Skip navigation
SKIP THIS AD >>
ADVERTISEMENT
You will be redirected to your destination in 10 seconds.
Electronics Industry Search
Advertisement
« A fastening subject: Dual Lock, Velcro, Super Glue or suction | Main | Boeing 787 Dreamliner videos now live »

Link This | Email this | Blog This | Comments (5)

John Dodge
John Dodge

Wind turbine economics 101: an engineer's view

May 30, 2007

As you would expect, engineers questioned my love affair with wind turbines. For starters, I just like things that spin and have watched developments in wind turbines since the mid-Seventies when they weren't much more than glorified eggbeaters.

The blog post which was the same as my May 14 print column provoked some great comments, several which of which praised coal for its vastly more favorable economics. One letter (on actual paper!) from Henry E. Payne III of Payne Engineering in Scott Depot, W. Va., makes two valid points that I was aware of, but neglected to cite in my column advocating a more aggressive approach to wind turbine adoption. Be aware, I have not changed my stance on wind turbines one iota and I did get reader responses sharing my enthusiasm.

On point one, I'll quote Henry's letter:

"One point is capacity factor. This is the full ratio of full-rated generation hours divided by the numbers of hours in a year. Typical capacity factors to a well-run nuclear or coal generating plant is 90-95%. For windmills, it was 2005%. Solar cells are about the same." In other words, the wind does not propel a large turbine at, say, its optimal rating of at 4.5 megawatts. If we're lucky, it'll generate 1.5 megawatts, points out coal and conservation advocate John Landis. Point two: if you want to know what electricity costs(a lot here in the Northeast!!), it's measured in megawatt hours or kilowatt hours. This is how electricity usage is measured. 

I remain convinced that wind turbines and solar are each a part of the answer to our energy needs. How big an answer remains to be determined, but renewable sources nibbling away at the percentage of energy provided non-renewables can only be a good thing…especially as wider adoption drives down the cost down of renewables.  For now, wind turbines must be subsidized in the U.S. like many new technologies. And they should be…it's one of the better uses of our tax dollars. And how can anyone argue with lower dependence on oil of the Middle East!?
 

Posted by John Dodge on May 30, 2007 | Comments (5)
Industries:

August 12, 2008
In response to: Wind turbine economics 101: an engineer's view
Undetermined commented:

w Een plaatje zegt alles, toch ? y Het volledige rapport is hier te vinden. Lees natuurlijk y de blogposting. s d [url=http://skuper.ru]паркетная доска [/url] 5g


August 4, 2008
In response to: Wind turbine economics 101: an engineer's view
Undetermined commented:

steven clean university ibm elephant sun jhon white mail microsoft


July 18, 2008
In response to: Wind turbine economics 101: an engineer's view
Undetermined commented:

I'd like to talk to this "engineer", a capacity factor of 2005% sounds a like we have somebody who played with the right numbers and didn't think about the final answer. Like to see the turbine ratings and assumed wind factor.


June 4, 2007
In response to: Wind turbine economics 101: an engineer's view
Undetermined commented:

I read your report in Design News "The Answer is Blowing in the Wind," and found it interesting. It is stunning how the US has lagged behind our friendly European nations in making alternative energy sources happen. I am sympathetic to environmental concerns that wind generators pose (such as bird-killing), but the way I see it the US needs to throw every spear it can at the impending energy crunches headed our way. As a side note, I see the ever-growing human population as the engine of energy demand, so even if we do get busy and ambitious on alternative energy, we will at most get temporary relief from alternative energy sources. But this just highlights the criticality of getting our butts off of the oil barrels and into making alternative energy sources real contributors to our energy picture. Two other quick comments: I had read in Science News about 2 years ago that 15 percent of the US's electricity needs could be met with OCEAN (tidal) power. At that time, the Europeans were going strong on ocean power, but the US stood idle. What's up with that? Finally, I invest in energy stocks, and have tried to identify wind turbine companies to invest in, but to no avail. Is anyone aware of any publicly traded companies involved in wind power (or ocean power, for that matter)? I have pretty much concluded that the venture capitalists maintain control over this kind of technology in the US. (NOTE: I do appreciate GE being mentioned as a wind power maker, but GE is into EVERYTHING! I am looking for more narrowly focused companies.)


May 30, 2007
In response to: Wind turbine economics 101: an engineer's view
Undetermined commented:

"One point is capacity factor. This is the full ratio of full-rated generation hours divided by the numbers of hours in a year. Typical capacity factors to a well-run nuclear or coal generating plant is 90-95%. For windmills, it was 2005%. Solar cells are about the same." WOW!! 2005% capacity factor for wind. I don't think so. 20% maybe.

POST A COMMENT
Display Name
captcha

Before submitting this form, please type the code above:

Advertisement
Advertisement

Design News Partner Zones

AnarkCAD/CAE Model Clean-Up: Reduce Iterative Cycles
Discuss how Recipe-Based Automation can help create "just-in-time" CAE-ready geometry when CAD models are updated. Register Now

Light Matters: Systems Level Approach to HBLED illumination applications
Its good practice to apply a systems-level approach to high-brightness LED (HBLED) illumination applications. Minimally, the system includes the optical, thermal and electrical characteristics of the of the HBLED, the lens (if any) which is built-in to its package, secondary optics such as external plastic lenses/reflectors to direct the light as your application requires and power driver electronics. Read More

Design Engineers' Portal for Sensing and Machine Safety
Whatever industry you're in, or whatever product you manufacture, the right sensors to automate your plant, and to improve your overall efficiency, quality and safety are a must. You'll find Banner Engineering to be an amazing resource of products, training and people with expertise.

Design News Partner Zone Directory »

Please visit these other Reed Business sites