wind turbine
Your Questions About Wind Turbines Oklahoma
John asks…
do windmills use electricity? i thought they provided electricity. we have plenty of wind in oklahoma!?
admin answers:
Wind turbines actually do consume in their normal operation. The turbines have complex control systems which control blade pitch, sensors, metering, etc, all of which consume power.
When the turbines are up and running in optimal conditions, they will produce more electricity than they consume. However, in low wind or no wind, they can be consuming more electricity than they produce.
You can think about it the same way as a normal power plant. The plant building has lights, controls, pumps, fans, etc. All of which consume electricity. When the plant is running, the building will be supplied by the plants generators, but if the plant is shutdown, the building still consumes electricity and must get that electricity from the power grid.
Donna asks…
Don’t find it ironic conservation?
Don’t you find it ironic that places with the most unique fauna, had bad conservation efforts and there animals are endagner. For instance china has unique faunayet have only 10% of land remains and that is fragmented, a lot of it species are either endagner or extinct in wild ( south china tiger, giant panda) and India 2 home to half worlds tiger yet there conservation efforts suck. There barely any land left and tiger population has declined 95% in the last 100 years same goes for the rhinos in asia. There barely a 1000 and that was a decline of 99% in as little as 200 years.The only thing they did do right is making the asatic lion population go up. Oh lord and don’t even bring up Africa. There rhino population is bad. BUT not as bad as India. At least they got the space to boast up the species populations. What do you think
admin answers:
The USA has a lot of unique species that the general population is extremely apathetic towards. In the prairie, the Lesser Prairie Chicken. Iowa has maybe 1% of its wetlands and 1% of its native prairie left intact, and it is fragmented and scattered all across the state. People tend to only care about charismatic megafauna.
I agree that there are some major conservation problems around the world. In poor countries, it is largely due to poaching. However, it’s unfair to point a finger squarely at them and deride them for not caring and being destructive. We build suburbs, we drain rivers because we have to water our lawns, etc and so forth. It’s completely under the radar here. There is a river in Oklahoma (The Blue River) that is being heavily pursued by OKCity and TX for water rights. It is truly a gem, a clear, aquifer-fed stream in the middle of an area with house-sized boulders that are 1.4 BILLION years old. Every other river in this area is muddy and a complete contrast.
How can people not stop this? How can people not protect this river that has darters and other beautiful fish? They don’t even know about it. People get so caught up counting carbon and putting wind turbines where they shouldn’t be that they are blind to the issues right under their nose. Don’t get me wrong, carbon-counters and other green folk have their heart in the right place, but the true irony is that there is an environmental catastrophe every other day in their own backyards.
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Wind Power
Wind Power is an interesting concept and design that converts energy from the wind to a more useful form of energy. The use of wind power has roots in the ancient European flour mills and the American water pumps. Wind turbines are the most commonly used tool of conversion and the wind power is most usably converted to electricity.
Dating back to as early as the first century AD, man has been using wind power to generate energy. European flour mills utilized the efforts of windmills, as did the American farming and ranching industries.
Large wind farms help to convert large amounts of wind power into usable energy to help power local areas. Some countries have found ways to utilize this excellent energy source to benefit their growing populations. Today, Denmark uses wind power to accommodate approximately one fifth of its total electricity production. Across the world, wind power generation is increasing exponentially and is beginning to be seen as a great renewable energy resource.
Wind power is environmentally friendly, world-wide, and highly renewable. As far as renewable resources, greenhouse gases, and environmental hazards are concerned, wind power is an excellent alternative to fossil fuel derived electricity. However, wind power does begin to come under fire when the topic is the location of the large and sometimes unsightly wind turbines. Situated in the best wind sites, these modern looking structures tend to devalue the scenery and natural landscape.
Today, there are thousands of modern wind turbines in production all over the world, and as of 2004, wind power was the fasting growing energy resource. With the global community focusing on more environmentally friendly energy options, the use of wind power is becoming more and more prevalent. Although the United States is not the highest converter or user of wind energy, it is adding more of this renewable energy to its power grid than any other nation in the world.
Apart from the international community and large scale use of wind power, more individuals are beginning to see and seek the benefits of small wind generation systems to power their homes and small businesses. On such small scales, wind power is highly cost efficient and clean.
Although wind power has a lot of potential, the logistics of its use are debatable. Wind farms tend to develop at sites in remote locations, which significantly increase the cost of production due to transport costs, and no one can fully be sure of the direct or indirect environmental damage of the proliferation of wind power. Despite the theoretical consequences, wind power conversion is on the rise and will be for years to come.
Your Questions About Wind Turbine Syndrome
Donna asks…
Should environmentally sensitive people have fewer children, or more?
Environmentally sensitive people understand the pressure of burgeoning human population on scarce resources. Water shortages are already a reality that affect billions of people, and the need for more farmland and wood conspire to destroy habitats that are not merely exciting and unique, but that might hold answers to questions we are only beginning to ask.
It seems that environmentally sensitive people should take the lead and have smaller families–or no families at all. If ‘we’ do not start the process, who will?
But then again, such a strategy will reduce the most direct impact environmentally sensitive people can have on the next generation–their own children. Perhaps the most effective strategy for populating the world with more environmentally sensitive people would be for ‘us’ to have more children. Otherwise, the world might be overrun by ‘them.’
What’s a sensitive person to do?
Not a problem for America in the 1960s, Ardi, but the global problem was recognized 150 years earlier by Thomas Malthus.
JackP, Malthus also recognized your ‘solution:’ don’t worry, nature will solve the problem. My concern is that ‘natural solutions’ tend to be extraordinarily violent. Can’t we humans, who understand the problem and can anticipate the natural remedy, do better?
admin answers:
In the US, environmentalism came to the fore with the hippie generation. It was also the hippie generation who promoted Zero Population Grown, and we achieved it with tremendous success, if you can call “success”.
1. There are fewer people to buy American products and services, so our economy is not growing like that of China and India. Even with the “one child” law in China it is growing too fast to keep up and soon it may have to say “No children”.
2. With fewer young people than people who are growing old, the young cannot afford to pay for the entitlements given to them by their own grandparents generation, namely Social Security and Medicare.
A growing population was not a problem for America when the hippies (I was in that generation, but I was more conservative) promoted ZPG. They say right now the entire population of the world could fit into the borders of the US, or into even less space. But those same environmentalists are at odds with each other over how to solve problems. On the west coast where there is oil, they are saying no new oil rigs; in New England where there is wind, they don’t want wind turbines out in the ocean. Obama wants electric cars, but that will only drive up the demand for electricity and we are not building any new power plants. If we built pebble-bed nuclear reactors we wouldn’t have the China-syndrome problems and no spent fuel rods to dispose of, but those safe reactors are against American laws. Http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/12.09/china.html
Helen asks…
Are Wind Turbines a Greater Health Hazard than Nuclear Power Plants?
Thousands of people living near wind farms are suffering from symptoms collectively know as “Wind Turbine Syndrome“.
http://earth2tech.com/2009/08/03/wind–turbine–syndrome-living-near-wind-farms-may-be-hazardous-to-your-health/
Also wind farms adversely effect property values, reducing many home owners equity by half.
Compare this to nuclear power where no health complaints have been filed, and property values are not effected.
Does this prove that wind farms pose a greater health hazard to people than nuclear power?
Would this be a good reason to develop more nuclear power and less wind power?
admin answers:
Sorry, Doctor, but I’m going have to be sceptical on this one . . .
The article you link to refers to The Independent, the newspaper for the ethically right-on “modern parents” type of middle-class worrier who loves nothing more than an environmental scare with their cornflakes in the morning.
It was The Independent who, the day after the Asian Tsunami struck published an article linking it with global warming. People on BOTH SIDES of the debate should not trust this paper.
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Wind Power Residential
With the rise of awareness and use of wind power, residential areas are beginning to see more wind turbines. The rising cost of energy and the increased environmental awareness around the world is paving the way for the use of wind power residentially. Today, nations are developing aggressive energy policies that better utilize wind energy, and local economies are seeing the benefits of small scale employment of wind power.
Many companies and factories sell wind power residential kits that are easy to use and understand. Although these kits can cost well into the thousands of dollars, builders can significantly save if they buy the wind power residential kits directly from the factory and assemble them themselves.
By using wind power, residential owners can expect to reduce their utility bills between fifty and ninety percent. In cases where the wind turbines are situated in ideal locations, homeowners can even turn a profit on the energy generation. The concept is easy. When the energy generated is more than the energy used, local utility companies automatically purchase the excess energy. Over a long period time, wind power residential use may be significantly less than the wind power generated causing quite a significant profit for the owner.
Basically, a wind power residential kit is installed (either by the company or the owner), and a wind turbine is situated on top of a tall structure (most likely a tower). The tower collects energy from the wind and converts it into a useable energy source that is compatible with the home system. In typical cases, residences are powered by a combination of wind energy and purchased electricity from a local utility company. As long as the wind speeds are conducive to electricity generation, the residence remains powered by the wind power residential kit. When the wind speeds decline and electricity is not produced, the residence is powered by purchased energy. For residences in particularly windy areas, energy production may be significantly higher than the energy produced in less windy regions.
Homeowners interested in purchasing wind power residential kits should consult their local authorities for local regulations and information about wind power generation in the particular area. Builders should also consult the US Department of Energy for efficiency estimates and information about the size of wind turbines that would be necessary for the area.
In the end, many homeowners have found the economical benefits of wind energy production to be profitable. With the rising cost of energy and transportation, the idea of this investment can be both profitable and practical for homeowners with enough time, patience, and knowledge to make it happen.
Your Questions About Wind Turbine Generators Manufacturers
Jenny asks…
what level of efficiency does 2 MW wind turbines run at?
I need to know what level of efficiency a 2 MW wind turbine runs at? So does it only run at 50% efficiency, making it only produce 1 MW an hour?
Thanks everyone!
admin answers:
For the efficiency calculation the formula
Power in wind = (density of air ) x (turbine blade diameter)2 x( velocity of wind)3 x (a constant)
Power in wind = d x D2 x v3 x c
Notice that the power in the wind depends on the density of the air, the diameter of the turbine blades squared (D times D), and the velocity of the wind to the third power (V times V times V). There is also a constant in there which I’ll discuss in the very next paragraph.
What about that constant, C? It’s there because what we are really interested in is the Area swept by the blades of diameter, D. The area is calculated by multiplying the number Pi (approximately 3.14159) times the diameter squared divided by 4. So part of the constant, C, is just the constant number Pi divided by 4 pulled out to show us that the important variable in the area formula is D. The other part of the constant, C, can be whatever unit conversion numbers are needed to make sure the numbers come out right. For now, we won’t go further into that. The point is that the variables that determine the wind power blowing into a wind turbine are air density, blade diameter (resulting in a certain swept area), and wind velocity.
You have probably noted that power (not energy) is dependent on the velocity times itself 3 times (V x V x V). Whoa! In other words, if the wind speed doubles, the power available from the wind increases by a factor of eight. The diameter is significant too. Doubling that increases the power by 4 times. Faster is better, and bigger is better (if you can afford it and can build it strong enough).
Of course, the wind doesn’t blow all the time in most places and when it blows too hard the turbine blades can break or spin so fast they break off (not good when each blade can weigh several tons). In that case, the blades are usually “feathered” to reduce stresses on them and to slow them down. This means we can’t take advantage of really high wind speeds.
Turbine Efficiency
If the turbine could convert all the wind’s power to mechanical power we would say it was 100% efficient. But as you probably know, the real world is never so generous. To even achieve 50% is unlikely, and would be a very efficient machine. A 50% efficient turbine would convert half of the power in the wind to mechanical power.
Hope this will solve your problem
Regards
For other references
Efficiency Varies with Wind Speed
A given wind turbine has a “design point” that generally defines its peak efficiency at the wind speed for which the system is designed. At wind speeds above and below the design speed the efficiency is the same or less – maybe much less. If a turbine’s best efficiency is 40% at a wind velocity of 9 meters per second (about 20 mph), it will be 40% only at that wind speed. At all other wind speeds it will be something worse. That wind turbine will generally operate at lower than its best efficiency, because wind speeds are never constant or average.
The electric power actually produced will be still lower because the generator efficiencies are also less than 100% (generally in the mid- or low-90’s at best), and there are further losses in the conversion electronics and lines. But this is true of all power technologies. When all these losses are figured in, you might, if you are lucky, be getting 35% or so of the wind’s energy actually delivered as useful electrical energy to the end user in the very best conditions. The average might only be in the twenties.
In the formula above, then, we have to add one more number that I don’t show. That number is an efficiency number that would have to supplied by the manufacturer of the wind turbine, or experimentally determined by you if you make it yourself. It will not be one number, but a variable that is a function of wind speed.
Susan asks…
If a permanent magnet motor is used as a generator will it produce ac or dc?
I have a permanent magnet motor that is rated 100v at 2500 rpms. I Would like to know is if I use it as a generator, will it produce altenating current or direct current if I use it in a wind turbine to charge a 12v battery.
admin answers:
It depends. You didn’t say what kind of motor it was. Is it an AC motor? DC?
What configuration is it?
If its armature has a commutator, then it can be configured as a pulsed DC generator and you will need to do the filtering of that waveform. But you may have to make changes depending on the configuration. You need to be more specific. Surely there is model number and manufacturer plate.
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Your Questions About Wind Turbines Oklahoma
Robert asks…
Turbines or ridge line vents when you have a smaller home?
I’ve asked a lot of questions about this and I do apologize, but I had a roofing company guy say that in my state, Oklahoma, where it’s so hot having turbines (whirlibirds) is better than ridge vents because our wind makes the turbines really work and get the heat out, and also the fact that my ridge line isn’t that long (?).
I hope that makes sense?
My house is only 1200 sq feet and I have soffit vents and all the other companies just put ridge line vents (2) in my estimate, but this one guy said he liked turbines better.
Just wanted to get opinions.
admin answers:
In your part of the country ridge vents should be adequate. Do be sure the insulation is pulled back so that your soffit vents are uncovered. Turbines are one more hole in your roof and moving parts that can wear out. If you’re getting shingles be sure they are the architectural type and not the old three tab design. They will stick to the roof much better when the Oklahoma winds are howling.
Daniel asks…
At what point will farmers convert grass lands to….?
I was driving threw Oklahoma and Texas (on I-40) last week and thought… “Hmm, this is a pretty barren place… nothing but cattle and grass and the occasional wind mill… why not farm the sun”. And seriously? Why not throw up a couple acres of solar panels with a power meter that lets you sell it back to the power companies? Do you think this may be a future cash crop? 😛
I’m only halfway serious 😛 But seriously, what are your ideas for our future energy needs?
admin answers:
You are actually on to something. Those long, sweeping plains are also good potential locations for wind turbines. In fact, I once heard someone say that the Dakotas are basically “the Saudi Arabia of wind power”.
To answer your question, these things (solar, wind, etc) will happen when it becomes economically feasible to do so. With oil going up and up and up, that day may not be so far down the road.
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Wind Power Plant
With the rising use of wind energy, we are beginning to see the rise of the wind power plant. A wind power plant, or a wind farm, is a cluster of wind turbines used to generate electricity over a large area. Wind energy generation is growing increasingly important as public awareness of environmental issues grows and panic regarding the depletion of fossil fuels increases. Nonetheless, both the conventional power plant industry and the wind power plant industry are important for the current and foreseeable supply of energy.
While most electric and power plants are owned by utility companies, a typical wind power plant is owned by individuals and small businesses. These small owners generate electricity with the intent to sell to utility companies. These independent power producers can generate a hefty profit if their wind power plant is in a desired location. Typically, a wind power plant generates enough energy to sustain its existence. However, wind turbines in prime locations usually generate a surplus of wind energy. Prime locations are areas where the wind speed is greatest and generally unobstructed, such as mountainsides, open fields, and ocean areas.
The growing public awareness and concern for the environment has caused a huge market for environmentally friendly goods and services. This, in conjunction with the widespread panic regarding fossil fuels and the cost of fossil fuel derived energy, has enabled the proliferation of the wind energy market. Wind power plants are offering the public a green energy alternative at an extremely reasonable rate. People will find wind energy especially enticing when they look into the benefits of small scale energy generation.
Apart from wind power plants, small scale energy generators can be incredibly cost efficient and are a great way to keep utility bills low and generate a small profit. Owners of small scale wind energy generators can enjoy typical savings between fifty and ninety percent on their utility bills. As with large scale wind power plants, the excess energy generated is automatically purchased by local utility companies.
Wind energy generation is a zero emissions energy source. The environmentally friendly and economical energy alternative is a great way to bridge the supply and demand gap in the current energy market. Theoretically, the United States can generate enough energy from wind to fulfill all of the nations energy needs. As the wind energy market grows and develops, it is expected that the public will learn the benefits of the alternative energy and will employ it at home. It is not unexpected to see a sharp increase in the small scale wind energy development, as well as the obvious increase in the wind power plant industry.
Your Questions About Wind Turbine
Lisa asks…
What is the monthly yield on a 60K wind turbine if it’s planted in a wind farm?
I want to purchase a 60K wind turbine and plant it in 29 Palms, CA wind farm. If all the electricity produced is returned to the power company, what would the monthly yield be?
admin answers:
Typically in 29 Palms, you get 8 hours of good wind per day (four hours in the morning, and four hours as the sun begins to set.) The wind speed needs to be around 25 mph to produce sufficient wind to generate at maximum capacity. You’d produce 60 kilowatts of electricity for about 8 hours a day with a 60k wind turbine. That is 8 hours*60 kw, or 480 kw/h. You’d sell that power at about $0.08 per kw/h, so you’d get (480 * $.08=) $38.40 per day from a 60k wind farm. You’ll see soon, as you do the math that it doesn’t justify the cost, unless the wind turbines are HUGE. (Remember the formula for calculating the area of a circle is pi times the radius squared.) The blades need to be large enough to overcome the ratio of the cost of the blades, and that works out to be about 80 to 100 feet long. If the blades aren’t that long, you won’t get the project to pay for itself (without tax subsidies or some other income.)
Now, building even one really big turbine starts paying off spectacularly: but it will be measured in Megawatts, not kilowatts. A GE 1.5MW machine pays for itself (cost is about $2,250,000.00.) There are other manufacturers building at that size and scope too, but GE is a good example.
A GE 1.5MW machine using the same math earns the owner 1500 kw * 8 hours * $0.08 per kw/h = $960.00 per day. In a 365 day year it would generate $350,000.00 per year, and pay off in about 6.5 years. (In actual practice, give it 8 years, because there are Operation and Maintenance cost issues that you must pay for: Someone has to oil the machine!)
Nancy asks…
What is the best design for a small scale wind turbine blade?
I have to design a wind turbine blade for school and it needs to be small scale, no more than two feet long. What is the best design to do this?
admin answers:
The below web site gives the basic design concepts of wind turbine blades
http://www.windmission.dk/workshop/BasicBladeDesign/bladedesignleft.html#anchor674887
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Your Questions About Wind Turbine Generators Australia
Robert asks…
Should Australia increase the use of turbines to generate power rather than relying on fossil fuels?
I would like also like to know if it is possible to run the whole of Australia, or South Australia let alone, only on wind energy, provided that Australia has enough material, money, land and turbines?
admin answers:
We already get our power from turbines, being steam, water and gas turbines. You mean wind turbines I guess. The southern coastline (Great Australian Bight) is a good wind zone I understand, so lets say it will produce 25% of the capacity of the wind turbines over a year. The UK achieves about 23% it is claimed.
Very large turbines are rated at say 5MW and might produce around 1.25MW on average.The size is 65m (each blade) and spaced 5-15 diameters apart, especially considering the row behind receiving the wake. This depends a lot on the land itself, but would look like 120m x 15 = 1.8km spacing which may be best for cost recovery with these very big generators. If the Nullarbor plain is taken as 1000km that only allows a row of 500 along the coast at most, with an average production like 625MW for the whole row. There can be multiple rows, but I have no idea how many are feasible. This whole row is similar to a single large coal fired steam turbine generator (600MW) A steam power station may have several of these. However there are other significant infrastructure issues, like the concrete used amounting to 1300m^3 each, the roads and the electrical distribution needed to cover long distances, how to replace or recycle all this. There is a strong likelihood that the grid needs an on line standby system of the same capacity, as well as a great increase in its carrying capacity in certain areas. This standby can be hydro (there isn’t anything like enough), though pumped storage could be built on some mountains far away (no mountains on the Nullarbor) or a bank of large gas turbines on line using methane or kerosene etc. Steam (coal fired boilers) generally cannot respond to sudden large changes in load if the wind drops.
The Australian production in 2009 was 261 million megawatt hours (second link). One row of generators as above would be around 5.5 million MWh a year, so it needs about 50 rows, stretching 100km inland. I am not sure the wind holds up that far even without 50 generators in the wake of each other.
This is a very rough estimate, but it seems to me it is not a very practical thing at all. Think of wind power as a fuel saver, something that is only useful in specialised areas like the southern coast line. In the tropics with cyclones and little winds otherwise to deal with, forget it, with any current technology. Normal winds are “very moderate”, while cyclones are up to several times the maximum rated speeds, and above the survival speeds. There are certain carefully chosen spots that do have wind generators in the tropics though I suspect these are more about political will than hard economic reality.
In the US estimates are that 20% of energy needs can be met by wind power. Australia could well be less than that. It may be one of the more expensive forms of providing energy, and not so clearly saving anything at all when all things are considered. The first link doesn’t have a positive view on these developments in Wales (UK), where politicians legislated that wind is the in thing. Politicians have law and art degrees. No surprise they make bad decisions about engineering, as they cannot tell who is stringing them along.
The second link might have other info of interest about load variation (change in demand) and aluminium smelters and refineries, and little known facts about the grid which appears to go to about Ceduna at the moment, so only the eastern part of SA is on the grid. WA has its own isolated grids.
The coal stations produce 78% of electricity and 200Mt (megaton) of CO2 a year of the estimated 30-35,000Mt of additional man-made CO2 a year in the world (according to the climate people). Where is the problem, one would ask. We export about 9% of this electricity as refined metals, with stuff like aluminium., and about 3 times as much coal as we use, also used for overseas electrical production in various countries that would be in a difficult position without it.
At present a mix of various energy types seems the best approach, with different situations in different locations. The best argument in favour of alternate energy is sustainability in the long term, but it seems that it will be very expensive compared to coal, close to Australia’s biggest asset. Should we just throw that away? Incidentally the alternative energy to suit Australia might be solar thermal.
Ruth asks…
Can a convection current turn a power turbine?
I’m curious whether a convection current, like heating through a tube, would be strong enough to turn a turbine that would be able to produce power? (In case you’re wondering, yes I do have an idea in mind, but I don’t know if it’s practicle yet.)
How much of a thermal raise do you think would be needed, and how much of a tube for, let’s say a 1kw generator?
admin answers:
Like the others say, it’s possible.
In June 2006, an agreement was reached to develop a 50MW solar tower generator, in which the sun heats air, which drives a turbine in a chimney, in New South Wales in Australia. The idea is not based on radically new technology. Chimneys with ‘smokejacks’ in which a fan in the hot air turned a roasting spit were certainly in use in the UK in the eighteenth century and probably before. It is well known that a tall chimney produces a better draught, presumably because there is a greater temperature difference between bottom and top, wind speeds are greater higher up, inducing more air to be drawn out of the top of the chimney by Bernoulli effects, and a long distance up the chimney should help hot air build up speed and kinetic energy.
But modelling all these effects and producing an optimally efficient design seems to be almost impossible, at least we have so far been unable to find anyone to take the task on.
If you are using a fluid medium, it could be more possible to make. Implied in your question though, is that we are looking at a vertical model for the turbine since you want to draw on the heat differential between a cold medium and a hot one.
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Your Questions About Wind Turbines Oklahoma
Mark asks…
where is wind energy used?
where is wind energy used?
admin answers:
There are areas around the world that are famous for their strong winds.
Wind turbines tend to not be economically competitive unless they are located in these strong wind areas.
With wind energy if you double the speed of the wind you square the amount of energy available
The areas in United States are well documented by the National weather service and other government agencies. The wind maps provided by these agencies show an average watts/ sq meter of wind power available on an yearly average power basis.
Most of the wind areas lie in the flat plain areas of central united states like texas, oklahoma and kansas. There is also great wind areas off the atlantic coast in the new england states areas. There is also great areas in mountainous areas of all our ranges, the sierra nevadas, the rockies and the appalachians.
Most strong winds are either close to big bodies of water or wide open expanses of range land. Trees and low foothills and cities tend to slow air current speeds.
Steven asks…
what is the best MBA program for Indutrail Engineers ?
admin answers:
Personally; I myself, with the economy like it is would go for Environmental Protection, Wind Energy, or other alternative fuels.
Here in Oklahoma, T Boone Pickens; a wealthy oil man, is investing millions in Wind Turbine Technology. I personally have worked with ex-military personal that was going into the Wind Energy field. It is a new thing around here & OG&E will be needing appx. 600 qualified people in the next 5-10 years.
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Your Questions About Wind Turbines Colorado
Paul asks…
Do you have an off-grid home in a cloudy, rainy climate? Would solar panels be worth it?
I’ve been doing a lot of research on places to live when I finish school, and I really think Oregon is the perfect place for me. Me and my boyfriend want to build an off-the-grid house. The thing is, he says we can’t live in Oregon because it’s not sunny enough, and if we relied on solar panels it wouldn’t work out. Is there some other off-grid solution besides solar panels we could use as backup? I don’t know much about wind turbines and how much they would cost. Does anyone living in a rainy, cloudy climate make much use of solar panels? Or should I move to a state that has more days of sunshine (I’ve been considering Colorado)? Suggestions? Thanks.
admin answers:
There are a lot of off-grid houses in Oregon, and many sell their power back during the sunny days to balance the rest of the time. Just do a search on green houses in Oregon to find some of the projects listed. There are also cob houses in Coquille that are quite interesting. But at present. It costs more to get these off grid houses built than they recover. Most folks just starting out can’t afford to do it.
I’m looking for ways and colaborators to take an existing house and pull it off the grid – affordably. Have lots of ideas, but little free time to play with doing them. Would love to share ideas.
Lisa asks…
Are there any government polices concerning wind energy?
I’m writing an essay for my college English class about wind energy and I’m required to include information about a government policy concerning wind, but I cannot seem to find anything. Any websites or helpful information would be greatly appreciated.
admin answers:
You can have a look and pick up some of the following points.
As the Obama administration creates the first U.S. Program to authorize offshore projects to generate electricity from wind and ocean currents, the President deployed the Clean Coal word yet again. We hope this is part of the Obama M.O. Of building bridges, getting buy-in and bailing our of a fool’s enterprise but with a new team of allies board. Link to the transcript below.
Obama said wind could generate as much as 20 percent of the U.S. Electricity demand by 2030 if its full potential is pursued on land and offshore.
“The choice we face is not between saving our environment and saving our economy — it’s a choice between prosperity and decline,” Obama said in his first post-election trip to Iowa, the state that launched him toward the White House. “The nation that leads the world in creating new sources of clean energy will be the nation that leads the 21st century global economy.”
The latest in the ongoing allocation of money coming out of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act: The Department of Energy has announced that $93 million has been made available to support wind power. Here’s how that money breaks down:
$43m for Turbine Drivetrain R&D
DOE will provide $45 million directed toward enhancing the federal government’s ability to support the wind industry through testing the performance and reliability of current and next generation wind turbine drivetrain systems. This investment will deliver dependable and cost effective hardware for utility scale wind turbines with over a 20 year design life. Overall, this project will help to improve the country’s competitiveness in wind energy technology, lower capital costs of wind systems, and maintain a high level of wind energy capacity growth.
$14m for ‘Technology Development’
To strengthen its support of the wind industry, DOE will make available $14 million to advance technology development in the private sector. This effort will aim to improve the quality and use of lighter weight, advanced materials for turbine blades, towers, and other components. Another area of emphasis will be process controls for lamination, blade finishing, trimming, grind, painting, materials handling and inspection.
$24m for Wind Power R&D
DOE will provide $24 million for the development of up to three consortia between universities and industry to focus on critical wind energy challenges. These partnerships will allow universities to establish research and development programs to advance material design, performance measurements, analytical models, and work with the industry to improve power systems operations, maintenance and repair, and component manufacturing.
$10m for National Wind Technology Center
DOE will invest $10 million at its own National Wind Technology Center in Colorado. This funding will enhance the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s ability to support the wind industry through testing current and next generation wind turbine drive train systems for better performance and reliability. Additionally, upgrades to the electrical distribution system will permit cost recovery of the power produced by two new utility-scale wind turbines being installed there for testing and evaluation.
Good luck with your essay!
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Your Questions About Wind Turbine Generators Wiki
David asks…
Can I use electric fan motors as generator?
Here in the philippines air is very windy so i am planning to build a wind turbine.
admin answers:
Yes but you won’t get much current out of it. The wind turbines that you see on top of high poles are huge. They don’t look it from the ground but you could walk around inside them. Also, in order to be practical, you need to hook the generator up to a storage device (batteries) in order to store the electricity (otherwise, you’ll only get current when the wind is blowing). So, it’s not really practical but you should try just for the knowledge of it. Be careful though, you will be working with high voltage and you need to take precautions. The link below is to a wikipedia article on wind power that’s pretty good.
Http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wind_power
John asks…
How does wind energy work? I know a little, but does anyone have a clearer idea?
I’ve tried some internet sites, but none of them have given me any real idea of how it works except “It turns the blades and generates electricity”
I am really interested in Wind energy, and how it works. Anyone have a somewhat clearer explanation for me? Thanks.
admin answers:
Wind spins turbines which powers a generator. That’s the easy way to explain it. But if you want to know more in detail:
“Wind power is the conversion of wind energy into a useful form, such as electricity, using wind turbines. At the end of 2007, worldwide capacity of wind-powered generators was 94.1 gigawatts.[1] Although wind currently produces about 1% of world-wide electricity use,[2] it accounts for approximately 19% of electricity production in Denmark, 9% in Spain and Portugal, and 6% in Germany and the Republic of Ireland (2007 data). Globally, wind power generation increased more than fivefold between 2000 and 2007.[1]
Most wind power is generated in the form of electricity. Large scale wind farms are connected to electrical grids. Individual turbines can provide electricity to isolated locations. In windmills, wind energy is used directly as mechanical energy for pumping water or grinding grain.
Wind energy is plentiful, renewable, widely distributed, clean, and reduces greenhouse gas emissions when it displaces fossil-fuel-derived electricity. The intermittency of wind seldom creates problems when using wind power to supply a low proportion of total demand. Where wind is to be used for a moderate fraction of demand, additional costs for compensation of intermittency are considered to be modest.[3]”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wind_power
Hope that helps you. 🙂
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Your Questions About Wind Turbine Technician
Donald asks…
What is a good company to work for as a wind turbine technician?
I am currently in a tech school to become a wind turbine technician and was wondering where should i go after i graduate in December?
admin answers:
I’ll show you a turbine technician. Fućked right?
Mary asks…
Where is a good school in the US for Wind Turbine Technicians?
I am going to school for Electrical Engineering Technology, but am interested in specializing or being certified for working with Wind Turbines. I live in Pennsylvania, but am willing to look anywhere in the country
admin answers:
You can learn how to build wind turbine on your own (it’s not so complicated…)
There are great guides on the net + movies in youtube that you can learn from.
If you want higher level guide – I would recommend you on the “Earth4Energy” guide that include step by step video.
You can read detailed review on the “Earth4Energy” guide here:
http://recomended-prods.com/earth4energy/review
Good Luck!
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Your Questions About Wind Turbine Generators For Sale
Joseph asks…
Can i convert a solar charge controller into a wind turbine charge controller?
I am building a wind generator and it turns out the system needs a charge controller. There a some on sale but I’d rather build or modify one myself. I pulled one out of a solar lamp. It has two ports, one for the input, whose input voltage range was 6-12v and and the other, output, with 6 volt output.The lamp used a 4 volt battery. However, the generator is a 30 volt ametek (capable of supplying up to 28 volts on a good windy day), and the battery am going to use as a bank is a 12 volt UPS one. Am just wondering if this controller will deliver on my wind turbine system, and where to connect the dummy load because I’ve heard solar controllers don’t use dummy loads yet they are essential on wind turbine systems. Thanks
admin answers:
A solar lamp will likely simply be a small voltage regulator, not a good choice. I would use a power FET, a zener diode, two transistors, a capacitor and maybe some resistors but then again, I’m an electrical engineer and actually know what I’m doing.
The UPS batteries are lead acid batteries which you can buy for about $12.
I think, you should stop and get an education before you hurt yourself.
Richard asks…
Where to find detailed info: Alternate Energy connection to National Electric Grid?
I am interested in locating detailed equipment & system information on how Alternate Energy producers (e.g. Windfarms, HydroElectric, private turbines, etc.) go about connecting their generating source to the US national Electric Power Grid, and sell off their excess electricity capacity. What current Federal and State (e.g. California) regulations exist that encourage or require the major energy companies to purchase that excess electricity if available and meeting Voltage specifications?
admin answers:
Suggest you look at the American Wind Energy Association web site: awea.org
Large renewable energy facilities, such as large wind power plants, must meet the same interconnection requirements as a large power plant. Additionally, due to the nature of most wind turbine generators, there are some other requirements defined in FERC 661-A, that impact wind farm interconnection.
Sale of produced electric power is a very complex process that is highly dependent on the grid operator and the electric power transaction processes for a given regional reliability organization or independent system operator.
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Your Questions About Wind Turbines Oklahoma
Sandra asks…
how much electricity does a big wind generator create?
i have seen big wind generators in western Oklahoma and southern California and New Mexico just how much electricity does one of those make during the course of one day and would one be enough for just one house
admin answers:
Worlds largest wind turbines generate over 7 megawatt (some with power output of 10 megawatt are in development).
That is enough power for several hundred houses.
Ken asks…
OKLAHOMA REDNECK IN NEW YORK CITY…?
A Redneck from Oklahoma walked into a bank in New York City and
asked for the loan officer. He told the loan officer that he was
going to Paris for an international redneck festival for two weeks
and needed to borrow $5,000 and that he was not a depositor of the
bank.
The bank officer told him that the bank would need some form of
security for the loan, so the Redneck handed over the keys to a new
Ferrari.. The car was parked on the street in front of the bank.
The Redneck produced the title and everything checked out. The loan
officer agreed to hold the car as collateral for the loan and
apologized for having to charge 12% annualized interest.
Later, the bank’s president and its officers all enjoyed a good laugh
at the Redneck from the south for using a $250,000 Ferrari as
collateral for a $5,000 loan. An employee of the bank then drove the
Ferrari into the bank’s private underground garage and parked it.
Two weeks later, the Redneck returned, repaid the $5,000 and the
interest of $23.07. The loan officer said, “Sir, we are very happy
to have had your business, and this transaction has worked out very
nicely, but we are a little puzzled. While you were away, we checked
you out on Dunn & Bradstreet and found that you are a Distinguished
Alumni from the University of Oklahoma, a highly sophisticated
investor and multi-millionaire with real estate and financial
interests all over the world. Your investments include a large
number of wind turbines in the Oklahoama Panhandle. What puzzles us
is, why would you bother to borrow $5,000?”
The good ‘ole Okie replied, “Where else in New York City can
I park my car for two weeks for only $23..07 and expect it to be
there when I return?”
admin answers:
Bahahahaha… Love it… Southern people really know their way around the world (:
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Your Questions About Wind Turbines Oklahoma
William asks…
Setting up an extremly remote 3 part hybrid power system?
I’m in the planning stages. Nothing bought yet. This is a low budget system using common house tools. If needed I can rent. Town is 40 miles away. I’m really trying to avoid that.
The goal: set up a hybrid system using water, wind & solar. I’m planning on using 3 separate charge controllers. Plan to use shunt controllers for the hydro and wind.
Solar: I am planing on starting with a 60 watt kit w/ 7 amp controller to start with.
Wind: I’m planning on purchasing a small 400 watt turbine. The site is on the side of a mountain, next to a nice clear path that has been cut for a pipeline in Eastern Oklahoma. Wind is always there.
Battery bank: I’m currently planning on starting out with 2 or 4 – 105 Amp-hour batteries.
Hydro: The unknown part that I’m asking about is for the hydro. How do I know what size of controller I need for that?
Battery bank: I’m currently planning on starting out with 2 or 4 105 Amp-hour batteries. Need urls to cheapest reputable place on line to buy shunt controllers.
Thanks
admin answers:
I’m building solar panels from scrap cells and there working out really good i have 2 panels on my roof now and working on the 3rd it takes time though . I have pics in my blog how im doing them really really cheap and I’m using 30 ordinary car batteries and getting plenty of power out of them got them at the junk yard cheap . I’m starting on my wind mill my own design out of junk parts . As far as the hydro depending on how well it flows i would run a 3 inch pipe up stream as far as i could go and get a 220 generator with a turban and adjust the speed with a plane old shut off valve hydraulics are great. You would have all the power you need as long as the river runs
Joseph asks…
does anybody else wish they would win the lottery?
i do! so i could buy a broodmare from the colt company! and then get it bred to custom chrome!
admin answers:
I have very specific plans if I were to win the lottery.
First would be to retain a very good CPA, then a CPA to watch the first CPA.
I would try to keep my winnings private.
I would buy about 1,200 acres in Wyoming and 1,200 acres here in Oklahoma. Both would have horses, cattle and some alternative stock. Nice ranch homes on both with stables, corrals, arena, etc.
I would have a good wrangler to help manage both places.
I would invest in a few wind turbines to off set taxes and make a few dollars.
I would want to help troubled kids with equine type activities. This would be done on rescues and auction horses that would otherwise go on to the slaughter houses.
I’d give to a local church that deserves it and gives back to the community.
I’d have a Business Class Peterbuilt with a Western Hauler bed, a nice 4 horse Sundowner or Bloomer trailer with living quarters.
I’d have a nice Harley, probably a V-Rod, a fast sports car, would help a few true friends out.
I’d try to give back to the community without giving away my winnings.
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Your Questions About Wind Turbine Technician Salary
James asks…
What is the salary of a wind turbine technician with Siemens power generation?
admin answers:
Coming into the wind industry as a technician, you could expect a salary anywhere within the range of 14-25 per hour. This is dependent upon your locale. In California, the average is 14 whereas in Texas it is 25 or more.
Maria asks…
for all you wind turbine technicians out there? how much is an average salary for a year? ?
i am fixing to graduate high school and i want to make this a career? any help?
admin answers:
See if any of these will help you with ideas and links. Good Luck.
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Your Questions About Wind Turbine Generators How They Work
Jenny asks…
How to control the fluctuation of energy in wind turbine?
Due to the change in the wind speed, the speed of the wind turbine rotor changes, so at the output we get variable AC supply which means we do not get exactly constant voltage and frequency.
It can be control by controlling shaft speed and at the output by varying the load (Resistance).
I need to submit a case study about that so tell me about any site or e-book where I can find comprehensive details about that.
admin answers:
Basically there are two methods.
For small turbines (a few kilowatts) the turbine runs at whatever speed it likes, depending on the wind speed. There is a separate electrical converter to change the generated power into AC at mains frequency and synchronize it with the mains.
There may be a simple device to limit the max turbine speed just to prevent mechanical damage – for example a mechanical brake or lock, or spring-loaded turbine blades that spill the wind when the wind speed is high.
Large turbines (producing of the order of 1 MW or more per turbine) run at constant speed, generate power at mains frequency, and are directly coupled into the electricity grid when they are working. The speed is controlled the same way as for conventional power station generators. Without getting lost in the practical details, if the turbine tries to run at the wrong speed it is fighting against the whole of the rest of the power that is being generated in the electricity grid, so it loses the fight. As the wind speed changes, the amount of power generated changes. If the wind speed is too low, the generator acts in reverse as a motor to drive the turbine. (Of course in practice the turbine would be stopped completely, instead of doing that for a long period of time).
The rotational speed for large wind turbines is usually slow (10 or 20 rev/minute) with a gearbox to spin the generator at a higher speed. The blades are variable pitch so they can work efficiently at different average wind speeds.
Lisa asks…
Is there a forum for people who want to build their own wind turbines and generators and stuff?
I am looking for some website or forum where I can discuss the nitty-gritty of making wind turbines and building anything that enables people to go off the grid and build their own boats, heat sources, alternative fuels, all-natural materials, etc.
Would anyone know where to find that?
Thanks.
admin answers:
I’m putting together a small wind turbine. Check my web page for pictures, diagrams, and other information.
Http://members.rennlist.org/warren/wind.html
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Your Questions About Wind Turbines Oklahoma
Mary asks…
What are some negative effects of energy producing wind mills or solar panels?
admin answers:
The biggest problems are that the most well suited places to put them are not usually where the need for the power is greatest.
I live out in West Texas just below the pan-handle. There are “wind farms” all over here, because the wind blows all the time. Other than a small city (Midland/Odessa) there is very little industry nearby. It’s 250 miles to Dallas/Fort Worth or El Paso and farther still to Oklahoma City, Houston or Austin. , Transmission of the power over distances is an engineering problem that still doesn’t have a good solution.
Similarly, we have some sunshine almost every day of the year. Solar works here, but where do we send it? Areas like Chicago and Boston need the power, but don’t have the sunshine as reliably.
Still, on a local level, we get a lot of our power from alternative sources. I feel good about that.
Edit specifically for Johnnie B – There is blessed little that stops the wind in west Texas. It slows some at sundown, but rarely stops. Maybe in East Texas, but that’s 400 miles from here.
Edit for asker – I’m not sure if my original answer was what you meant by “negative effects,” though. There are reports of large numbers of birds being killed by collision with the blades of a wind turbine, but that hasn’t proven to be true here. Some find the towers unsightly. I think they are rather elegant. As far as the “not in my back yard” argument – well, I’ve heard that the power company pays rent on the land for each tower of about $10,000 per year. I could get to like the guaranteed income. 5 towers, and I’d make more than my full-time teaching job paid. There are few other “negative” effects. Solar and wind power generation do not cause noise or air pollution, no mystery radiation source, no ground water contamination. They are two of the “cleanest” sources of power available.
Richard asks…
What problems are happening now that we will have to face in the future in Kansas?
What problems in Kansas are occuring now, that we will have to face more into the future?
admin answers:
I know a big issue is related to the Ogallala Aquifer in western Kansas is being drained by the central states faster than can be replenished and is an issue that will be critical in the future. If there is not enough water supported there, farm lands can not be water, homes will be without water and the balance of the earth can be lost. Water issues are critical to Kansas and when I took an enviornmental science course, my professor was also involved with the State Department of Agriculture, and said how Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Nebraska like to fight amongst themselves about water rights, pollution of water and so on.
I think also energy issues will be a major thing. With the increase in costs of energy, there might be a big push for wind turbines on the Plains. It will be a major issue in the future, even in the near future since wind can be good clean energy. Right now coal is being used in Kansas and people are getting upset at the pollution from it and so on.
Plus, Kansas being so close to agriculture, the problem of fertile soil will be a big issue. If they continue to overfarm, there could come a time when the ground doesn’t support agriculture, like with the Aquifer.
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Your Questions About Wind Turbine Cost
Sharon asks…
How much would a 3m Wind turbine cost?
How much would a 3m wind turbine cost?
For a school project in technology we have to create a model for an eco building and we’ve created one with a wind turbine but i cant find any 3m wind turbine prices. How much £££ would it cost? Including installment and if you cant get 3m then as neer as possible to that would be great. Thanks! Hope you can help!
admin answers:
What is 3 meters? The blade sweep? The height? The blade length?
Michael asks…
How much does a nuclear power plant cost to build?
How much does a nuclear power plant cost?
How much does a big wind turbine cost to build?
admin answers:
Nuclear power plant: $10-20B billion
Large wind turbine: $2-5 million.
In terms of the cost per kW, wind is cheaper. Recent estimates for nuclear put capital costs over $5000 per kW. Wind tends to be less than $3000 per kW.
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