Simulation photos depict turbine visibility

People on the South Carolina shoreline could see an offshore wind farm eight miles or more out in the Atlantic, according to a photo simulation conducted for Santee Cooper by Clemson University’s South Carolina Institute for Energy Studies (SCIES).

Typical summer haze would reduce the visibility by about half.

The photo simulation is part of Santee Cooper’s ongoing research into the viability of a potential offshore wind farm that would generate renewable electricity for the state-owned utility system. Santee Cooper has set a goal of generating 40 percent of its electricity by 2020 from non-greenhouse gas emitting resources, biomass fuels, conservation and energy efficiency, and wind energy could be an important part of that mix.

In addition to researching available wind, transmission capabilities, anticipated costs and other factors, Santee Cooper is considering visibility and how that will impact existing onshore land use and tourism considerations.

This photo simulation compares the visibility of wind turbines placed at varying distances from shore. Specifically, the turbines are depicted at distances, left to right, of 2 miles, 3 miles, 4 miles, 5 miles, 6 miles, 7 miles and 8 miles from the shore. Different light, wind and haze conditions could make them more or less visible.

PHOTO BY JIM HUFF/SANTEE COOPER

A big part of this process is informing and engaging the public about wind energy and how offshore turbines will impact all of us, said Marc Tye, Santee Cooper’s vice president of conservation and renewable energy. We know we have to consider shipping lanes and environmental impacts if we get to the point of building offshore turbines. It is equally important that we consider how the turbines may impact our state’s tourism and real estate industries.

Offshore wind farms have proven to be tourist attractions in parts of Europe, fostering chartered boat tours to the farms, Tye noted.  Other experience does show that an offshore wind farm in South Carolina could complement existing tourism attractions in the area we are studying. We look forward to working with Grand Strand business and civic leaders in continuing this avenue of research.

In the simulation, SCIES photographed ocean views from various coastal points along Horry and Georgetown counties, roughly matching the two areas hosting an ongoing wind buoy study by Santee Cooper and Coastal Carolina University.

The photographs were enhanced with Wind-Pro software, to accurately portray the turbine visibility at various distances and in different light and wind conditions.

The turbines in the simulation are 3.6-megawatt models depicted with a hub height of 328 feet and blades 164 feet long. These are representative of typical offshore turbines. The 12 turbines together form an array, or wind farm, capable of producing 43 MWs. Because wind does not provide a full-time, constant energy source, the array would probably operate at between 35 and 40 percent of the full capacity, meaning that the wind would not be sufficient to power the turbines all the time. 

Santee Cooper, Coastal Carolina University and the South Carolina Energy Office announced the buoy study in March, and the buoys were dropped at one, three and six-mile spots in two lines, one extending from Winyah Bay and the other, North Myrtle Beach. In a few months, Santee Cooper will add an anemometer station in one location that will be chosen based in part on the buoy data on wind direction, speed and frequency. The anemometer station will collect data at hub height for a year and help the utility decide whether to build an offshore wind farm.

Santee Cooper has made no decisions regarding viability, location or size of any potential wind farm it might build. Releasing these images is part of the utility’s commitment to informing and involving the public in this process.

Santee Cooper is South Carolina’s state-owned electric and water utility, and the state’s largest power producer, supplying electricity to more than 163,000 retail customers in Berkeley, Georgetown, and Horry counties, as well as to 31 large industrial facilities, the cities of Bamberg and Georgetown, and the Charleston Air Force Base. Santee Cooper also generates the power distributed by the state’s 20 electric cooperatives to more than 685,000 customers in all 46 counties. Approximately 2 million South Carolinians receive their power directly or indirectly from Santee Cooper. The utility also provides water to 137,000 consumers in Berkeley and Dorchester counties, and the town of Santee. For more information, visit www.santeecooper.com.