energy rediscovered

The wind turbine -

This brochure was produced by the Direction de la planification et des communications of the Ministère des Ressources naturelles.

Research and writing:Diane Barry

Coordination:Diane Barry

With the collaboration of:Donald Maltais

PRODUCTION

Graphic design:Boum! Communication graphique inc.

Coordination:Anne-Marie Barthe

Illustrations:N E G Micon;Axor

Photos:Diane Barry, N E G Micon, Donald Maltais,Norman Ouellet

CONTENT

Websites consulted:

http://www.eole.org

http://espace-eolien.fr

http://www.construnet.com/action/axor

Other documents consulted:

L’énergie au Québec, 2001 edition

Energy at the Service of Québec:A sustainable Development Perspective,1997 edition

Avis de la Régie de l’énergie au ministre d’Étatdes Ressources naturelles, September 1998

Québec Action Plan on Climate Change 2000-2002

Gouvernement du QuébecLegal Deposit- 2nd quarter 2002Bibliothèque nationale du QuébecPublication number: 2002-4010ISBN number: 2-550-39150-0

Direction des politiques et des technologies de l’énergie5700, 4e Avenue Ouest, Local A 405Charlesbourg (Québec) G1H 6R1

Telephone: (418) 627-6380

Fax: (418) 643-8337

www.mrn.gouv.qc.ca

Québec is recognized as a major

producer of hydroelectric power.With

over 40,000 megawatts of installed

capacity, it is the world’s third biggest

producer of hydroelectricity. However,

a “new” form of wind-generated energy is

being added to this clean and renewable

energy: wind power. Respectful of the

environment in its development and

operation, wind power has awakened

growing interest and is attracting more

and more attention to Québec.

Development of wind power is favoured

because of its integration into hydroelec-

tric networks, which compensate for the

wind’s intermittence.The development

of the wind subsector can therefore rely

on the existence of these networks,

making wind turbines an energy source

complementary to hydroelectricity. Over

133 wind turbines have already been

installed in Québec, making it the leading

wind power centre in Canada.

energy rediscovered

The wind turbine-

2

Tracéde

1927

duC

on

se

il privé(non

définitif)

Tracé de 1927 du Conseil privé (non définitif)

Wind Energy Potential in QuébecAnnual Wind Power (at 30 m)

Class W/m2 Wind Speed(km/h < )

1 0 < 180 18

2 180 < 240 22

3 240 < 320 23

4 320 < 400 25

5 400 < 480 27

6 480 < 640 30

7 640 < 1600 40

Québec: strong wind potential

Québec offers sites with very interestingwind power generating potential.With thefinancial backing of the Ministère desRessources naturelles, a study conductedby the Wind Power Research Group at theUniversité du Québec à Rimouski (UQAR)has produced a preliminary wind map todefine the best wind turbine sites inQuébec and visually characterize the sec-tors with potential.

Zones with high wind potential are mainlylocated in the Appalachian corridor and inthe St. Lawrence corridor, especially in theMagdalen Islands, on the Island of Anticosti,on the Middle and Lower North Shore, inthe Gaspé and in Northern Québec.Thesesites could be defined according to a classi-fication method used in several Europeancountries and in the United States.Theresults are expressed in watts per squaremetre (W/m2).

In this system, the sites are ranked on ascale of 1 to 7.The sites offering windpotential are at Level 3.Those with goodpotential are at Level 4 and those withexceptional wind power potential are categorized at Levels 5, 6 and 7.

Compared to California, whose sites rankat Levels 3 and 4 and where the greatestconcentration of wind turbines can befound, the Magdalen Islands offer excep-tional sites, since most of them are at Level6 on an annual basis, sometimes reachingLevel 7 in winter.The Gulf of St. Lawrence,Island of Anticosti and Middle and LowerNorth Shore regions, at Levels 4, 5 and 6,are considered to have high potential, espe-cially in the Lourdes-de-Blanc-Sablon sector.As for Northern Québec, wind potentialincreases north of the 60 th parallel,reaching Level 5 in mountainous regionsand Level 6 in the coastal zone.

In the Gaspé, the most interesting potentialcan be found on the north shore of theGaspé Peninsula with Level 5 and some-times 6. Measurements on the mountainpeaks near Mont Jacques-Cartier have putthese zones at Level 6. Finally the higher-altitude sectors located between theQuébec City region and the Saguenay offer good potential with Levels 4 and 5.

Studies making it possible to increaseknowledge of wind potential in Québecare under way, with a particular focus ondetermining this potential. Among otheraims, these studies seek to collect, analyzeand process, with specialized software, datarelating to wind potential to complete thewind map of Québec.They also aim seekto measure the shear (difference betweenthe forces exerted by the wind on aanemometer depending on the height), akey parameter for wind power. Finally, thesestudies are tending to evaluate wind tur-bine performance in winter periods andgather precise data during the cold season.This research is being conducted under theresponsibility of the Ministère desRessources naturelles, with the collabora-tion of regional partners. Since 1995, over$2.5 million has been allocated by theDepartment and its partners to conductthese studies.

3

windwind

The answer is blowing in the wind

The choice of the site crucial for the windturbine’s effectiveness. An interesting siteshould show an average wind speedgreater than 15 km/h and offer great regularity. In fact, to generate electricity,initial wind speeds of 10 or 14 km/h arenecessary to get the wind turbine rotor toturn at an average of 18 to 28 revolutionsper minute.

The average wind speed is a good indica-tion for choosing a site. However, themeasurement of the regularity of the windspresent and the dispersion of these windsare data that absolutely must be consi-dered. A site’s wind potential isn’t the onlyfactor to consider when choosing anddeveloping a site. Other aspects such asthe use and vocation of the land, access tothe power grid, physical constraints of windturbine development and environmentalprotection are all elements that influencesite selection.

FeatheringIn high winds over 80 km/h, the wind turbine must be feathered for safety reasons.Feathering consists of rotating the blade axisby 90˚, thus offering the wind a smallercontact surface. Some wind turbines have a variable blade mechanism (the angle of the blade varies), while other have anaerodynamic braking system (only the tip of the blade rotates). These “prebraking”mechanisms are intended to slow themotion of the rotor to prevent the wind turbine structure from becoming unbalanced in high winds.

4

NO

RM

AN

OU

ELLE

T

Wind turbines and the environment

In general, wind turbine installation has little environmental impact and causes noirreversible disruption. Nonetheless, it isimportant to ensure that the chosen site isnot located in a bird migration corridor ornear breeding or nesting areas to minimizethe impacts on wildfowl. Some birds ofprey, when hunting, do not perceive therotors well and may strike them at fullspeed. However, studies have shown thatmost birds easily detect a wind turbine’sblades when they are in motion and manage to avoid them.

Once installed, the wind turbine takes uplittle space and does not alter the land’svocation. It is generally compatible with theagricultural or forest uses already present.Moreover, after the wind turbine is disman-tled at the end of its useful life, the sitereverts to its initial condition immediately.

However, the visual impact is an oftenmentioned disadvantage. A tower over 55 metres high may have difficulty goingunnoticed.The strobe effect observed inwinter, when the sun is low and the bladesproject shadows onto the snow, may be anannoying element in the long run. However,much effort has been invested in givingwind turbines harmonious lines to reducetheir visual impact.

Wind turbine noise, mainly generated byair slipping over the blades, is minimal. Thetechnological improvements made to windturbine components, the improved aerody-namics of the wind turbine as a whole andthe soundproofing of the nacelle havereduced the noise generated by the wind

turbine considerably. On a scale of 0 to150 decibels, where 0 corresponds to thesound of a leaf falling from a tree and 150to the sound of a jet aircraft, the noise produced by a wind turbine at a distanceof 300 metres is around 50 decibels. Also,since the human ear is less sensitive to bass sounds, the noise produced by a windturbine at a 300 metre distance will becomparable to that of a 35 km/h windblowing through a tree’s foliage.

DECIBELS

150

140

130

120

110

100

90

80

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0

Comparison between windgenerators and other sourcesof noise

5

Jet plane

Factory

Jackhammer

Stereomusic

Wind generator

Inside an automobile

Inside a house

Office

WhisperingInside a bedroom

Leaf falling

One million looniesThe price of a wind turbine generating 600 kW is about one million Canadiandollars. This investment breaks down as follows: 75% of the million is used forinstallation capital; 5% goes to cover insurance and administration expenses; and 20% of the total is invested in maintenance and operating costs.

The wind turns

In Québec, people began to take a seriousinterest back in the 70s in wind energy as a power source. During those years, thegovernment corporation Hydro-Québectook an interest in the development of thisenergy subsector by conducting researchprojects. More recently, in 1993, Hydro-Québec signed two power purchase contracts with private groups active in thewind power subsector.The purpose ofthese contracts was the construction andoperation of two wind turbine sites with a combined installed power of 100 MW.The Le Nordais wind turbine park wasabout to happen.

Le Nordais

The Le Nordais wind turbine park containstwo of the best wind power sites in Canada.Erected at the cost of $160 million, this isthe biggest wind turbine park ever built inCanada and one of the most impressive inthe world. It has allowed Québec to moveinto the leading position in Canada as agenerator of wind power.The constructionof this park required the participation ofover 250 workers for 9 months.

Le Nordais has over 133 wind turbinesdivided between Cap-Chat (76) andMatane (57). The rated power of each of these 133 wind turbines is 750 kW.

Just one of these 750 kW wind turbinescould generate 6.5 million kilowatt-hours(kWh), assuming that it operates at fullcapacity under ideal wind conditions, 24hours a day, 365 days a year.

However, under actual conditions, a largewind turbine with 750 kW of power willgenerate about 1.6 million kWh a year,given the intermittent and variable natureof the wind. If we consider that the averageannual consumption of a typical Québechome is 20,000 kWh, each wind turbine inthe Le Nordais park could provide energyto nearly 80 homes.

6

DIA

NE

BA

RRY

Wind turbines can also be subdivideddepending on whether they are fixedspeed, the most common model, or variable speed. On some models,the rotation speed of the rotor (the set of blades) is governed by simpleaerodynamic stalling. For other models,a variable pitch mechanism governs the speed according to the winds.

Going with the wind … People have sought to exploit the wind for a very long time. The first windmills appearedin the 12 th century to replace draft animals forthe hard work of grinding grain and pumpingwater. Later, around the 15th century, the use of windmills was extended to other applications,such as sawing wood. In the 19 th century, paperand oil manufacturing and grinding of certainmaterials became additional uses for mills and it was only in the late 19 th century, inDenmark, that the windmill was first used togenerate electricity. Throughout the 20 th century,several hundred windmills intended to generatepower were put into operation in Europe andthe United States. The oil crisis of the 1970srevived interest in these power generating systems, which had declined in popularity in the early 1960s.

The wind turbine industry

There are two types of wind turbines –vertical axis and horizontal axis wind turbines.The first kind derive their namefrom the fact that their axis of transmissionis perpendicular to the ground, and thusvertical. Horizontal axis wind turbines aremore often used nowadays.Their axis oftransmission is parallel to the ground andtherefore follows the horizon.

7

Under the French Regime,building a mill was one ofthe first obligations of theseigneur to his tenants.During that era, therewere over a hundred millsin the St. Lawrence Valley,of which more than fifteenstill survive.

By varying the angle of inclinationof the blades, the lift of the windon these blades is reduced. This system prevents the rotors fromturning too quickly, without stopping them completely, to avoid premature rotor wear.

DO

NA

LD M

ALT

AIS

DIA

NE

BA

RRY

Wind turbines can be big or small, depen-ding on their use.To generate electricityintended for a power distribution network,it is cheaper to resort to large wind tur-bines to benefit from economies of sale. Inthese cases, the typical wind turbine mostoften installed to date consists of a steelstructure, the tower, weighing nearly 64tonnes, on which a nacelle, or machine

cabin, rests.This nacelle, which weighsabout 34 tonnes, is compa-

rable to a machine roomcontaining the genera-

tor or generators,the braking system,the gearbox andother equipment.The blades, which

today are made offiberglass and carbon

fiber, complete the unit.These blades are between

20 and 30 metres long and weigh about 20 tonnes. Finally, the tower, nearly 50 metres high, is anchored to a concretebase.This foundation, made of 400 tonnesof cement and iron reinforcing rods, is acrucial component, because it will hold thewind turbine in place and ensure its solidity.

Small wind turbines

Thanks to small wind turbines, farms orresidences remote from power grids canobtain some degree of energy self-sufficien-cy. To meet part of their heating needs orpower certain low-capacity electrical equip-ment, the energy generated by small windturbines can be useful as an auxiliarysource for other forms of energy such assolar power or a diesel generator.

Domestic wind turbines, generally 8 to 12 metres high, are constructed differentlyfrom large wind turbines. A small wind turbine has between two and five blades,and sometimes more.The rotors of thesewind turbines can be fastened to the frontor back of the nacelle. They are said to be“under the wind”. They have no drift.Theyare driven in the direction of the wind bythe drag generated by the movement ofthe blades.

Most small wind turbines do not have agearbox.The rotor is connected directly to an alternator, which generates a 24-voltdirect current, supplying power to lamps orsmall electrical appliances running on lowvoltages.

Designed in Québec, thePlastiques Gagnon ltée windturbine is the result of a coordinated effort betweenthe owners of this regionalcompany in the Lower St. Lawrence and the WindPower Research Group at the Université du Québec àRimouski (UQAR). Active in the plastic moulding field,Plastiques Gagnon ltée hasbeen interested in productionof small, moderately-pricedwind turbines requiring nospecific maintenance to meet domestic needs.ThePlastiques Gagnon ltée windturbine is primarily directedat the residential market orisolated sites requiring energyself-sufficiency.

Technical characteristics of nacelle

8

N E

G

MIC

ON

DO

NA

LD M

ALT

AIS

Aeolus, god of the WindsThe word “eolian” means relating to the wind.In other words, a wind turbine, known inFrench as an “éolienne” from the Roman windgod Aeolus, is a machine which captures windenergy. A wind turbine could also be definedas a set of components which transform thekinetic energy of the wind into mechanical or electrical energy. This energy can thereforehave different applications, such as drivingmills or water pumping stations, or generatingelectricity.

To maximize a wind turbine’s efficiency, itmust be the right height, 30 metres ormore in the case of a large wind turbine,and positioned facing the wind.To maintainthe nacelle in the wind’s axis, a wind vanedetermines the direction and an instrumentcalled an anemometer measures the airdisplacement speed.These two devices arefastened to the nacelle and allow thenacelle to be controlled electronically byorienting it in the direction the wind isblowing, at the right time.

It is estimated that a usable site for a smallwind turbine should offer wind speeds of15 km/h or more to be efficient. Sincewind conditions vary greatly during theyear, it is essential to rely on an energystorage method such as batteries similar to those used in cars or trucks.

And the wind begat electricity

By heating the atmosphere unevenly, thesun creates warm air and cold air masses.The movement of these air masses, causedby the difference in barometric pressurebetween two regions of the atmosphere,produces winds.These winds exert forceswhich in turn drive the wind turbine’s moving surfaces directly exposed to wind.These surfaces are generally blades, orrotors.

When the wind begins to blow, the forceexerted on all of the blades by this dis-placement of air generates a rotatingmotion.This rotation is transformed intomechanical energy which produces electri-city when coupled with a generator.Thanksto gears located inside the nacelle, thismechanical energy is increased tenfold androuted to a generator through a multiplier.Finally, power cables inside the structuretransmit the generated power to a trans-former.

Electrical system configuration

9

The main uses of windenergy

In some countries, like those in the Third World, the windmill is mainly used to pump water mechanically.This is an economical and still widely used method,both for agricultural purposes and to meet domestic consumption needs. InQuébec, the wind power produced by the Le Nordais park is integrated withHydro-Québec’s generating capacity andgrid.This integration into the power systemoptimizes the generating capacity of hydro-electric plants by saving dam water.

Wind power can also supply electricity to places not served by the traditionalpower transmission networks.Thanks toself-sufficient power generation, the windturbine particularly meets the powerrequirements of ocean drilling platforms,weather stations, microwave relays, chaletsor remote residences.

Did you know that…The wind power subsector involves a considerable technical advantage. Thanks toits modular characteristics, a wind turbinecan be erected quickly, allowing it to meetneeds and adapt the prevailing energy context.

10

In regions far from major centres and notconnected to the grid, wind power makesit possible to limit use of other sources,such as fuel (diesel) to generate electricity.These regions are mainly supplied withelectricity by diesel-operated systems.In these cases, a wind turbine saves non-renewable energy. However, it is necessaryto have equivalent power generating capacity to guarantee a permanent sourceof electric power.This combination of two systems, known as “coupling”, allowselectrical needs to be covered in relays.

DIA

NE

BA

RRY

A breath of fresh air

The main advantage of wind power is thefact that, like hydroelectricity, it is clean andrenewable.When it replaces the generatingcapacity of power plants running on oil,wind power reduces air pollution by preventing emissions of carbon dioxide,sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides andthe release of soot particles.The installationof 1 MW of wind power (1 MW repre-sents the energy consumed by about ahundred homes) would avoid the dischargeof several thousand tonnes of these products per year 1 and thus reduce green-house gas emissions. A medium-size windturbine (750 kW) prevents the emission of over 15,000 to 30,000 tonnes of CO2

normally produced by conventional sources(gas or coal) during a useful life of 20 years.

Various ecological concerns have motivatedsome countries to consider wind power asa possible replacement for part of theirfossil fuels, such as petroleum.The growinginterest in this energy, and the incentiveprograms for its development, are evidenceof a growing awareness of the environ-ment, and particularly of air quality.The Kyoto Protocol on greenhouse gasemissions is one example.This Protocolpromotes the use of renewable energy byinducing the signatory countries to reducetheir consumption of fossil fuels such aspetroleum, natural gas and coal. Generatingelectricity by wind turbines can be consi-dered a very effective way of fighting airpollution and global warming.

1 2000 tonnes of CO2, 13 tonnes of SO2,10 tonnes of NOx and 1,3 tonne of soot particules.

From Kyoto to Bonn, via Québec

Following the Kyoto Conference with theaim of improving air quality, Canada hasmade the commitment to reduce its green-house gas emissions by about 6% by 2012,a commitment it reiterated at the meetingheld in Bonn in summer 2001.

In a similar vein, the Québec government,in its “2000-2002 Action Plan on ClimateChange” intends to promote renewableenergy to reduce greenhouse gas emis-sions.Thus, in addition to hydroelectricresources, the development of other formsof renewable energy, including wind power,is among the government’s priorities forthe years ahead.

11

DIA

NE

BA

RRY

From atop its tower, the wind turbine lookstowards the future

Some expert reports, including the oneproduced by BTM Consult (a Danish firmof independent consultants specializing inrenewable energy), reveal that the windpower subsector is growing fastest world-wide. Indeed, while it was predicted in theearly 1990s that about 4,000 MW wouldbe available at the approach of the year2000, over 18,000 MW of wind power wasinstalled by the beginning of 2001 in over50 countries, representing a growth rate of over 30% per year.

The wind turbine industry has thereforegone far beyond the stage of small-scaleoperation.The two biggest wind turbinemanufacturers currently report sales ofnearly $400 million. Denmark, the leadingworld exporter, had over 15,000 direct andindirect jobs in 1999 related to wind tur-bine manufacturing.This number of jobsshould double by 2003.

The International Energy Agency (IAE) considers the wind power subsector to bedestined for the highest growth rate overthe next few years, with an average of 14%,compared to 0.6% for hydraulic power. Inthe past three years, the demand for wind

power on the international market hasgrown by over 30% per year.

However, because of its higher cost perkilowatt-hour, the development of the windpower market in Québec will remain par-tially dependent for some time yet on thesupport it receives.This is why the Québecgovernment intends to continue its effortsto encourage the development of thisenergy subsector, through the introductionof a tax incentive strategy.

Support for wind power

Since 1996, the Ministère des Ressourcesnaturelles has invested over $2 million inmeasuring Québec’s wind power potential.The first three measurement phases con-ducted in the Gaspé Peninsula and on partof the Middle North Shore have made itpossible to clarify the wind power potentialpresent in these sectors further. Over 30towers were erected, allowing wind speedand wind direction to be specified and thusdetermine the density of wind power onthe measured sites.These 40-metre towersalso clarified the actual wind power poten-tial present at the height of the currentwind turbine rotors.Thanks to the measu-rements taken at 20 and 40 metre alti-tudes, it was possible to measure windshear, a value used in establishing the wind’svertical profile and the intensity of turbu-lence on the site, two essential parameterswhen constructing wind turbine parks.

Also, thanks to its energy technology development assistance program known as PADTE, the Ministère des Ressourcesnaturelles, since 1992, has provided $1.9 million in financial assistance for over30 projects, particularly those related towind turbine infrastructures, developmentof electronic controls and evaluation of the behaviour of wind turbines in a cold climate.

Thanks to over $5.4 million in governmentfinancial assistance, the Ministère desRessources naturelles has contributed tothe establishment of the Le Nordais windturbine park.

DIA

NE

BA

RRY