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- Category: Articles
Understanding the Effects of Drive Train Misalignment on Bearing Fatigue Life
Improving the reliability of wind turbines is an essential component in the bid to minimise the cost of energy, especially for offshore wind due to the difficulties associated with access. Numerous studies have shown that wind turbine generator failure rates are unacceptably high, particularly given the long downtime incurred per failure. However, generator failures have, to date, received relatively little attention in the wind industry with the focus generally having been on the blades and the gearbox. There is evidence that the bearings are the most important source of generator failures; one important root cause of bearing failure is misalignment. An overview of publicly available wind turbine reliability data is presented in this article, and the importance of drive train misalignment is described.
By Matthew Whittle, University of Durham, UK
Improving the reliability of wind turbines is an essential component in the bid to minimise the cost of energy, especially for offshore wind due to the difficulties associated with access. Numerous studies have shown that wind turbine generator failure rates are unacceptably high, particularly given the long downtime incurred per failure. However, generator failures have, to date, received relatively little attention in the wind industry with the focus generally having been on the blades and the gearbox. There is evidence that the bearings are the most important source of generator failures; one important root cause of bearing failure is misalignment. An overview of publicly available wind turbine reliability data is presented in this article, and the importance of drive train misalignment is described.By Matthew Whittle, University of Durham, UK
- Category: Articles
Turbulence Intensity Becomes a Key Factor When Planning Wind Farms
Wind power plays a substantial part in worldwide plans to increase renewable energy utilisation. In future existing wind farms will need to be repowered and new wind farm sites are going to need to be explored. However, in countries like Germany new sites are becoming rare and there is a limit to the amount of energy that can be generated from a given area. When placing wind turbines too close together turbulence generated by the wakes of the wind turbines may seriously affect their structural integrity and so becomes a limiting factor in wind farm layouts. This holds especially true for complex terrain, where the terrain-generated turbulence makes a significant contribution to the overall load.
By Thomas Hahm, F2E Fluid & Energy Engineering, Germany
Wind power plays a substantial part in worldwide plans to increase renewable energy utilisation. In future existing wind farms will need to be repowered and new wind farm sites are going to need to be explored. However, in countries like Germany new sites are becoming rare and there is a limit to the amount of energy that can be generated from a given area. When placing wind turbines too close together turbulence generated by the wakes of the wind turbines may seriously affect their structural integrity and so becomes a limiting factor in wind farm layouts. This holds especially true for complex terrain, where the terrain-generated turbulence makes a significant contribution to the overall load.By Thomas Hahm, F2E Fluid & Energy Engineering, Germany
- Category: Articles
Uncertainty of Wind Power Production
Uncertainty of the annual energy production of wind parks is a key figure for the bankability of a wind energy project. Uncertainties are known as levels of exceedance or P-values. The estimation of uncertainties follows the rules of error propagation. Common assumptions considerably underestimate the level of exceedance and should be revised.
By Dr Johannes Sander, Sander + Partner, Switzerland
Uncertainty of the annual energy production of wind parks is a key figure for the bankability of a wind energy project. Uncertainties are known as levels of exceedance or P-values. The estimation of uncertainties follows the rules of error propagation. Common assumptions considerably underestimate the level of exceedance and should be revised.
By Dr Johannes Sander, Sander + Partner, Switzerland
- Category: Articles
Korea’s Jeju Smart Grid Test-bed
Korea is pursuing sustainable development while dealing with climate change. It is also moving towards a low carbon economy and a society capable of recovering from climate change. As part of these efforts, Korea has launched a Smart Grid national project to achieve green growth in a transparent, comprehensive, effective and efficient way. With these plans in mind, Korea has started building a Smart Grid Test-bed on Jeju Island to prove its determination to make the low-carbon, green-growth strategy succeed.
By Mr Kim Jea-Seob, Chief Executive Officer of Korea Smart Grid Institute, South Korea
Korea is pursuing sustainable development while dealing with climate change. It is also moving towards a low carbon economy and a society capable of recovering from climate change. As part of these efforts, Korea has launched a Smart Grid national project to achieve green growth in a transparent, comprehensive, effective and efficient way. With these plans in mind, Korea has started building a Smart Grid Test-bed on Jeju Island to prove its determination to make the low-carbon, green-growth strategy succeed.By Mr Kim Jea-Seob, Chief Executive Officer of Korea Smart Grid Institute, South Korea
- Category: Articles
A Significant Leap Forward
Wind power engineering has tended to be a fairly conservative area of industry. No one expects any significant new design ideas that radically improve the feasibility and performance characteristics of horizontal axis wind turbines (HAWTs). Most current changes in the design and construction of rotor blades are brought about by new technologies and materials with higher strength characteristics. This ensures higher reliability and extends their service life. Such things as the amount of energy that can be extracted from the wind flow as it moves through a defined swept area have remained more or less unchanged for many years. However, the Latvian company SIA Latekols has found a way to substantially improve wind turbine performance.
By Grigory Fedotov, SIA Latekols, Latvia
Wind power engineering has tended to be a fairly conservative area of industry. No one expects any significant new design ideas that radically improve the feasibility and performance characteristics of horizontal axis wind turbines (HAWTs). Most current changes in the design and construction of rotor blades are brought about by new technologies and materials with higher strength characteristics. This ensures higher reliability and extends their service life. Such things as the amount of energy that can be extracted from the wind flow as it moves through a defined swept area have remained more or less unchanged for many years. However, the Latvian company SIA Latekols has found a way to substantially improve wind turbine performance. By Grigory Fedotov, SIA Latekols, Latvia
- Category: Articles
Making Space for Offshore Wind Power
The European project ‘WindSpeed’ concluded that there is a need for a more collaborative and integrated approach and cross-border coordination, in order to fulfil the high offshore wind ambitions of the UK, Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway, Belgium and Germany.
By Chris Westra, Energy Research Centre of the Netherlands
The European project ‘WindSpeed’ concluded that there is a need for a more collaborative and integrated approach and cross-border coordination, in order to fulfil the high offshore wind ambitions of the UK, Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway, Belgium and Germany.By Chris Westra, Energy Research Centre of the Netherlands
- Category: Articles
Highlights from the 2010 Wind Energy Buy-Chain Survey
In the midst of difficult economic conditions, the US wind power industry faced significant difficulties in 2010. Installations were hindered by factors such as ongoing challenges in securing project financing, low natural gas prices favouring gas-fired generation, and decreased electricity demand caused by the recession. In total, the USA added 5,115MW of wind capacity in 2010, about half the total of installations added in the previous year (American Wind Energy Association). Such a rapid drop in one year, especially following a stretch of 39% compound annual growth over the previous five years, would shake many industries to their core. What are US wind industry manufacturers and service companies looking for now?
By Tim Kumbier, Loch McCabe and Terri Schroeder, Shepherd Advisors, USA
In the midst of difficult economic conditions, the US wind power industry faced significant difficulties in 2010. Installations were hindered by factors such as ongoing challenges in securing project financing, low natural gas prices favouring gas-fired generation, and decreased electricity demand caused by the recession. In total, the USA added 5,115MW of wind capacity in 2010, about half the total of installations added in the previous year (American Wind Energy Association). Such a rapid drop in one year, especially following a stretch of 39% compound annual growth over the previous five years, would shake many industries to their core. What are US wind industry manufacturers and service companies looking for now?
By Tim Kumbier, Loch McCabe and Terri Schroeder, Shepherd Advisors, USA
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