wind energy

Wind energy comes from converting wind or wind flow into energy or electricity using wind generators. Wind power is renewable energy based on the radiation energy of the Sun which causes large scale movements of air masses in the atmosphere. In most of the modern wind turbines the kinetic energy from the rotating blades is converted to electric power. Wind conditions vary very much and according to the day, seasons and weather fronts. However, the average power recovered from the wind can be quite constant. Not all the energy of the wind flowing past a given point can be recovered. A typical wind turbine needs the wind to be more than 3 m/sec to start working and it stops when the wind speed is above 25 m/sec. Once past the wind generator, the wind also still needs some energy to move out of the way of the wind behind it, so not all of its energy can be extracted.

Q. What constitutes a Wind Turbine Generator?

The Wind Turbine Generator (WTG) can be roughly divided into 3 parts: The Tower, The Nacelle and The Rotor 1. The Tower: The structure of the WTG tower can be of two types- the lattice type or the conical tubular type. The lattice tower is made of steel shaped into a lattice structure. The tubular tower is again made of steel and slightly conical in shape with a broader base which gets narrower with height.The height of the tower is optimized such that it would enable the blades to capture maximum amount of energy from the wind and hence generate more electricity. 2. The Nacelle: This part of the WTG holds the Gear- Box, the Generator, the Control System, the Brake, the Yawing System, the Cooling System, the Anemometer and the Wind Vane.

The Gear Box is connected to the hub and rotor. The gears help attain the required rotations per minute for electricity generation. The gear box is connected to the Generator. The movement of the gear sets the generator coils in motion and helps produces electricity.

The Control System monitors the functioning of the WTG. It is made of computers that examine the proper functioning of each part of the WTG. The Brakes fall into place to control the motion of the gear box, and in turn, the generator. The Yawing System ensures that the WTG is always facing the wind. It is the yawing motor coupled with the yaw bearings which turns the nacelle to face the direction of the wind to generate electricity. The Cooling System ensures that the generator does not get overly heated. The Anemometer measures the wind speed and sends the data to the control system which initiates or prevents the functioning of the machine based on the wind speed data received. Wind vane collects data on the direction of the wind. This data is then sent to the control system which ensures that the machine is yawed in the direction of the wind.

3. The Rotor: The rotating part of the WTG which includes the Blades and the Hub are together called the rotor. The blades are aerodynamically designed to capture the wind. The pitching system of the blades exposes the blades adequately to the winds and sets them in motion or stops them in case of excessive wind speeds.
. Wind turbines: How are they installed?

A site, to install a wind turbine, is selected after a careful study of the terrain, the wind condition and the overall climatic conditions of the geographical location. A foundation is laid at the selected site to facilitate the installation of the WTG. This foundation has to be strong to withhold in case of heavy winds so as to reduce vibration. Provisions are also made to conduct lightening so the WTG does not get affected. The nacelle, the rotor and the tower are transported to this site for the installation process. The tower is erected on the foundation. The height of the tower is specified as per the design of the machine being used, the terrain on which the machine is installed and the wind conditions prevailing in the area. The nacelle is subsequently placed on the tower.

The rotor is assembled and attached to the nacelle. Sometimes the hub is attached to the nacelle following which the blades are attached one by one to the hub instead of assembling the entire hub and rotor and attaching it to the nacelle. After the WTG is completely assembled and ready, it is connected to the grid so that the electricity generated can be supplied for transmission and distribution.
How does the Wind Turbine Generator function?

The anemometer and the wind vane send in the wind velocity and wind direction data to the control system which yaw the nacelle against the wind. The blades of the WTG are so designed that once they are pitched in, they capture the wind and are set in motion when wind speeds adequate to generate power exist. The blades are set in motion and they in turn rotate the shaft which is connected to the gear box. The gears speed up the motion attained from the rotor. The function of the gear is to increase the speed so that the rotations per minute required to generate electricity is reached The rotational motion of the gear is then translated to the generator by means of another shaft. This motion induces an electro motive force or voltage within the generator. The voltage thus generated is then fed into the Power Electronic Circuit for stabilization. The power generated from the turbine is stepped up by a transformer placed at the bottom of the tower and is connected to the external grid which feeds it for transmission and distribution

How did wind energy harvesting begin?

Since early recorded history, people have been harnessing the energy of the wind, but the first practical windmills, used for grain grinding and water pumping, were built in Persia in the Middle East about 500-900 A.D. The same kind of horizontal-axis windmills appeared in Western Europe in the present Netherlands in the 11th century. The Dutch refined the windmill into a tower design and adapted it for draining lakes and marshes in the Rhine River Delta. This technology was the forerunner for windmills used in the late 19th century, when people began using windmills to pump water for farms, and later, to generate electricity for homes and industry. The first known electricity generating windmill was a battery charging machine installed in 1887 in

Scotland. The next year the first windmill for electricity production was built in the United States A wind turbines planned life cycle is from 20 to 30 years, after which it is possible to replace it with another turbine. The turbine can also be changed to a more effective one, if the bearing capacity of the tower and foundation allows it, or the tower and foundation can also be renewed. In Denmark, several wind turbines built in the 1980s and 1990s have been replaced by new turbines. Today, the most cost-effective wind turbine size is 1-3 MW depending on the location, but already some turbines with a rating of 5 MW or more are commercialized. Wind power has achieved a remarkable position in the energy production in several countries of the world. Today, with knowledge and data of operating wind power plants, along with continuing R&D, wind-generated electricity is comparable in cost to power from conventional utility generation in some locations. Each country has its own policies about how renewable energies and especially wind energy is supported, and the number of governments supporting wind power is growing fast. Investment in wind power plants is promoted for example by feed-in tariffs, green certificates, flexible permit processes and good electrical network connections. The biggest countries in terms of total installed wind power capacity in 2010 were China, the USA and Germany.

Wind Energy Benefits

Wind energy is a fast growing sector in energy generation which has received tremendous support globally from consumers, legislative bodies and international commissions. International policies like Kyoto Protocol are turning the world's focus towards clean development with minimal impact on the environment. In order to reduce the carbon footprint of companies, more incentives are offered if investment in the renewable sector is prioritized. The condition of our planet worries people around the globe. Policies to support investments in the renewable energy section have been initiated. Governments and international commissions are keen to encourage investments through subsidies and tax benefits given to institutional and retail investors. Electricity generation based on wind power is a very fast growing sector of the energy production industry and listed below are a few of the advantages of Wind Energy.

Wind energy is inexhaustible and 100 % renewable

Wind energy is an inexhaustible source of fuel for energy generation. The sun heats up the Earths land and water masses unevenly, resulting in a difference in air pressure. The movement of air which results from the differences in air pressure creates wind. Wind is a fuel that is 100 % renewable and inexhaustible. Thus as long as the sun shines on the earth, the wind will always blow; one can not use the last of it.

Readily available fuel

The fuel required for power generation using a wind turbine is readily available; with wind power there are no supply shortages that can be faced in power production. Since the dependence on fossil fuels is zero, the wind farms operate almost independent and unaffected by economic or political policies that may curb the use of non-renewable resources.

Absolutely no toxic gas emissions

Electricity generated by a wind turbine does not produce any toxic gases. It does not generate gases like Carbon Dioxide, Chlorofluorocarbons etc. that contribute to climate change; neither does it produce hazardous radioactive or toxic waste that could harm the environment.

Electricity is generated from a cost effective source providing faster ROI

When electricity is generated using wind power it involves zero fuel costs, as wind is freely available. Hence electricity generation using wind is not subject to price inflation as in the case of energy generation using fossil fuels. The variable cost incurred on fuel at a wind power plant = 0. After the wind farm investment has reached its break even point, it only produces pure profit.

Wind farms can be located globally and locally

Electricity can be generated anywhere in the world where the wind blows, and the terrain and climatic conditions are compatible. Economies that depend heavily on fossil fuel imports for electricity generation can benefit hugely by using wind energy for power generation. Electricity generation through wind power can substantially reduce their dependence on fossil fuels and will serve as a natural hedge against volatile fossil fuel prices.

Wind farms have low operating costs and fewer resources are required in making them operational.

The operating costs of a wind power plant are much lower than those of other energy production facilities. In addition, the maintenance of a wind power plant requires lesser capital investment. The amount of land and labor required to set up a wind power plant are much smaller than in other sources of energy production. Also, the capital investment involved in commissioning a wind power plant is much lower than with other renewable energy sources.

It is easy to enter the business and shorter lead times are required to set up a wind energy plant

It is relatively easy and affordable to enter the business and start your own wind farm. Wind power plant installation and commissioning requires very short lead times compared to power plants using fossil fuels. The wind park becomes operational and starts power generation after a very short period.

Electricity is generated without consuming non-renewable natural resources

For a wind turbine to operate and generate power, the only fuel required is wind. No exhaustible natural resources or fossil fuels are involved. A wind turbine, in fact, saves other natural resources. For instance, while other power plants utilize billions of liters of water in their energy production process, a wind power plant requires no water at any stage of the power generation process.

Wind energy promotes sustainable development.

As wind power plants are often built in remote rural areas, they have a strong employing effect to the local community. Wind farms are designed to have a long operation life of more than 20 years. Plenty of research and development is put on the dismantling and repowering of wind turbines. It is said that using a 1 MW wind turbine to generate electricity can displace 2000 tons of carbon dioxide in one year. Wind energy can be produced in locations where it might be impossible to get electricity by other means.

The advancement in technology is now increasingly leading to wind turbines being installed for domestic power generation which significantly brings down power costs and reduces dependence on energy generated from fossil fuels