5.

3Wind energy and Geothermal energy

5.3.1 Wind energy
• Winds are caused by the uneven heating of the atmosphere by the
sun, the irregularities of the earth's surface, and rotation of the
earth. 
• Wind results from the movement of air due to atmospheric
pressure gradients.
• The term ‘wind energy’ describes the way we use wind to generate
mechanical power or electricity.
• Wind energy is a special form of kinetic energy in air as it flows.
• This mechanical power can be used for specific tasks (such as
grinding grain or pumping water) or a generator can convert this
mechanical power into electricity
Cont’d
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 Cont’d
•
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 HOW IT WORKS
• A wind turbine is composed of several parts to
achieve kinetic energy of the wind-to-electric energy
conversion .
• Wind vane is a mechanical device attached to an
elevated structure; rotates freely to show the
direction of the wind and
• The anemometer is a gauge for recording the speed
and direction of wind.
• The wind kinetic energy is converted to mechanical
energy by the blades mounted on the rotor hub,
which is installed on the main shaft, also known as
the low speed (long blade length) shaft.
 Cont..
• The mechanical energy is transmitted through the
drive train to the generator, which converts
mechanical energy into electric energy.
• This conversion is usually assisted by a power
converter system, which delivers the power from
the generator to the grid.
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 Cont’d
Fundamental Equation of Wind Power:
– Wind Power depends on:
• amount of air (volume)
• speed of air (velocity)
• mass of air (density)
flowing through the area of interest (flux)
• When air is in motion, the kinetic energy in
moving air can be determined as:
 KE = ½ * m * v2
 Cont’d
• The power in the wind is given by the rate of
change of energy:

As mass flow rate is given by:

and the rate of change of distance is given by:

we get:
 Cont’d
• Hence,
Where, rotor swept area A= πr2(m2)
ρ= Density (kg/m3)
v = Wind Speed(m/s)
• the radius is equal to the blade length as shown
in the figure below:
• The actual wind power in the wind at any
instant of time, Pw, can be determined as:
•
Cont’d
 Cont’d

• Power Coefficient, Cp, is the ratio of power extracted by the

turbine to the total contained in the wind resource Cp = PT/PW
•Turbine power output
PT= ½ * ρ* A * v3* Cp
•Wind Turbine Power output varies with steady wind speed
•The figure below shows how the power output from a wind turbine
varies with steady wind speed.
 example1
• We are given the following data:
• Blade length, l = 52 m Wind speed, v = 12 m/sec Air density, ρ=
1.23 kg/m3Power Coefficient, Cp= 0.4. then calculate the wind
turbine power out put.
Solution
Inserting the value for blade length as the radius of the swept area is

We can then calculate the power converted from the wind into
rotational energy in the turbine using
Cont’d
 Cont’d
• The speed at which the turbine first starts to
rotate and generate power is called the cut-in
speed and is typically between 3 and 4 meters
per second.
• As the wind speed rises above the cut-in speed,
the level of electrical output power rises rapidly
as shown. However, typically somewhere
between 12 and 17 metres per second, the
power output reaches the limit that the
electrical generator is capable of.
 Cont’d
• This limit to the generator output is called the
rated power output and the wind speed at
which it is reached is called the rated output
wind speed.
• At higher wind speeds, the design of the
turbine is arranged to limit the power to this
maximum level and there is no further rise in
the output power.
• it is done by adjusting the blade angles so as to
keep the power at the constant level.
 Cont’d
• As the speed increases above the rate output
wind speed, the forces on the turbine
structure continue to rise and, at some point,
there is a risk of damage to the rotor. As a
result, a braking system is employed to bring
the rotor to a standstill.
• This is called the cut-out speed and is usually
around 25 meters per second.
 Cont’d

Example 1
• Determine the power in the wind if the wind speed is 20 m/s and
blade length is 50 m.
• Solution:
Given:
• Wind speed v = 20 m/s,
• Blade length l = 50 m,
• Air density ρ = 1.23 kg/m.
• The area is given by, A = π r2 = π × 2500
•   = 7850 m
• The wind power formula is given as,
• P=1ρAV
•   = 1 x 1.23 x 7850 x 8000
• P = 38.62 MW
 Example: 2
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 Cont’d
Advantages:

Disadvantages:

Challenges in wind power generation:

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• . 5.4.Geothermal Energy
•Earth emits some 44TW of energy. Not homogeneously 
•As a rough rule, 1 km3 of hot rock cooled by 1000C will yield 30 MW of
electricity over thirty years.
•The heat flux from the center of the Earth can fulfill human energy demands
(Joules are there, by techniques….)
 •Hot Water Reservoirs: hot underground water. Large
number, but best suited for space heating
•Natural Steam Reservoirs: Steam comes to the
surface. This type of resource is rare in the US.
•Geopressured Reservoirs: Brine saturated with natural gas
(overpressurized). This type of resource can be used for both
heat and for natural gas.
Geothermal energy—energy derived from the heat of the earth—can
be harnessed both as a source of renewable electricity as well as
directly for heating and cooling applications.
• Below Earth's crust, there is a layer of hot and molten rock, called
magma. Heat is continually produced in this layer, mostly from the
decay of naturally radioactive materials such as uranium and
potassium
 Cont’d

How is Geothermal Energy Converted to Electricity?

• There are several different main types of geothermal
plants:
 Dry steam
 Flash steam
 Binary cycle
• A geothermal power plant uses steam obtained from
geothermal reservoirs to generate electricity.
• Wells are drilled at the appropriate locations to bring this
geothermal energy up to the surface. 
• The particular working of the plant depends upon
the type of the plant.
 Cont’d
1. Dry Steam Plant

• Fig.: Dry Steam Plant

 Cont’d
• This is the simplest and oldest type of
geothermal plant.
• It directly uses steam from the reservoir to
operate the turbine.
• The steam is collected from the production
well and used to operate low-pressure turbines.
Hence, the working fluid is steam.
• The used steam is then condensed and injected
back through the injection well.
 Cont’d
2. Flash Steam Plant

• Fig. Flash Steam Plant

 Cont’d
• Flash steam power plants are the most commonly
employed geothermal plants today.
• They operate on the geothermal reservoirs having
water temperature greater than 180 degree celcius.
• The high pressure hot water from the reservoir flows
up through the production well due to its own pressure.
• The steam is separated from the water by steam
separator and sent to drive the steam turbine.
• The unused water as well as the condensed steam are
injected back through the injection well.
 Cont’d
• 3. Binary Steam Plant

• Fig.: Binary Steam Plant

 Cont’d
• Binary power plants are the recent development.
• They have made it possible to produce electricity from
geothermal reservoirs with temperatures lower than 150
degree celcius.
• In these plants, hot water from geothermal reservoir is used to
heat up an another organic fluid having a lower boiling point.
• Thus, here, the working fluid is the secondary organic fluid
and not the water from reservoir. The heat energy from the
water is transferred to the working fluid in the heat exchanger.
As a result, the working fluid vaporizes, and then drives the
turbines. The spent fluid passes through the condenser and the
cycle repeats. The water is injected back into the reservoir
through the injection well.
 Cont’d
Advantages
• Renewable energy source
• No harmful gases emitted
• No green house effect
• Cost of Fuel is negligible
• Capital cost is 40-60% less than thermal and
Nuclear plants
• Short construction period
 Cont’d
Disadvantage
• Availability at certain regions only (Where
magma is nearer to the surface)
• Low efficiency (10-12%)
• The fluid taken out from deep earth contains
mixtures of gases such as CO2, (CH4) etc. If
these gases are released, it will contribute to
global warming, acid rain etc
• It requires emission control system
 Rural electrification in Ethiopia
• About 85% Ethiopian populations are living in
rural areas in scattered ways
• Providing grid electricity for the rural
population of Ethiopia is not economical due
to the scattered ways of settlement
•Expanding modern energy services, particularly
electricity, in rural areas is crucial to accelerate
the economic and social development process.
 Cont’d
• The rural areas may be electrified either by
extending the grids of the existing power systems
or by introducing isolated hybrid power systems.
• Extension of the existing grids is not appropriate as
the power is not affordable due to difficult
landscapes of the areas
• For remote areas where electricity has not reached
yet, decentralized hybrid power systems which
contain fossil fuel generator, renewable energy
source and battery storage systems are preferable.
 Cont’d
• A system that depends entirely in either
renewable energy resources or powered by
diesel is possible but it is not reliable and
affordable.
• The system which is dependent on diesel
100% has a negative impact on access to
electricity due to fluctuations of prices and
fuel supply of the fuel in addition to that it has
negative environmental effect.
 Cont’d
• renewable resources such as solar, hydro, wind
can be harnessed and converted to electricity to
supply clear energy to the people that live
without electricity but these only could not be
reliable as there is intermittency.
• Therefore, decentralized hybrid power systems
which contain fossil fuel generator, renewable
energy source and battery storage systems are
preferable.
• According to the master plan report in 2011, wind, and solar
energy capacity in the federal democratic republic of Ethiopia
is the 153MW Adama-II WF, 95 km southeast of Addis Ababa,
51MW Adama-I WF and the 120 MW Ashegoda WF located
780 km north of Addis Ababa.
•  Projects, which are under study, are the 300 MW Aysha WF,
the 42 MW Mesebo-Harena WF, 100 MW Assela WF and the
100 MW Debre Berhan WF.
• Ethiopia, is situated very close the equator (between 30 and
150 degrees North) with abundant solar energy potential
which can be harnessed and put to use in the form of both
thermal as well as electrical energy.
 .

• The average solar radiation is uniform, around 5.20 KWh/m2. The

values vary seasonally, from a minimum of 4.55 KWh/m2 in July to
a maximum of 5.55 KWh/m2 in February and March.
• With location, the radiation varies even more widely between 4.25
KWh/ m2 in extreme western lowlands, 6.25 KWh/ m2 in Adigrat
area (Northern Ethiopia) and 5.098 Kwh/ m2 /day up to 6.607
Kwh/ m2/day in Adama (Nazret) city.
• The following are the recommended solar PV power stations in
Ethiopia:
• Debre Birhan PV power station of 10 MW, Metehara PV power
station of 50MW, Awash solar energy PV power station of 20MW,
Dera solar energy PV power station of 60 MW, Addis Ababa wind
energy and solar energy demonstration base one with a total
capacity of 141 MW
 Overview of Solar Energy Resource in Ethiopia
• Ethiopia ranks one of the lowest with respect to
utilization of solar energy resource.
• In spite of the fact that PV solar as a technology
was known to Ethiopia since early 1970s, the
technology has been, and still is, unable to make
major in-roads into the Ethiopian market in any
meaningful commercial scale and manner.
• Out of an estimated 3.5 MW PV installations , 85% is the
share of the Telecom sector.
Solar Energy Potential and Distribution
• Ethiopia, situated very close the equator (between 30 and 150
degrees North)
• Enjoys abundant solar energy potential which can be
harnessed and put to use in the form of both thermal as well
as electrical energy.
• The average solar radiation is more or less uniform, around
5.20 KWh/m2. The values vary seasonally, from a minimum of
4.55 KWh/m2 in July to a maximum of 5.55 KWh/m2 in
February and March.
• With location, the radiation varies even more widely between
4.25 KWh/m2 in extreme western lowlands and 6.25 KWh/m2
in Adigrat area, Northern Ethiopia.
 .
Average Daily Solar Radiation in Adama site
• .

Source: NASA
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