meteorological (met) tower was located on a high headland on the northwest side of Kupreanof Island approximately 7.7 km (4.8 miles) straight-line distance northwest of the village of Kake, but 19 km (12 miles) by road.  Kupreanof Island hosts extensive forestry operations and compared to the original virgin forest cover, the site is relatively open and clear due to past logging activity.  The site is well exposed to the south and west although a moderately high hill is directly east-northeast and much higher terrain exists a further 1.5 km to the northeast.  This site was chosen because of its potential for wind power potential and its relative proximity to Kake.  The wind resource Kake itself (at sea level) is likely insufficient for wind power development due to topographic features and forest cover; however, there are hilltops closer to the village that warrant further study.

The wind resource measured at the site is very good with wind power class 5 by measurement of wind power density (Class 4 if considering only mean annual wind speed).  Given the moderately cool temperatures of Kake test site, air density is moderately higher than standard conditions, leading to the robust annual wind power density average.  By other measures important for wind power analysis, the site has a relatively low extreme wind probability but high turbulence; the latter apparently due to the moderately forested hill nearby.

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The wind resource measured at the Saint Michael met tower site is very good with measured wind power class 5 (excellent).  In addition to high average wind speeds and high wind power density, the site experiences very low turbulence and initial calculations (based on relatively limited data to date) indicate low extreme wind speed probability.

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The wind resource measured at the Mountain Village met tower site is very good with measured wind power class 5 (excellent).  In addition to high average wind speeds and high wind power density, the site experiences very low turbulence and low extreme wind speed probability.  Its location on a high exposed plateau above the Yukon River makes it ideal for wind power development.

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Download (partial) auto-generated Minto Wind Resource Report

Presented at Winterwind 2008 Norrköping, Sweden

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The wind resource measured in Deering is good at high wind power Class 3 with low turbulence conditions. Met tower placement was based on observations of wind patterns in Deering, the relatively high elevation of the site, and proximity to existing roads. The site is thought to have the best developable wind regime near Deering. Other locations near Deering, such as the summit plateau of the high, broad hill east of the village, are likely windier but development costs there would be very high.

A feasibility study completed in August 2011 examined wind power options for Deering with a phased approach recommendation where low penetration wind power is initially constructed with transition to medium to high penetration wind power within a few years.

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Buckland has a well-run powerplant ideally suited for integration of wind turbines and associated control systems, very expensive fuel, and a strong desire to incorporate wind power to reduce their energy costs.  Two wind studies have been conducted in Buckland, one near the village and the other in the hills approximately five miles to the west.   The wind resource is characterized by a lower wind classification near the village and a moderate wind classification in the west hills.  Fortunately with respect to the west hills site area, an existing road to a gravel quarry leads nearly to the site.  This wind resource and distance relationship leads to a tradeoff of options – greater distance and higher capital costs but superior wind resource – for wind power development in Buckland.

Wind-diesel configuration options considered in the feasibility study are low penetration with minimal wind power input, medium penetration with much higher wind power input but no electrical energy storage, and high penetration with high wind power input and electrical energy storage to draw against during periods of calm winds.  An economic analysis of the options concludes that medium to high penetration configurations have positive benefit-to-cost ratios with fuel prices in the medium to high projection range as determined by UAA’s Institute for Social and Economic Research in the 2011 Alaska petroleum fuels cost study. Although this study indicates that a near-village site is possibly more advantageous cost-wise, the difference is not dramatic and further study may be necessary, along with community and utility input, to select the final site for construction of wind turbines.

At present, the City of Buckland and Kotzebue Electric Association desire a medium penetration system as this configuration is most common in Alaska and provides an excellent compromise between significant offset of diesel fuel-generated electricity and relatively low system complexity compared to high penetration designs.  This report demonstrates, however, that because fuel costs in Buckland are so expensive, a high penetration configuration that maximizes the displacement of diesel fuel for electrical generation is highly beneficial as well.

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The wind resource measured in Point Lay is very good, measured at high wind power class 4 to low wind power class 5 (on a scale of 1 to 7). In addition to high average wind speeds and wind power density, Point Lay experiences highly directional prevailing winds and low turbulence.

V3 Energy LLC prepared a feasibility study for Point Lay in December 2011.  The study concludes that the technical and economic prospects of wind power to supplement the diesel power plant are excellent.  Two candidate sites were considered, one near the airport and another on the bluff immediately north of the village, and two wind turbine options, the 100 kW Northwind 100 and the larger 225 kW Aeronautica AW29-225.

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The wind resource measured in Point Hope is outstanding, with measured wind power class 6 (on a scale of 1 to 7). In addition to high average wind speeds and high wind power density, Point Hope experiences very low turbulence and calculations indicate low extreme wind speed probability.

V3 Energy LLC prepared a feasibility study for Point Hope in December 2011.  The study concludes that the technical and economic prospects of wind power to supplement the diesel power plant are excellent.  Two candidate sites were considered, one near the airport and the other a few miles east of the village, and two wind turbine options, the 100 kW Northwind 100 and the larger 225 kW Aeronautica AW29-225.

Download Feasibility Study Here

Download Wind Resource Report Here