Wind power stations - wind power plants

Wind farms - principle of operation

Wind power plants generate electricity from the energy of moving air masses - the wind. For wind farms with a horizontal axis of rotation, the minimum wind speed is:

· 4-5 m / s - with power> = 200 kW

· 2-3 m / s - if the power is <= 100 kW.

A wind farm is a mast at the top of which is a container with a generator and gearbox. Blades are attached to the axis of the gearbox of the wind farm. The container of the power plant rotates depending on the direction of the wind.

Vertical axis wind farms are less popular. The generator itself is located under the mast, and most importantly, there is no need for orientation to the wind. Wind power plants with a vertical axis of rotation require higher wind speeds and pre-start from an external energy source for stable operation.

Wind farms - major challenges

The main problem of wind farms is the inconsistent nature of the wind. At the same time, the power of wind power plants at each moment of time is variable. It is impossible to have a stable supply of certain volumes of electricity from one wind farm.

Wind power plants have batteries for storing electricity, for more uniform and stable operation of the system. For the same reason, the need arises for combining wind power plants into power systems and complexes with other methods of generating electricity. First of all, Gas Generators, Micro turbines, Solar Power Stations –Batteries on Photocells.

Wind Power – Benefits

· Wind farms do not pollute the environment with harmful emissions.

· Under certain conditions, wind energy can compete with non-renewable energy sources.

· The source of wind energy - nature - is inexhaustible.

How to make a Wind Generator Yourself?

Wind farms - disadvantages

· The wind is unstable by nature, with amplifications and weakening. This makes it difficult to use wind energy. The search for technical solutions that would compensate for this drawback is the main task in creating wind power plants.

· High-quality wind generators are very expensive and practically unprofitable.

· Wind farms create noises harmful to humans in various sound spectra. Typically, wind turbines are built at such a distance from residential buildings that the noise does not exceed 35-45 decibels.

· Wind farms interfere with television and various communication systems. The use of wind turbines - in Europe there are more than 26,000, suggests that this phenomenon is not decisive in the development of alternative electricity.

· Wind farms are harmful to birds if placed on migration and nesting routes.

Wind farms - manufacturers - world leaders

· VESTAS

· Nordex

· Panasonic

· Vergnet

· ECOTECNIA

· SUPERWIND

Wind farms - geography of application

Wind farms are used in countries with suitable wind speeds, low terrain and experiencing a shortage of natural resources. The world leader in the use of wind power plants is Germany, in which ~ 9000 MW of power was built in a short period of time.

The unit capacity of wind farms increased to 3 MW. In Germany, intensive construction of wind farms continues. The production of wind farms has become a significant part of the export of Denmark and Germany.

The production of wind farms employs 60,000 people in Europe. Abroad, resolutions have been adopted at the state level that promotes the introduction of renewable energy sources.