Economic and Environmental Benefits of using a Wind Turbine to Power a Groundwater Remediation System

Abstract

An investigation regarding the feasibility of using a wind turbine to power a groundwater circulation well (GCW) at the former Nebraska Ordnance Plant Superfund site focused on the economic and environmental benefits associated with the renewable energy application. The first phase of the project consisted on the installation of a grid inter-tie wind turbine, and the second phase involved the conversion of the system to off-grid operation. An analysis was performed to characterize the likelihood that the wind turbine systems reduced the quantity of electricity purchased from the utility company. The environmental benefits of the wind turbine/GCW system include the removal of contaminant mass without loss of groundwater to the aquifer and the potential reduction in carbon dioxide released to the atmosphere. The wind turbine manufacturer's performance prediction model was evaluated for reliability given the investigation results.

Meeting Name

World Environmental and Water Resources Congress: Restoring Our Natural Habitat (2007: May 15-19, Tampa, FL)

Department(s)

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering

Sponsor(s)

Environ. Water Resour. Inst. (EWRI) Am. Soc. Civ. Eng. (ASCE)

Keywords and Phrases

Economic and environmental benefits; Environmental benefits; Ground water remediation; Groundwater circulation wells; Nebraska ordnance plants; Off-grids; Performance prediction; Potential reduction; Renewable energy applications; Second phase; Superfund sites; Utility companies; Wind turbine systems; Aquifers; Carbon dioxide; Ecosystems; Groundwater pollution; Mathematical models

International Standard Book Number (ISBN)

978-0784409275

Document Type

Article - Conference proceedings

Document Version

Citation

File Type

text

Language(s)

English

Rights

© 2007 American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), All rights reserved.

Publication Date

01 May 2007

Link to Full Text

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