Wind Energy - How Wind Farms Are a Low-Carbon Solution
What Is Wind Energy and How does it Work?
Wind energy is a clean and renewable energy source that has the potential to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Wind turbines work in reverse to fans; instead of using electricity to produce kinetic energy (wind), they convert kinetic into electrical energy. The blades of the turbine spin around a central shaft, driving a generator that produces electricity, which ultimately gets fed into the power grid, powering homes, businesses, and industries.
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The benefits of wind energy include its low carbon footprint and potential to create jobs in the manufacturing and construction industries. In addition, wind energy is a renewable resource that will not run out.
Wind energy is the kinetic energy extracted from the wind and converted into electricity or other applicable forms of energy. The largest wind energy source is offshore, with vast potential resources in deep waters off the coasts of Europe, North America, Asia, and Australia.
How it works: Wind turbines extract kinetic energy from the wind and use it to generate electricity. The turbine’s rotors catch the wind and spin a shaft that drives a generator to produce electricity. The nacelle, or housing, at the top of the tower contains the generator, gearbox, and brakes.
How Efficient Are Wind Farms?
Wind farms are renewable energy that has become increasingly popular in recent years to generate electricity with minimal environmental impact. Unlike traditional power plants that burn fossil fuels, wind farms harness the power of the wind to rotate turbines and generate electricity. The average wind speed determines the efficiency of a wind farm at the site. The faster the wind blows, the more electricity the turbines will generate. Generally, wind speeds need at least 15 mph for a commercial wind farm to be viable.
Many factors affect how much electricity a wind farm can produce, including turbine size and spacing, tower height, and the number of blades on each turbine. The commercial wind turbine has a rotor diameter of around 100 meters and can generate up to 2 MW of power. While the efficiency of individual turbines may vary depending on these factors, studies have shown that modern wind farms have an average capacity factor of around 35%, meaning they can generate about one-third of their maximum possible output over a year.
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While this may seem low, it is pretty good compared to other renewable energy sources. For example, solar PV panels have an average capacity factor of around 20%, meaning that a typical solar PV array will only generate electricity for approximately one-fifth of the time that it could if it were perfectly efficient. However, it is essential to note that solar PV installations are far more accessible for most businesses due to their cost. The land required for an adequate wind farm is far greater than that for a solar farm, but the energy output is lower.
What Varieties of Wind Turbines and Wind Farms Are Available?
Wind turbines generate electricity by using the wind’s kinetic energy to turn propeller-like blades around a central tower. The widest horizontal axis wind turbines have blades up to 100 feet long. Taller, wider turbines with longer blades are more efficient, and nearly all current wind turbine models follow this design.
Vertical-axis turbines have blades attached to a vertical rotor’s top and bottom. The most common type of vertical-axis turbine--the Darrieus wind turbine, named after its inventor, French engineer Georges Darrieus. These turbines look l, with very few in use today because they perform inferior to horizontal-axis turbines. However, these turbines are far more compact and better utilised on more minor scales.
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There are many types of wind farms, each with its advantages and disadvantages. The most common type of wind farm is the onshore wind farm. Onshore wind farms are cheaper to build and maintain than offshore wind farms, but landowners and residents often oppose them because of the visual impact they can have. Another type of wind farm is the offshore wind farm, built in shallow waters off the coast. Offshore wind farms are more expensive to produce than onshore wind farms, but they have the advantage of being less visible from land and having a steadier wind supply.
What are the Costs of a Wind Farm Development?
There are several factors to consider when considering wind farm development costs. The first is the upfront cost of building the infrastructure, which is approximately £1-1.25 million for a single 1MW wind turbine; these relative costs increase or decrease depending on the size of the system. These costs include; turbines, foundations, and electrical equipment. The second factor to consider is the cost of land, which can be a significant expense depending on the project’s location. The third factor is the cost of financing, which will affect the project’s overall cost.
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Assuming all these costs are spread out evenly over 20 years, the Levelised cost of energy (LCOE) for wind projects starting operations in 2025 is around £46 (onshore) and £57 (offshore) per megawatt-hour (MWh). Wind farms compare favourably to other forms of energy generation, such as natural gas (£85/MWh) and nuclear (£102/MWh) and similarly to significant solar developments (£44/MWh. LCOE estimates do not include the value of any environmental benefits that may accrue from using renewable energy.