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- Category: Articles
A New Generation of AC/DC/AC Converters
The world can be divided into urban and rural areas. Rural areas occupy the largest part of the land. Most of these rural areas are not connected to large grids and are unlikely to be electrified in the future. The costs of installing an electrical grid are too high. In rural areas, and on islands, diesel systems are often used to generate electricity. Electricity generated in this way is expensive. In addition to the cost of diesel fuel, there are other associated costs to be taken into account such as transport, storage and losses. On top of this, diesel generators are relatively inefficient and will only generate about 2.5 to 3.5kWh from one litre of diesel. As a result, the price for electrical energy in isolated grids is high, sometimes reaching 1€ per kWh or more. In remote rural areas, cheaper electricity from wind turbines can make a valuable contribution.By Frits Ogg, Renewable Energy Consultant, The Netherlands
- Category: Articles
Tethered Tools Can Increase Safety and Productivity on Wind Farms
A tool dropped from an elevated work platform poses immediate danger to personnel and equipment below. While there are federally mandated guidelines in the USA for securing people working on surfaces 4 feet (1.22 metres) or more from the ground, there are no such requirements for securing tools. In this article, John Martell discusses why organisations need to implement some type of tethered tool programme in the interests of safety, and how new technologies are making it easier for technicians to use tethered tools.By John Martell, Product Manager, Snap-on Industrial, USA
- Category: Articles
How Geophysics and Multiple Perspectives Could Revolutionise the Wind Industry
Geophysical methods have long been used to help define the underlying physical properties of soil, rock, air and even space. Their uses can be very beneficial for the characterisation of site geology, which would otherwise require large and costly physical evaluations. The beauty and simplicity of geophysics is in its ability to indirectly infer subsurface materials by defining physical traits through the application of geophysical methods.By Daniel Kramer, Environmental Division Manager, Neil O. Anderson & Associates, USA
- Category: Articles
Life-Cycle Analysis of Four Taller Wind Turbine Tower Options
Taller wind turbines are becoming desirable in the growing wind energy industry. This article takes a deeper look at four options for taller towers. Steel towers, concrete towers, hybrid towers and the recently developed ultra high performance concrete (UHPC) tower are all viable options for hosting 100-metre (328-ft) hub height turbines. However, the environmental impact of each of these towers varies significantly. In this article, a life-cycle analysis (LCA) is used to compare these tower options over both short-term and long-term periods to reveal the most sustainable tower option for these taller turbines.By Sarah Gustitus, environmental engineering student, University of Florida, USA
- Category: Articles
Potential, Challenges and Opportunities
Wind turbines installed throughout the USA in the 1980s and early 1990s are reaching the end of their useful lives; in fact, 1,500MW of wind capacity is older than 15 years. Wind turbine technology has evolved significantly over the past 20 years, making new turbines more powerful and better able to capture the wind power potential at these sites. At the same time, a number of challenges exist for the owner or developer considering repowering. This article discusses the repowering potential in the USA along with the drivers and barriers that shape the repowering decision and market.By Alicia Abrams, Consultant, DNV KEMA, USA
- Category: Articles
The '1000 Poles' Plan in the Netherlands
Self-supply of electricity, which aims to make sustainability possible and accessible for a greater number of people, is currently a much discussed topic. It is an old idea that was given new life 15 years agoby the ‘Windvogel’ (Wind Bird) cooperative in the Netherlands, an association that now has over 3,000 members. The cooperative has now launched the idea of creating a sustainable energy supply for all Dutch citizens using a thousand 7.5MW wind turbines. The wind turbines would be owned by the citizens, who would then be both the producers and users of renewable energy (i.e. ‘prosumers’).
Self-supply of electricity, which aims to make sustainability possible and accessible for a greater number of people, is currently a much discussed topic. It is an old idea that was given new life 15 years agoby the ‘Windvogel’ (Wind Bird) cooperative in the Netherlands, an association that now has over 3,000 members. The cooperative has now launched the idea of creating a sustainable energy supply for all Dutch citizens using a thousand 7.5MW wind turbines. The wind turbines would be owned by the citizens, who would then be both the producers and users of renewable energy (i.e. ‘prosumers’).By Frits Ogg, Renewable Energy Consultant, The Netherlands
- Category: Articles
Bright Strategic and Economic Perspectives for Onshore Wind in Medium to Low Wind Speed Areas
Commercial availability of the new IEC3A wind turbine models, which have been specifically designed for high productivity in low and light wind conditions, opens new opportunities for onshore wind power development worldwide. An open question is whether the price of electricity delivered from wind farms using this type of wind turbine will be competitive with the cost of kilowatt-hours (kWh) from conventional power plants and/or from electricity markets. The analysis proposed in this article by Bernard Chabot shows that there are good prospects for cost competitiveness; meaning that power produced in these low and light wind conditions will soon be one of the most competitive energy technologies able to deliver clean electricity in the vast majority of countries.By Bernard Chabot, Consultant & Trainer on Renewable Energy, BCCONSULT, France
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