Table of Contents
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| Wind Turbines [1] |
What is Wind Power?
Wind power or wind energy is the process of harnessing the energy from the wind to generate mechanical power or electricity. The wind turbines convert the kinetic energy from the wind into mechanical power which in turn is used for specific tasks (grinding grain, pumping water, etc.) or converted into electricity by a generator [6].
What are the Benefits?
- Cost effective (land-based utility-scale wind is one of the lowest-priced sources that costs approximately 1 -2 cents per kilowatt-hour after production tax credit) [7]
- Creates jobs
- Enables industry growth
- Clean fuel source
- Domestic energy source
- Sustainable
- Can be built on existing farms or ranches (best wind locations are on rural areas)
What are the Drawbacks?
- Wind power must still compete with conventional generation sources on a cost basis [7]
- Good land-based wind sites are often located in remote locations far away from cities where electricity is needed which requires transmission lines to be built
- Might not be the most profitable use of the land
- Turbines cause noise and aesthetic pollution
- Wind plants negatively impact local wildlife
Horizontal-Axis Turbines vs Vertical-Axis Turbines
Horizontal-Axis Turbines
Contains three propeller blades and operates “upwind” with the turbine pivoting at the top of the tower with the blades facing the wind [2].
Benefits About Horizontal-Axis Turbine
- High power output [8]
- High efficiency
- High reliability
- High operational wind speed
Disadvantages About Horizontal-Axis Turbines
- Difficult to transport, install, and maintain [8]
- Creates negative environmental impact
- Strict regulations for installation
Vertical-Axis Turbines
These types of turbines are omnidirectional which means they do not need to be adjusted to point into the wind to operate [2].
Benefits About Vertical-Axis Turbines
- Cheaper to produce [9]
- Easier installation
- Transportable
- Equipped with low-speed blades, creating less risk to environmental impact
- Able to function in extreme weather conditions
- Less noise pollution (quieter to operate)
Disadvantages About Vertical-Axis Turbines
- Less rotation efficiency [10]
- Lower available wind speed (lower to the ground)
- Component wear-down
- Relies on a starting mechanism
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| Horizontal-Axis Turbines [2] |
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| Vertical-Axis Turbines [2] |
Applications of Wind Turbines
Land-Based Wind
- Range in size form 100 kW to as large as several MW [2]
- Cost effective and are grouped with wind plants providing bulk power to the electrical grid
- Transportation challenges
Offshore Wind
- Massive in size and is taller than the Statue of Liberty [2]
- Large components can be easily transported on ships instead of on roads
- Captures ocean winds generating massive amounts of energy
Distributed Winds
- Wind turbines installed on a “customer” side of the electric meter or if they are installed near the place where the energy produced will be used [2]
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| Land-Based Wind Turbines [2] |
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| Offshore Wind Turbines [2] |
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| Distributed Wind Turbines [2] |
Contributors:
| User | Last Update |
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| Former user (Deleted) | 1270 days ago |
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| Former user (Deleted) | 1332 days ago |
| Former user (Deleted) | 1340 days ago |