The Tennessee Anemometer Loan Program
In 2006, due to increased demand from residents, businesses, and organizations, the Tennessee Wind Working Group was awarded funding to begin a state anemometer loan program. This program is intended to help understand the wind resource at a location using equipment to record data in 10 minute averages for the course of a year. This understanding of wind speed, direction, and temperature, helps create an accurate understanding of what the wind energy produced would have been over the course of the year. Wind Industry developers are required to use anemometers for analyzing wind sites for commercial scale development. However, for smaller projects, the equipment is often too expensive to justify. Through the Tennessee Anemometer Loan Program, residents and organizations across the state of Tennessee are able to test their wind resource and explore the use of wind energy to meet their electrical demand.
Supporting TVA Wind Resource Monitoring
The Tennessee Valley Authority has been monitoring the wind resource in the TVA region, off and on, for nearly two decades. This understanding should help the TVA decide where wind projects will be best located for future developments. The Tennessee Wind Working Group enjoys working collaboratively with the TVA to understanding these resources and help operate the wind resource monitoring. Since wind monitoring often takes 1-3 years to complete sufficiently, the Tennessee Wind Working Group makes it a goal to support efforts that monitor commercial scale sites throughout the Tennessee Valley For detailed reports please visit: University of the South Anemometer Johnson City Anemometer Lynda Hughes Lumber Co Anemometer Camp Creek Elementary School Jonesborough Anemometer Ijams Nature Center Anemometer Highlander Center Anemometer
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The Tennessee Valley and Eastern Kentucky Wind Working Group is no longer accepting applications for the Tennessee Anemometer Loan program at this time. Tennessee and Kentucky residents, businesses, and organizations are welcome to email Katie Stokes for help using the alternative methods to evaluating their wind resource.
Alternatives to Anemometer Loan Program
Individuals looking to install smaller sized wind energy systems may prefer to use different methods of analyzing wind resource, such as the use of a modeled wind map, or general best siting practices.
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Wind Power Maps
Department of Energy's Wind Powering American Program began working together with states to provide high resolution wind power maps that are validated by the National Renewable Energy Lab several years ago. These wind power maps provide a modeled estimate, based on existing wind data and practiced modeling methods, of what the wind regime may be at different elevations for the state. While these maps are best used to identify general windy areas, they can be used to help individuals understand the local wind resource, and in some cases be used as evidence to help justify financial incentives. To visit the most up to date wind maps, please follow this link to the Wind Powering America's link to US wind power maps. (Please note the state of Tennessee anticipates to receive a high resolution wind map in Fall 2008)
Best Siting Practices
In the state of Tennessee, the best wind resources are at higher elevations along the Cumberland Plateau and in East Tennessee mountains. although in west Tennessee there are areas of class 2 winds that may be suitable for residential wind turbines. When siting a wind turbine, the following three rules can help you assess whether a wind turbine can be properly located on your property.
1. Do you have an area of land that is exposed (clear of any obstacles) where a wind turbine can be installed?
A 200 ft radius circle is the minimum amount of space needed to install a small scale residential turbine. For larger wind systems, more land may required.
2. Is this area at a higher elevation than surrounding lands?
Trees, buildings, and other obstacles serve as "shade" for wind and dramatically reduce the amount of electricity a wind system can produce. Wind systems need to be at least 30 feet higher than the highest surrounding obstacle.
3. Are you at a sufficient elevation?
Wind energy for homes need to be at elevations of at least 1500 feet, if not higher. If you would like to learn more about your wind regime, researching a nearby airport, or nearby meteorological towers to understanding how the wind blows in nearby areas.
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The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has been monitoring the wind at 17 sites in East Tennessee through the Regional Air Monitoring and Analytical Network. To find a station near year, please use the map below.
Note: This data is intended to give you a general idea of how wind compares across the valley. Wind is a site sensitive resource and is subject to change based on time of day, terrain, and any other atmospheric conditions.
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