Exhibit 14 Ice Shedding / Blade Throw Analysis

EXHIBIT 14 WIND TURBINE ICE BLADE THROW

Prepared for NEW GRANGE WIND FARM LLC

Prepared by

133 Federal Street Boston, MA 02110 617-457-8200

December 2007

TABLE OF CONTENTS
1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 INTRODUCTION...............................................................................................................1 ICE SHEDDING ................................................................................................................1 BLADE THROW ................................................................................................................2 REFERENCES..................................................................................................................3

1.0

INTRODUCTION

Public health and safety is a priority consideration when siting wind projects in proximity to populated communities. Ice shedding and blade throw are two safety concerns addressed below per 657 (A) (19) of the Arkwright Local Law #2 of 2007.

2.0

ICE SHEDDING

Ice shedding, or ice throw, refers to the phenomenon that can occur when ice accumulates on rotor blades and subsequently breaks free or melts and falls to the ground. Although a potential safety concern, it is important to note that while more than 90,000 wind turbines have been installed worldwide (Gipe 2007), there has been no reported injury caused by ice thrown from a turbine (Klepinger 2007). However, ice shedding does occur, and remains a potential safety concern. Field observations and studies of ice shedding indicate that most ice shedding occurs as air temperatures rise and the ice on the rotor blades begins to thaw. The tendency is for ice fragments to drop off the rotors and land near the base of the turbine (Morgan et al. 1998). Ice can potentially be thrown when ice begins to melt and stationary turbine blades begin to rotate again. Observational studies and mathematical models examining this phenomenon have calculated how far ice can potentially be thrown from a moving rotor blade before hitting the ground (Morgan and Bossanyi 1996; Morgan et al. 1998). The distance traveled by a piece of ice depends on a number of factors, including the position of the blade when the ice breaks off, the location of the ice when it breaks off, the rotational speed of the blade, the shape of the ice that is shed (e.g., spherical, flat, smooth), and the prevailing wind speed. Data gathered at existing wind farms have documented ice fragments on the ground at a distance of 50 to 328 feet from the base of the tower. These fragments were in the range of 0.2 to 2.2 pounds in mass. The risk of ice landing at a specific location is found to drop dramatically as the distance from the turbine increases (Morgan and Bossanyi 1996; Morgan et al. 1998). The minimum setback distances included in the Town of Arkwright local law of 1,200 feet from off-site residences, trails, and recreational areas, 1.5 times the Total Height of the WECS (615 feet) from structures, and 500 feet from the nearest public roads should substantially protect nearby residents and motorists from falling ice. In addition to adhering to setbacks required by the Town of Arkwright, other safety measures and industry best practices further reduce the risk of harm from ice shedding, including turbine shut-down during icing conditions. Ice that accumulates on the rotor blades will likely cause a weight imbalance, which will alert turbine monitoring sensors and result in turbine shut-down. Once the ice melts, the turbine has to be restarted manually by the operator for the turbine to commence operation. The use of fencing and warning signs further reduces risk in the areas closer to the turbines. Based upon the results of studies, field observations, the Projects siting criteria, and the limited public access to the turbine sites, it is not anticipated that the Project will result in any significant risk to the health or safety of the landowner or the general public due to ice shedding.

3.0

BLADE THROW

Another potential public safety concern is the possibility of a rotor blade dropping or being thrown from the nacelle. These are extremely rare occurrences, but such incidents have occurred. Past occurrences of these incidents have generally been the result of design defects during manufacturing, poor maintenance, wind gusts that exceed the maximum design load of the engineered turbine structure, or lightning strikes. Technological improvements and mandatory safety standards during turbine design, manufacturing, and installation as well as more frequent maintenance have made these occurrences extremely rare (NYSERDA 2005). Modern utility-scale turbines are certified according to international engineering standards (AWEA 2007; NYSERDA 2005). Testing facilities in the United States and Europe employ these standards to test blade integrity and ability to withstand different levels of hurricane-strength winds and fatigue, among other criteria. State of the art braking systems, pitch controls, sensors, and speed controls on wind turbines have greatly reduced the risk of blade throw. The Vestas V90 turbines proposed for this Project automatically shut down at wind speeds over 56 miles per hour (25 meters/second). They also cease operation if significant vibrations or rotor blade stress is sensed by the turbine blade monitoring system. As a result, the risk of blade failure is minimal. In those rare instances where blades have failed, the failure typically results in components falling straight to the ground. The setbacks of 1,200 feet from off-site residences, trails, and recreational areas, 1.5 times the Total Height of the WECS (615 feet) from structures, and 500 feet from the nearest public roads would prevent blade throw onto adjacent property of public roads. Additionally, the use of fencing, signage, and public outreach efforts will discourage unauthorized access to the wind turbines, which would further reduce the risk due to blade throw.

4.0

REFERENCES

AWEA (American Wind Energy Association). 2007. IEC Wind Turbine Standards. Accessed November 2007 at http://www.awea.org/standards/iec_stds.html. Gipe, Paul. 2007. Worldwide Wind Energy Development 2007. Accessed November 2007 at http://www.wind-works.org/articles/WorldwideWindEnergyDevelopment2007.html. Klepinger, Michael. 2007. Michigan Land Use Guidelines for Siting Wind Energy Systems. Michigan State University Extension Bulletin WO-1053. Accessed November 2007 at http://web1.msue.msu.edu/wind/Siting_Wind_Systems_Bulletin1.pdf. KOMO TV News Online. 2007. Man killed when wind tower collapses. Accessed November 2007 at http://www.komotv.com/news/local/9383316.html. Morgan, C. and E. Bossanyi. 1996. Wind Turbine Icing and Public Safety A Quantifiable Risk? Wind Energy in Cold Climates, Bengt Tammelin, Kristiina Sntii. Morgan, C., E. Bossanyi, and H. Seifert. 1998. Assessment of Safety Risks Arising from Wind Turbine Icing. Wind Energy in Cold Climates. Presented at BOREAS IV Conference, Hetta Finland. NYSERDA (New York State Energy Research Development Authority). 2005. Public Health and Safety. Report by Global Energy Concepts. Accessed November 2007 at http://www.powernaturally.org/Programs/Wind/toolkit/18_publichealthandsafety.pdf. Oklahoma Renewable Energy Council. 2005. Notes for the May 11, 2005 Meeting. Accessed November 2007 at http://www.ocgi.okstate.edu/orec/2005/Notes/Notes_May11.pdf.