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Wind Energ y End-Use Appli cations (p hoto b y SCA Svenska Cellulo sa Aktieb olag et)

by Edvard

Wind Energy End-Use Applications

Markets

Wind energy marketscan be classif ied based on the end-use application o f the technology. Wind energy

projects are common f or off-grid applications.

However, the largest market po tential f or wind energy projects is with on-grid(or grid-connected)

applications.

Off-grid applications

Historically, wind energy was mos t competit ive in remote s ites, f ar f rom the electric grid and requiring

relatively small amounts of power, typically less t han 10 kW.

In these o f f -grid applications, wind energy is typically used in the charging of batteries that s to re

the energy captured by the wind turbinesand provides the user with electrical energy on demand, as

depicted in Figure 1.

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Figure 1 - 10 kW Off-Grid Wind Turb ine in Mexico.

Photo Credit to Charles Newcomber/NREL Pix

Water pumping, where water, rather than energy, can be stored f or f uture use, is also a key histo rical

application of wind energy. The key competitive area for wind energy in remote of f -grid power applications

is against electric grid extension, primary (disposable) batteries, diesel, gas and thermoelectric generators.

Wind energy is also competitive in water pumping applications.

On-grid applications

In on-grid applications the wind energy system f eeds electrical energy directly into the electric utility grid.

Two on-grid application types can be distinguished.

1. Isolated-grid electricity generation, with wind turbine generation capacity typically ranging f rom

approximately 10 kW to 200 kW.

2. Central-grid electricity generation, with wind turbine generation capacity typically ranging f rom

approximately 200 kW to 2 MW.

Isolated-grids

Isolated-gridsare common in remote areas. Electricity

generation is o f ten relatively expensivedue to t he high

cost of transporting diesel fuel to these isolated sites.

However, if the s ite has good local winds, a small wind

energy project could be installed to help supply a port ion of

the electricity requirements.

These wind energy projects are normally referred to as

wind-diesel hybrid systems.

The wind energy systems primary role is to help reduce the

amount of diesel fuel consumption. A wind-diesel hybrid

system is shown in Figure 2.

Central-grids

Central-grid applicationsf or wind energy projects are

becoming more common.

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Figure 4 - Installation of a 40 m Meteoro log ical Mast. Photo Cre dit to G PCo Inc.

In the case where apre-feasibility studyindicates that a proposed wind energy project could be f inancially

viable, it is typically recommended that a pro ject developer take at least a f ull year of wind measurements at

the exact location where the wind energy project is going to be installed.

Figure 4shows the installation of a 40 m tall meteorologi-cal mast at the CANMET Energy Technology

Centre Varennes in Canada.

For very small-scale projects

(e.g. off-grid battery chargingand water pumping), the cost

of wind monito ring could

actually be higher than the cost

to purchase and install a small

wind turbine.

In this case a detailed wind

resource assessment

would normally not be

completed.

Science in the City:

Altamont Wind Farms (VIDEO)

Southeast of San Francisco, on the way out to Califo rnias Central Valley, thousands of wind turbines dot

the landscape o f Altamont Pass. Mounted both in rows and individually, machines with large propellers catch

the wind, turning round and round at dif f erent speeds.

Learn how wind energy is generated and stored f or use in this most peculiar area, and its impact on living

things both near and far.

Cant see this video? Click hereto watch it on Youtube.

Resource:CLEAN ENERGY PROJECT ANALYSIS: RETSCREEN ENGINEERING & CASES TEXTBOOK

Canmet Energy Technology Centre

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfOZjsOaqSQ