A quick review of Wind Power

We have harnessed the wind for 1000 of years, for transportation (use of sail ships) and for agriculture and now we are using to them to power our homes.

The difference between Wind Mill and Wind Turbine:

The terms “windmill” and “wind turbine” are sometimes used interchangeably, but there are important differences. Windmills generate mechanical energy, but they do not generate electricity. People started using windmills centuries ago to grind grain, pump water, and do other work.

Today’s wind turbine is a highly evolved machine with more than 8,000 parts. Modern wind turbines harness wind’s kinetic energy and convert it into electricity.

What is Wind Power?

Wind power is the ability to make electricity using the air flows that occur naturally in the earth’s atmosphere. Wind turbine blades capture kinetic energy from the wind and turn it into mechanical energy, spinning a generator that creates electricity.

How a Wind Turbine works?

When the wind blows past a turbine, the blades capture the kinetic energy and rotate, turning it into mechanical energy. This rotation turns an internal shaft connected to a gearbox, which increases the speed of rotation by a factor of 100. That spins a generator to produce the electricity.

Typically standing at least 80 meters tall, tubular steel towers support a hub with three attached blades and a “nacelle,” which houses the shaft, gearbox, generator, and controls. Wind measurements are collected to automatically rotate the turbine to face the strongest wind and angle or “pitch” its blades to optimize the energy captured.

A typical modern turbine generates usable amounts of power over 90 percent of the time. It will start to generate electricity when wind speeds reach 6 -9 miles per hour (or 3 – 4 meters per second) and cut off at about 45 miles an hour (or 20 meters per second) to prevent equipment damage.

Over the course of a year, modern turbines can reach more than 40 percent of their rated maximum capacity; that is as good as or better than most other forms of electric generation such as natural gas plants, which also don’t run 24/7.

Now let’s look at the true potential of wind energy:

Wind turbine blades rotate at 15-20 rpm generating electricity providing power to the grid, powering local homes and businesses. A typical wind turbine uses less than 1 acre of land. The land can still be farmed right up to the turbine base. A typical wind turbine spin 70 – 80% of the time. A typical superior commercial grade turbine can power up to 1219 homes or equivalent to 16,000 solar panels which are enough to cover the football pitch of Old Trafford 4 times.

A lot of energy is used while constructing a wind turbine but the turbine generates the equivalent energy within 6 months and keeps on generating green energy for 25 years. Also, it displaces 2,365 tonnes of CO₂every year. Also, unlike coal, gas and nuclear wind turbine doesn’t use water.

Modern wind turbines are extremely quiet compared to the old ones. It emits sound from 40-80 decibels. Onshore wind is the cheapest form of Renewable Energy.

The problem with wind energy is that it can’t be harnessed everywhere also it needs to be maintained from time to time as a gear train or turbine failure can cause a serious damage. Also, it possesses some threat to birds. But apart from that wind energy is one of the safest form of energy and in the future offshore wind farms will generate most of our energy.

Thank you! Have a great day!