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- Category: Articles
Although the costs of a wind measurement campaign are quite small when compared to the overall investment needed to construct a wind farm, many developers still try to save some thousands of euros by using smaller met masts and cheap sensors. But does this strategy pay off? Or, in other words, what is gained by a high quality wind measurement? To answer these questions this article compares two scenarios. Scenario 1 has an IEC standard tower, first class sensors and measurement at hub height. Scenario 2 assumes inappropriate (cheap) sensors, bad design and measurement somewhat below hub height. All other conditions (turbine type, location, terrain, obstacles, etc.) are assumed to be exactly the same, in order to estimate the effect of the different measurement regimes. The energy yield is calculated by adding the respective uncertainties a consultant would estimate for the respective measurements, so that the two scenarios can be compared in financial terms and then be related to the cost of high quality measurement.- Category: Articles
Despite impressive gains in the amount of wind power production during the last four years and the benefits this has brought, the financial statements of wind turbine manufacturers and related businesses have shown large losses over the same period and it is difficult for smaller investors to get a good return on investments in renewable energy. Maybe we need a radical rethink. In this article, Mike J. Fritz presents his arguments for the kilowatt-hour as a new monetary unit and standard. He also provides the text of the Renewable Power to the People Amendment, which he suggests, if supported and successful in the USA, could set the stage for other countries to follow.- Category: Articles
Wind Turbines, Energy Containers and Microgrids
An energy container is a mobile hybrid power supply system built into a container. Much of the past use and development of energy containers has been for military purposes, but they can also be used for civilian purposes, for example in remote areas as the energy supply of base stations (cells) for mobile telephony or to provide the energy needs of remote villages. Basically, an energy container is a container equipped with solar panels, a wind generator, a diesel generator, batteries and an energy management system, although these can be arranged in a number of different configurations. In this article Frits Ogg presents an overview of the capabilities, market and applications of energy containers, with particular emphasis on the role of the wind turbines to be found within them.
By Frits Ogg, Renewable Energy Consultant, The Netherlands
- Category: Articles
Some Results and Conclusions
This article focuses on historical component failure and the availability of replacements in both onshore and offshore wind farms. It also looks at techniques available to calculate the effect of mean time between failure of critical components and mean time to repair and how such techniques can be applied to all projects. It considers the impact of failures on year-to-year availability, the sufficiency of contractual warranties, financial planning for repairs and current best practice operation and maintenance (O&M) strategies for projects. This includes evaluating what proactive measures can be taken and how condition monitoring techniques can improve mean time to repair times.
By Steve Buckley, Team Leader, Sinclair Knight Merz, UK
- Category: Articles
Measuring Stresses and Strains in Difficult Environments
This article discusses the design and capability of structural health monitoring (SHM) systems deployed on offshore wind turbines. The application of SHM systems in difficult environments is a particularly challenging task, where ease of installation, ruggedness and reliability of equipment is essential in providing the key information of the structural integrity of offshore wind turbine towers. This is required to evaluate the structural response, status and remaining operational life of the structure.
By Paul Faulkner, Senior Product Manager, and Mark Hassell, Business Development Manager, Strainstall Monitoring , UK
- Category: Articles
Reducing the Cost of Energy for Larger Wind Turbines
Current technical evolution within the wind energy industry seems to indicate an increase in the installed power per tower, thus leading to a need to progressively increase the length of the wind turbine blades. The IndeModular joint system is an innovative solution that overcomes the restrictions related to the manufacturing and transport of longer blades. It is a bolted connection located in the blade spar cap, where the main loads are transmitted. The joint system consists of cell units, which are pre-stressed after their assembly, resulting in a joint system under compression loads and allowing high fatigue resistance. Because of its geometry, IndeModular allows a higher supported and transmitted load than other conventional solutions, and, because of its modular concept, it can be easily integrated in the design and manufacturing of blades of different architectures and lengths by adding more or less cell units. IndeModular was successfully tested in a full-scale mechanical test to validate the joint system under the Germanischer Lloyd 2010 guidelines.
By Javier Sanz, CEO, and José Miguel Maruri, Product Manager, INDEOL, Spain
- Category: Articles
Wind power has the potential to provide affordable electrical power throughout much of the world, and there is certainly more than one way to do it. The patented revolutionary INVELOX wind technology, developed by the American company SheerWind, is providing an effective alternative to conventional propeller-driven wind-harvesting systems. In this article, Dr Daryoush Allaei notes some of the problems with conventional wind power generation and then goes on to describe how the innovative INVELOX wind technology could change the game. Dr Daryoush Allaei, Chief Technical Officer, SheerWind, Inc.
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| #51 Senvion MM92 wind turbine installed in Serra do Caramulo, Portugal (courtesy Pedro Matos) |
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