With the exception of hydroelectric power, the wind-power industry is far more developed than most other types of renewable energy. Over the past decade, the technology associated with wind power has improved significantly. New designs for adjustable blades on wind towers now allow wind farms to be sited in areas that lack steady winds. In …
What’s inside a wind turbine?
An Overview of Wind Turbines There are two basic types of wind turbine design – horizontal and vertical axis. At present, the horizontal axis turbine, with blades rotating a top a tall tower, is the most common type world-wide. However, vertical axis types are also in commercial production. Each style has its own advantages in …
Ready for wind power? It’s time.
Galloping climate change and dwindling supplies of fossil fuels are driving ever-greater interest in renewable energy. As a result, wind energy is booming worldwide. Not since the heyday of the American farm windmill has wind energy grown at such a dramatic pace. Today there are more than 100,000 commercial-scale wind turbines and untold thousands of …
What Size Wind Turbine Do I Need?
The size of the wind turbine you need depends on your application. Small turbines range in size from 20 watts to 100 kilowatts. The smaller or “micro” (20–500-watt) turbines are used in a variety of applications such as charging batteries for recreational vehicles and sailboats. One- to 10-kW turbines can be used in applications such …
Large and Small Wind Turbines are Different
Wind turbines are generally divided into two broad categories based on their rated capacity and their intended applications. Small wind turbines are typically less than 50 kW in size, but can be as large as 250 kW and are designed for use in residential, agricultural, small commercial and some industrial applications. In all of these …
What about the world’s wind resources?
When evaluating different methods of power generation some of the main questions inevitably concern the fuel proposed. Is there enough of it? Is it in the right places? It is available when you want it? What does it cost? What emissions does it have? What residue does it leave? For wind power generation, wind is …
Integrating wind energy into the electricity network
One of the most frequent misunderstandings occurring in the public discussion about integrating wind energy into the electricity network is that it is treated in isolation.
Is Wind Power the Answer to Small-Scale Renewable Energy?
Wind Power. A subject that is close to my heart (literally, as I live in a very windy valley!). Wind power has the potential to be used in a home environment only in the right circumstances, and has the potential to power everything your home needs, from electric radiators to hot water. In this instance, …
Wind Turbine Control and Operation with Ovation SCADA
Wind is an infinitely renewable supply of power that can be harnessed as an outstanding energy source given the proper location and use of the latest turbine generation technology. Major power producers world-wide have adopted wind power, a clean source of energy that can last up to 20 years or more, as an economically viable …
Can I Go Off-Grid With Hybrid Systems?
Hybrid Power Systems Hybrid wind energy systems can provide reliable off-grid power for homes, farms or even entire communities (a co-housing project, for example) that are far from the nearest utility lines. According to many renewable energy experts, a “hybrid” system that combines wind and photovoltaic (PV) technologies offers several advantages over either single system. …
