Wind energy

Results & discussion

What is wind energy?

 Wind energy (or wind power) describes the process by which wind is used to generate
electricity. Wind turbines convert the kinetic energy in the wind into mechanical power. A
generator can convert mechanical power into electricity.
Types of wind energy
Horizontal axis
Horizontal axis wind turbines are the most
common type used (see figure 1). All of the
components (blades, shaft, generator) are on
top of a tall tower, and the blades face into the
wind. The shaft is horizontal to the ground.
Advantages and disadvantages of horizontal
axis
 Advantages
• Blades are to the side of the turbines
center of gravity, helping stability
• Ability to wing warp, which gives the
turbine blades the best angle of attack
• Ability to pitch the rotor blades in a
storm to minimize damage
• Tall tower allows access to stronger
wind in sites with wind shear
• Tall tower allows placement on uneven
land or in offshore locations
• Can be sited in forest above tree-line
• Most are self-starting
 Disadvantages
• Difficulty operating in near ground
winds
• Difficult to transport (20% of
equipment costs)
• Difficult to install (require tall cranes
and skilled operators)
• Effect radar in proximity
• Local opposition to aesthetics
• Difficult maintenance
 Vertical axis

In vertical axis turbines the shaft the

blades are connected to is vertical to
the ground (see figure 2).
All of the main components are close
to the ground. Also, the wind turbine
itself is near the ground, unlike
horizontal where everything is on a
tower.
There are two types of vertical axis
wind turbines; lift based and drag
based. Lift based designs are
generally much more efficient than
drag, or ‘paddle’ designs.
Advantage and disadvantage of vertical axis

 Advantages  Disadvantages
• Easy to maintain • Blades constantly spinning back into
• Lower construction and transportation the wind causing drag
costs • Less efficient
• Not directional • Operate in lower, more turbulent wind
• Most effective at mesas, hilltops, • Low starting torque and may require
ridgelines and passes energy to start turning
Schematic diagram
 Wind turbines capture the kinetic energy in wind and convert it into electrical power. Large
blades on the turbine rotor are connected to an electrical generator via a shaft and a series
of gears. Wind blowing past the blades causes the shaft to rotate. In the generator, the
rotating shaft causes a set of magnets to turn about a coil of wire to create an electric
current due to electromagnetic induction.
 Electricity from the wind turbine generator travels to a transmission substation where it is
converted into extremely high voltage, between 155,000 and 765,000 volts, for long
distance transmission on the transmission grid. This grid comprises a series of power lines
that connect the power sources to demand centers. According to the Energy Information
Association, the United States has three major transmission grids: the Eastern, Western and
Texas interconnects.
Advantage of wind energy
A. unlimited, free, renewable resource (the wind itself), economic value, maintenance cost, and
placement of wind harvesting facilities
B. It can reduce the adverse environmental impacts of those sources, such as production of
atmospheric and water pollution, including greenhouse gases; production of nuclear wastes;
degradation of landscapes due to mining activity; and damming of rivers .
C. It competes with other energy sources in terms of price, environmental effects and usability.
D. Wind energy is widely applicable because wind resources are available in most countries.
E. Wind turbines do not need any type of fuel so there are no environmental risks or
degradation from the exploration, extraction, transport, shipment, processing or disposal of
fuel
F. the cost of maintaining turbines and generating wind power is next to nothing.
G. the ability to place turbines wherever necessary.
Disadvantages
A. Although wind energy qualifies as a renewable resource, wind speeds fluctuate each day. This can
be a big disappointment to wind turbine developers who will commit every penny and every ounce
of energy in the project only to end up with fluctuating wind patterns.
B. High cost of energy can, in part, be addressed directly with technology innovations that increase
reliability and energy output and lower system capital expenses. Offshore wind energy produces
more energy than onshore wind energy, but costs much more to establish. The primary costs of
wind turbines include construction and maintenance.
C. New technology is needed to lower costs, increase reliability and energy production, solve regional
deployment issues, expand the resource area, develop infrastructure and manufacturing facilities,
and mitigate known environmental impacts.
D. Wildlife: Wind turbines may be dangerous to flying animals. Many birds and bats have been killed
by flying into the rotors. Experts are now conducting research to learn more about the effects that
wind turbines have on marine habitats.
E. Remoteness of location: Although this may be an advantage (placing wind turbines in desolate
areas, far away from people), it may also be a disadvantage. The cost of travel and maintenance on
the turbines increases and is time consuming. Offshore wind turbines require boats and can be
dangerous to manage.
F. Noise: Some wind turbines tend to generate a lot of noise which can be unpleasant
G. Safety at Sea: In the darkness/at night it may be difficult for incoming boats to see wind turbines
thus leading to collisions.
Top 10 countries that uses wind energy

 China - has a installed capacity of 221 GW and is the leader in wind energy, with over a
third of the world’s capacity. It has the world’s largest onshore wind farm with a capacity
of 7,965 megawatt (MW), which is five times larger than its nearest rival.

 United States - The US comes second with 96.4 GW of installed capacity. The country has
six of the 10 largest onshore wind farms. These include the Alta Wind Energy Centre in
California, the world’s second-largest onshore wind farm with a capacity of 1,548 MW.

 Germany - With 59.3 GW, Germany has the highest installed wind capacity in Europe. Its
largest offshore wind farms are the Gode Windfarms, which have a combined capacity of
582 MW.
 India - has the second-highest wind capacity in Asia, with a total capacity of 35 GW. Apart from
China, India is the only Asian country to make it to the list. The country has the third- and fourth-
largest onshore wind farms in the world -- the 1,500-MW Muppandal wind farm in Tamil Nadu
and the 1,064-MW Jaisalmer Wind Park in Rajasthan.

 Spain - Spain’s 23 GW wind energy capacity, covers 18 per cent of its electricity supply. The
report by Power-technology.com said that the Spanish wind industry had been in a steep decline
over the past few years, with just 104 MW addition to its energy mix in 2016-2017.

 United Kingdom - The UK has a total capacity of just over 20.7 GW. It has six of the 10 highest-
capacity offshore wind projects in the world. One of these is the Walney project off the coast of
Cumbria, North West England, which is the largest offshore wind project in the world.

 France - France has a installed capacity of 15.3 GW. According to the report, France is currently
moving away from nuclear power, which previously delivered 75 per cent of the country’s energy
needs.
 Brazil - With 14.5 GW, Brazil has the largest wind capacity in South America. Wind power
increased by 8.9 per cent year-on-year in February 2019, according to the Power-technology.com
report. It further added that wind power comes fourth in Brazil’s total energy mix, forming about
8 per cent of its 162.5 GW energy capacity.
 Canada - Canada’s renewable energy capacity stands at 12.8 GW, with 566 MW of new installed
capacity added in 2018. This energy is generated by a total of 299 wind farms with 6,596
turbines, the report said. The 300-MW Rivière-du-Moulin project is the largest wind farm in
Canada.

 Italy - At the bottom of the list is Italy, which reached just over 10 GW in wind energy capacity
in 2018. Italy’s wind industry is heavily concentrated in the south and on its islands.
Wind energy in the phillippines
 Wind power in the Philippines makes up a small percentage of the
total energy output of the Philippines.
 The country wind energy sector has significant potential and could
provide up to 76GW of power.
 Some of the most recent developments are the Bangui Wind Farm,
Burgos Wind Farm, and Caparispisan Wind Farm in Ilocos Norte[1],
the Wind Energy Power System in Oriental Mindoro[2], San
Lorenzo Wind Farm in Guimaras[3], Nabas Wind Farm in Aklan[4]
and Pililla Wind Farm in Rizal.
Detail about the wind farms in
the phillippines
Bangui wind farms

 Phase I of the NorthWind power project in Bangui Bay consists of 15 wind turbines, each
capable of producing electricity up to a maximum capacity of 1.65 MW, for a total of
24.75 MW. The 15 on-shore turbines are spaced 326 metres (1,070 ft) apart, each 70
metres (230 ft) high, with 41 metres (135 ft) long blades, with a rotor diameter of 82
metres (269 ft) and a wind swept area of 5,281 square metres (56,840 sq ft).
 Phase II, was completed on August 2008, and added 5 more wind turbines with the same
capacity, and brought the total capacity to 33 MW. All 20 turbines describes a graceful arc
reflecting the shoreline of Bangui Bay, facing the West Philippine Sea.
Burgos Wind Farm

 It is the second wind farm built in the province of Ilocos Norte and the largest project of its
kind in the Philippines.
 The wind farm was commissioned in November 9, 2014 and upon its completion it became
the largest wind farm in the country and in Southeast Asia, covering 600 hectares and three
barangays of Burgos, namely Saoit, Poblacion and Nagsurot.
 The project was the first one to be nominated by the Department of Energy as eligible for
the department's feed-in tariff scheme.
Caparispisan Wind Farm

 The wind farms has 27 individual wind turbines

 

occupying a 625 hectare land area. AC Energy

Holdings Inc. is planning to increase the wind
farms capacity to 81 MW (Safety Factored) by
2015.[1]