Module 11 - Google Earth

The displayed map was created as part of the University of West Florida Online GIS Certification program class, Cartographic Skills, (GIS 3015/L) for the Week 11 lab exercise: Google Maps. The map was composed using Google Earth to identify and add an annotated placemark for a proposed wind farm location in the Great Lakes region. Screen shots were captured to create the main and inset images which were saved into the Microsoft Paint program then exported as a PNG file. The PNG file was imported into Adobe Illustrator(CS4) for finishing.



Lake Erie-Ashtabula-Conneaut Wind Farm

Justifications for Lake Erie-Ashtabula-Conneaut Offshore Site

An Ohio location was desirable due to Ohio's overwhelming public support for wind farms as noted by Green Energy and multiple other studies.

The specific site was chosen based on NOAA National Data Buoy Center data for the Conneaut Break Water Light buoy (CBLO1) showing an average annual wind speed falling within 5 (minimum working speed) - 15 (full capacity speed) meters per second for an average annual percentage of 56% of measuring events (an event had an average duration of 11 hours). This was the highest average rate of any of the buoy stations on Lake Erie in Ohio.

After searching for land-based sites near to the water and not finding any that seemed suitable, the idea of locating the wind farm offshore seemed like the more feasible possibility. Research online revealed the Great Lakes Wind Energy Center (GLWEC) Feasibility Study - Final Feasibility Report which stated among other things that Lake Erie presented the best Wind Resource in Ohio. Further research turned up the Wind Turbine Placement Favorability analysis which seemed to indicate that a site with a buffer of between 4-5 miles from shore midway between Ashtabula and Conneaut, presented only moderate limiting factors as a wind farm site. The chosen location is within shipping lanes and is actually in close proximity to the Cleveland Electric Illuminating Company - Ashtabula Power Plant, a potential electrical grid-connection point. The 4-5 mile buffer is far enough to mitigate any adverse affects due to noise, shadow flicker and visual impacts.

With regard to wildlife, European studies show that most waterfowl and seabirds detour short distances around wind farms so the proposed site is unlikely to significantly affect migrating birds along the one migration pathway that crosses through the site location. Also, based on European studies, habitat loss (i.e. foraging ground) should be minimal due to the distance offshore of the farm. Additionally, according to the GLWEC Final Feasibility Report, long term, it is possible that the foundation structures will actually create favorable marine habitat similar to artificial reefs found in the ocean.

While the site has some risk factors involved it actually seems to be a better location then sites that are in current consideration around the city of Cleveland.