NWCC NATIONAL WIND COORDINATING COLLABORATIVE

HIGHLIGHTS

October 1, 2008

The NWCC Highlights newsletter is posted monthly. For monthly as well as interim NWCC updates, please visit our blog at www.nationalwind.org/blog.

DATES TO REMEMBER

Same NWCC, New Blog – Based on feedback from participants like you, we are seeking to minimize the number of emails we send while still providing you with the latest NWCC news. To this end, we have launched the new NWCC “blog”, where we will regularly post NWCC news and information. We will continue to send out the NWCC Highlights newsletter but are moving to a monthly, rather than bi-weekly, schedule. Look for updates by email on the 1st of each month, and be sure to check the NWCC blog for interim news.

Less Than 1 Month until Wind Wildlife Research Meeting VII – Less than one month remains to register for Wind Wildlife Research Meeting VII, to be held October 28-29th in Milwaukee, WI. Registration, draft agendas and logistical information can be found on the meeting website: http://wildlife08.windworkshops.org/. Sponsored by We Energies and co-sponsored by NWCC and a variety of other organizations, this meeting will feature the most recent research on impacts to wildlife from wind energy and potential mitigation strategies. An optional introductory workshop will be held on October 27th and the NWCC Wildlife Workgroup will meet on October 30th.

Last Chance to Respond to Wildlife Workgroup Outreach Survey – The NWCC Wildlife Workgroup needs your feedback to improve its outreach. The end goal is to reduce the volume and increase the impact of NWCC outreach, ensuring all stakeholder groups are represented and that products are received by key audiences. As a participant in the Wildlife Workgroup, your feedback is critical in identifying what works, what doesn’t, and what could be improved. Please take a minute to fill out this brief survey to share your perceptions.

NWCC CONFERENCE CALLS

Steering Committee call
Monday, October 20, 1:00 pm ET

NWCC WORKGROUP UPDATES

Registration for Wind Wildlife Research Meeting VII (October 28-29) is open on the meeting website: http://wildlife08.windworkshops.org/. The site also features logistical information, a draft agenda, and information about the October 27th optional introductory session and October 30th Wildlife Workgroup meeting. Hosted by We Energies, the research meeting will be held in Milwaukee, WI, and will feature presentations on the latest wind and wildlife research in North America. Registration for the introductory session is filling fast – be sure to register soon!

The Wildlife Workgroup Core Group will meet in Milwaukee on October 30th. A draft agenda has been posted on the meeting website at http://wildlife08.windworkshops.org/. Attendees may register for the Core Group meeting while registering for Wind Wildlife Research Meeting VII. Although this meeting is open to non-Core Group members, space is limited and preference will be given to Core Group members.

The Grassland Shrub Steppe Species Collaborative (GS3C) will meet in conjunction with the Wind Wildlife Research Meeting VII to discuss next steps for the KSU research on potential impacts to prairie chickens from wind energy development. In addition, the group will discuss possible GS3C activities in studying sage grouse. GS3C members who are interested in attending should contact Taylor Kennedy for additional information.

November 12 Wildlife Workgroup Call Cancelled - As the Wildlife Workgroup will meet on October 30th, the Core Group has indicated there is no need for a November 12th workgroup call. The bi-monthly calls will begin again in January 2009; the exact schedule will be confirmed by the Core Group at their fall meeting and will be distributed to participants in early November.

Updates to NWCC Methods & Metrics Document - Western EcoSystems Technology (WEST), William Warren Hicks (EcoStat, Inc.), and Robin Gregory (Decision Research) met with the NWCC Oversight Committee in a September 15th workshop at NREL to develop a risk framework for updating Studying Wind Energy/Bird Interactions: A Guidance Document (aka Methods & Metrics Document). A proposed list of references is due to the Committee in mid-October; once this has been approved, WEST will begin drafting the document. This framework will be useful to other initiatives, such as the U.S. Department of Interior Wind Turbine Guidelines Federal Advisory Committee.

Updates to NWCC Birds & Bats Factsheet - Pandion Systems has submitted a draft list of references to be included in updates to Wind Turbine Interactions with Birds and Bats: A Summary of Research Results and Remaining Questions (aka Birds & Bats Factsheet). The Oversight Committee has provided feedback on this list, and Pandion has begun drafting the document.

Wind/Wildlife Activities & Events Table -The NWCC wind power / wildlife studies, activities, and events table is available online. Please send information on wind / wildlife meetings, studies, or publications to Taylor Kennedy at tkennedy@resolv.org for inclusion in this table and the NWCC calendar.

West - Planning is underway for a joint workshop with WECC and the Western Governors’ Association (WGA) in December to discuss integrating large amounts of wind into the grid. The idea for the workshop has been presented to WECC board meeting planners and their response is pending.

Transmission Updates - On the September 23rd Transmission Update call, Jess Totten of the Texas Public Utility Commission (PUC) discussed the recent CREZ order from the Texas PUC and Mike Proctor of the Missouri Public Service Commission gave an update on the transmission proposal now under development by the Southwest Power Pool’s Regional State Committee. An Update brief is underway and will be distributed and posted on the NWCC website when complete. Information on the next Transmission Update will also be circulated once the topic and date are determined.

Layperson's Guide to Wind Integration – The review of the revised draft of the Layperson's Guide is underway and consultations on next steps for finishing the draft will take place this month.