The simplest way to think about this is to imagine that a wind turbine works in exactly the opposite way to a fan. Instead of using electricity to make wind, like a fan, turbines use the wind to make electricity.
Almost all wind turbines producing electricity consist of rotor blades which rotate around a horizontal hub. The hub is connected to a gearbox and generator, which are located inside the nacelle. The nacelle is the large part at the top of the tower where all the electrical components are located. Most wind turbines face into the wind; the wind turns the blades round, this spins the shaft, which connects to a generator and this is where the electricity is made. A generator is a machine that produces electrical energy from mechanical energy, as opposed to an electric motor which does the opposite!
A modern wind turbine produces electricity 70-85% of the time, but it generates different outputs dependent on wind speed. Over the course of a year, it will generate about 30% of the theoretical maximum output. This is known as its load factor. The load factor of conventional power stations is on average 50%.
Wind energy is one of the safest energy technologies. No member of the public has ever been injured by wind energy or wind turbines anywhere in the world, despite the fact that there are now over 68,000 operational wind turbines.
There might be various advantages depending on the situation you are in. A wind turbine may stabilize an instable grid- You decrease your diesel need and cost- You decrease the diesel generator noise- You decrease your electricity cost- You produce green energy for a better environment- You �educate� your community by setting an example of a better environment There may be more advantages that are not discussed here. Many of them are personal advantages.
Yes. Please contact your local authorities for the details.
The WES wind turbines will start to produce at 3 m/s, however, with an average wind speed of 5 m/s it gets economically interesting to produce your own electricity with a wind turbine. Stronger wind produces more electricity.
Wind turbines are not noisy. The evolution of wind farm technology over the past decade has rendered mechanical noise from turbines almost undetectable with the main sound being the aerodynamic swoosh of the blades passing the tower. There are strict guidelines on wind turbines and noise emissions to ensure the protection of residential amenity. It is possible to stand underneath a turbine and hold a conversation without having to raise your voice. As wind speed rises, the noise of the wind masks the noise made by wind turbines. For more information, read the facts about noise from wind turbines or why not visit a wind farm and experience it for yourself.
There is always low frequency noise present in any ambient quiet background and it can be produced by a variety of sources, including machinery, transport and natural sources such as the sea, wind and thunder. It has been repeatedly shown by measurements of wind turbine noise undertaken in the UK, Denmark, Germany and the USA over the past decade, and accepted by experienced noise professionals, that the levels of low frequency noise and vibration radiated from modern, upwind configuration wind turbines are at a very low level; so low that they lie below the threshold of perception.
Yes, as wind energy is a clean energy it only has a positive impact! Wind energy decreases the use of fossil fuels, nuclear energy and other polluting energy sources. It also decreases CO2 emissions.
Many people are concerned about the influence wind turbines have on the safety of birds. Extensive surveys show that very few birds are killed by wind turbines and that they have no influence on the bird migratory routes at all. A study made by Dutch institutions in 1999 (Informatie centrum Duurzame Energie, Vogelbescherming Nederland, het Instituut voor Bos en Natuurbeheer van de Dienst Landbouwkundig) show the following data:
Wind farming is popular with farmers, because their land can continue to be used for growing crops or grazing livestock. Sheep, cows and horses are not disturbed by wind turbines.
Yes! As a matter of fact, if there is space to install a wind turbine and there is sufficient wind, then any farm or factory can use a wind turbine. For example: A poultry farmer has a house and a large poultry shed and it consumes 120.000 kWh per year. There is sufficient wind available and the local regulations allow you to use a wind turbine. In this case a WES18 with an 80 kW generator can easily produce 150.000 kWh per year. Enough for your own electricity needs. At times when there is not enough wind, you will automatically draw electricity from the power grid. In this case you only pay the power company for the electricity you take from them and the rest you get from your wind turbine. If you produce more electricity (150.000 to 120.000 kWh = 30.000 kWh) then you can sell the over production to the power company and they will pay you a certain amount per kWh delivered. Many factory or farm owners that use WES wind turbines use such a set up.