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- Category: Articles
Tethered Wing Outfitted with Turbines to Harvest Wind Energy
The Makani airborne wind turbine (AWT) converts wind energy into electricity using a tethered wing outfitted with turbines. Like the tip of a conventional wind turbine blade, the wing flies across the sky at many times the speed of the wind. Power is extracted by the wing-mounted turbines and transmitted to the ground through an electrically conductive tether. As the wing is not constrained to rotate about a hub, it can fly at a higher altitude where the wind is stronger and more consistent. This results in a system that can deliver twice the energy of a conventional turbine of equal power rating. Furthermore, due to its low wind performance, the wind regimes in which Makani’s AWT can be economically deployed occur in all 50 states and over 80% of US land area, compared to only 15% for conventional turbines.
The Makani airborne wind turbine (AWT) converts wind energy into electricity using a tethered wing outfitted with turbines. Like the tip of a conventional wind turbine blade, the wing flies across the sky at many times the speed of the wind. Power is extracted by the wing-mounted turbines and transmitted to the ground through an electrically conductive tether. As the wing is not constrained to rotate about a hub, it can fly at a higher altitude where the wind is stronger and more consistent. This results in a system that can deliver twice the energy of a conventional turbine of equal power rating. Furthermore, due to its low wind performance, the wind regimes in which Makani’s AWT can be economically deployed occur in all 50 states and over 80% of US land area, compared to only 15% for conventional turbines.
By Corwin Hardham, Makani Power, USA
- Category: Articles
A Review of the Status and Risks of Floating Wind Turbine Technology
The floating wind turbine platforms (FWTP) industry is at an early and exciting stage. There are a number of emerging designs and a mix of platform and wind turbine types. It is also encouraging to see high levels of collaboration, with many companies working alongside bodies such as the Energy Technologies Institute, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, NOWITECH, Risø and the University of Maine. This article is a summary of a major report conducted by the author, which provides an up-to-date review of the FWTP industry and its principle technical risks.
By Charles Briggs, Renewable Energy Consultant, SgurrEnergy, UK
The floating wind turbine platforms (FWTP) industry is at an early and exciting stage. There are a number of emerging designs and a mix of platform and wind turbine types. It is also encouraging to see high levels of collaboration, with many companies working alongside bodies such as the Energy Technologies Institute, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, NOWITECH, Risø and the University of Maine. This article is a summary of a major report conducted by the author, which provides an up-to-date review of the FWTP industry and its principle technical risks. By Charles Briggs, Renewable Energy Consultant, SgurrEnergy, UK
- Category: Articles
Enerpac Solutions for Levelling Offshore Wind Turbine Foundations
The ever-increasing size of offshore wind turbine installations demands innovative and cost-effective foundation construction. Whether monopiles, tripiles or jackets, accurate foundation levelling is critical to the functionality and longevity of an offshore wind turbine. Recent offshore foundation problems have increased the focus on this aspect of the design and construction process, resulting in the urgent need for positional accuracy and verification requirements. Enerpac’s synchronous lifting, weighing and levelling system delivers a comprehensive cost-saving solution for this task.
By Marcel Birkhoff, Enerpac, The Netherlands
The ever-increasing size of offshore wind turbine installations demands innovative and cost-effective foundation construction. Whether monopiles, tripiles or jackets, accurate foundation levelling is critical to the functionality and longevity of an offshore wind turbine. Recent offshore foundation problems have increased the focus on this aspect of the design and construction process, resulting in the urgent need for positional accuracy and verification requirements. Enerpac’s synchronous lifting, weighing and levelling system delivers a comprehensive cost-saving solution for this task.By Marcel Birkhoff, Enerpac, The Netherlands
- Category: Articles
See the Wind, Measure the Power
It has been six years since the first issue of Windtech International, which featured the public release of a revolutionary and groundbreaking new technology – lidar. Today, we look back over those six years to see how the technology has fared and what the future holds. Remote sensing methods for measuring wind characteristics, such as lidar, are fast becoming widely adopted across the wind industry. By obtaining accurate wind profiles for wind resource assessment across a wider range of measurement heights than masts, such methods offer a potential for reducing both total project costs and data uncertainty risks.
By Ian Locker, Managing Director, ZephIR, and Alex Woodward, Product Development Manager, Natural Power
It has been six years since the first issue of Windtech International, which featured the public release of a revolutionary and groundbreaking new technology – lidar. Today, we look back over those six years to see how the technology has fared and what the future holds. Remote sensing methods for measuring wind characteristics, such as lidar, are fast becoming widely adopted across the wind industry. By obtaining accurate wind profiles for wind resource assessment across a wider range of measurement heights than masts, such methods offer a potential for reducing both total project costs and data uncertainty risks.By Ian Locker, Managing Director, ZephIR, and Alex Woodward, Product Development Manager, Natural Power
- Category: Articles
Designing Communication Networks for Offshore Wind Farms
This article discusses the special considerations that need to be taken into account when designing and deploying Ethernet networks for wind power applications. The authors describe the characteristics of an environmentally robust Ethernet network for wind farm automation applications and identify key features of a reliable communication system. The article also contains a description of the practical experience gained from a real project involving a big offshore wind farm recently built in the UK.
By Maciej Goraj (RuggedCom), Yannick Epassa (RuggedCom) and David Meadows (Siemens T&D)
This article discusses the special considerations that need to be taken into account when designing and deploying Ethernet networks for wind power applications. The authors describe the characteristics of an environmentally robust Ethernet network for wind farm automation applications and identify key features of a reliable communication system. The article also contains a description of the practical experience gained from a real project involving a big offshore wind farm recently built in the UK.By Maciej Goraj (RuggedCom), Yannick Epassa (RuggedCom) and David Meadows (Siemens T&D)
- Category: Articles
Stormy Weather Ahead for Intellectual Property in the Wind Industry
Intellectual Property (IP) rights, such as patents, trademarks and designs, have played a minor role in the wind industry in the last few decades. Companies have been developing and marketing their products more or less peacefully alongside each other. But the wind is changing. The number of active companies in the field and also international competition are constantly increasing. Patent applications have been filed at ever-increasing rates in the wind industry in recent years and IP protection is becoming an important issue for any technology oriented company in the renewable energy area. The climate has changed and the sea is getting rougher. This article provides an overview of recent developments relating to intellectual property rights in the wind industry and addresses important issues in the development of an IP portfolio.
By Dr Christoph Schreiter, 24IP Law Group, Germany
Intellectual Property (IP) rights, such as patents, trademarks and designs, have played a minor role in the wind industry in the last few decades. Companies have been developing and marketing their products more or less peacefully alongside each other. But the wind is changing. The number of active companies in the field and also international competition are constantly increasing. Patent applications have been filed at ever-increasing rates in the wind industry in recent years and IP protection is becoming an important issue for any technology oriented company in the renewable energy area. The climate has changed and the sea is getting rougher. This article provides an overview of recent developments relating to intellectual property rights in the wind industry and addresses important issues in the development of an IP portfolio.By Dr Christoph Schreiter, 24IP Law Group, Germany
- Category: Articles
A Faster, Simpler, Year-round Blade Repair System
Wind turbine blades do not receive the attention and frequent review of other turbine components, yet even before they are installed damage can occur. Once in operation a variety of environmental events such as lightning strikes, rain and wind erosion are all possible causes of damage. Wind turbine repair and maintenance is an essential element in the life-cycle costs and is the key to successfully ensuring maximum availability throughout the year.
By Dan Jones, Research & Technology Manager, Gurit, UK
Wind turbine blades do not receive the attention and frequent review of other turbine components, yet even before they are installed damage can occur. Once in operation a variety of environmental events such as lightning strikes, rain and wind erosion are all possible causes of damage. Wind turbine repair and maintenance is an essential element in the life-cycle costs and is the key to successfully ensuring maximum availability throughout the year.By Dan Jones, Research & Technology Manager, Gurit, UK
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