Wind Power

Richard Harth

Angelina Genelow

Stephanie Wilkie

Patrick Verrastro

Objectives Significance to Electrical Demand Agreement Locations for Development

Current Developing

ProblemsTechnicalEnvironmentalSocial Political

Laws and Regulations Sustainability

Introduction Wind Power is the

conversion of wind energy into a useful form of energy, such as using wind turbines to make electricity, wind mills for mechanical power, wind pumps for pumping water or drainage, or sails to propel ships.

Unequal distribution of heating on the Earth’s surface creates an atmospheric convection system that results in wind patterns.

The modern wind power industry began in 1979.

The industry takes advantage of wind by using large-scale wind farms connected to an electric power transmission network.

Wind Significance in Electrical Demand

On a global scale, wind turbines are currently generating about as much electricity as eight large nuclear power plants.

A small, 10-kW-capacity turbine alone can generate up to 16,000 kWh per year, and a typical U.S. household consumes about 10,000 kWh in a year.

A typical large wind turbine can generate up to 1.8 MW of electricity, or 5.2 million KWh annually, under ideal conditions -- enough to power nearly 600 households.

Clean Renewable Independent

Opposition

Turbines do not always operate at 100% As a result, operators of wind-power

plants have to back up the system with a small amount of reliable, non-renewable energy for times when wind speeds die down.

Optimum Locations

Placement is key. Most efficient in areas that are along the

coastlines and in mountainous areas

Production Enhancement

More efficient turbines Vertical vs. horizontal

Technical Impediments Wind is one of the most rapidly growing sources of

alternative energy, spurred largely by rapid evolution in the development of turbines, blades, and towers.

 Wind strength varies which disables the amount of energy at a given location to be appropriately indicated. 

Wind farms don’t have consistent outputs, (as opposed to fuel-fired power plants), since they use power from existing generators. Thus wind power is mainly a fuel saver.  

Wind energy cannot be stored and can’t meet all electric demands. 

Blades are noisy and kill birds.

Technical Impediments (ctd.)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:WorldWindPower2008.png

Lee Ranch Facility in Colorado

Technical Impediments (ctd.)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:WorldWindPower2008.png

Can They be Overcome?

Proper placement of wind mills

Vertical Air Wind Turbines

http://science.howstuffworks.com/wind-power2.htm

Environmental Problems

No air pollutants. Consumes no fuel Danger to Bats and Birds

Social Problems

Aesthetic 70% of people either like, or do not

mind, the visual impact Many people believe that wind holds

great promise as a viable source of alternative energy

Some people do not like the noise, light flicker, and potential dangers from ice throw and leaking lubricants

Political Problems In an attempt to better deal with issues

arising from the deployment of wind, state and local agencies are developing ordinances to regulate windfarms

Act 213 of 2004, the Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards Act, signed into law by Governor Edward G. Rendell on November 30, 2004, requires that 18 percent of the electricity sold to retail customers in Pennsylvania come from renewable and advanced energy sources within 15 years

Solutions

Sound is minimal, topped out at 64 decibels and went as low as 45 (small-town residential cul-de-sac)

Make decoys so birds and bats do not try to fly up to the tower

Laws and Regulations● Act 213 passed in 2004, goes for all forms of

alternative energy stating that a percentage of electricity generation has to be sold to PA customers

● Transmission of energy to the grid by having organizations build new transmission facilities, also studying the cost and reliability impacts of wind transmissions

● This leads to transmission expansion, fixing system operations, and reliability standards

● http://www.awea.org/policy/regulatory_policy/transmission.html

Laws and Regulations● AWEA siting handbook, provided developers with

information land based wind projects● To start wind energy projects they must pass the

bureau of land management policies● The US forest service allows wind projects on

forest service managed lands with special permits● US fish and wildlife services released guidelines

for private development● Minerals management services deals with

offshore wind projects● http://www.awea.org/policy/regulatory_policy/siting_policy.html

Sustainability● Wind power is a renewable energy source

that is efficient ● AWEA is currently trying to CO2 by 15-20%

by 2020 which would be possible if wind power was used more

● If the US generated 20% of electricity from wind power that would be the same as removing 140 million vehicles from roadways

● http://www.awea.org/policy/regulatory_policy/cleanair.html

Sustainability● Currently wind power is the fastest growing

energy source● Its one of the cleanest most sustainable

ways to generate electricity● Wind power produces no toxic emissions,

doesn't contribute to global warming, and is becoming a very cost competitive energy source

● Wind power started in the US from the early 1920's used by farmers and the idea and concept stayed the same through the 1970's with new win turbines and bigger energy output

Sustainability● By the early 1990's with new development

and research costs lowered more development began

● Wind still hasn't reached its full potential for world development, estimated in 2005 that on land and offshore there is 72TW (equivalent to 54,000 million tons of oil per year)

● http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wind_power#Economics_and_feasibility

● http://www.ucsusa.org/clean_energy/technology_and_impacts/energy_technologies/how-wind-energy-works.html

Questions?