{"id":18969,"date":"2022-02-28T11:43:25","date_gmt":"2022-02-28T11:43:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.innovationnewsnetwork.com\/?p=18969"},"modified":"2022-02-28T11:48:44","modified_gmt":"2022-02-28T11:48:44","slug":"utilising-low-level-wind-power-for-electricity-production","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.innovationnewsnetwork.com\/utilising-low-level-wind-power-for-electricity-production\/18969\/","title":{"rendered":"Utilising low-level wind power for electricity production"},"content":{"rendered":"
Using wind power for electricity production is a necessity if we want to achieve the ambitious CO2<\/sub>\u00a0objectives set out at COP26. The wind energy industry has grown significantly in recent years, and ongoing innovations have created important improvements in efficiency.<\/p>\n However, one rule seems to apply to all projects: searching for winds at higher levels with taller wind turbines. The explanation for this trend is that winds are stronger and have a more laminar flow at higher levels. But, by disregarding lower-level winds, opportunities to produce efficient renewable energy will be missed.<\/p>\n Today, small wind turbines offer great potential to ensure a local and renewable energy supply.\u00a0 Technologies have evolved significantly over the last few years and people are looking for alternatives.<\/p>\n Nevertheless, at lower levels, wind is more turbulent. Wind speed and direction will be impacted by hills, mountains, forests, and buildings. Therefore, small wind turbines are still considered to be less profitable investments.<\/p>\n However, this perspective disregards an important insight about small wind turbines, namely that they are intended for self-consumption. A large wind turbine will feed directly into the power grid and therefore must be competitive with other conventional energy sources \u2013 hence the trend of increasing size and height. Small turbines, however, are intended for local and direct use. The owners of a small wind turbine will benefit directly from its electricity production, as they would from a solar panel installation. This makes the profitability calculations entirely different, broadening the opportunities for small turbines.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Amongst the various technologies available for small turbines, vertical axis wind turbines (VAWT) do have a range of significant benefits, including those listed below.<\/p>\n A VAWT can catch wind from any direction, as opposed to horizontal axis wind turbines which need to be oriented towards the wind to function. They need to be equipped with either a mechanical or free system with a weather vane. But, as low-level winds are turbulent and ever-changing, they force horizontal axis turbines to very frequent reorientations.<\/p>\n Another advantage of vertical axis wind turbines is their mechanical simplicity. This has a direct positive impact on the maintenance frequency, on the number of breakdowns or failures, as well as on the amount of wearing parts.<\/p>\n Blades of a vertical axis turbine rotate at identical speed over their entire length. While horizontal axis turbines have a significant speed difference between the tip of the blade and the centre of the rotor, this and the regular passing of the blades by the mast create higher noise levels.<\/p>\n With a smaller mast and blades rotating vertically around it, VAWT are less visible. Experience shows that they are barely noticed in the surrounding landscape.<\/p>\n Interestingly, VAWT technology is anterior to horizontal axis wind turbines. The earliest traces of wind turbines were found in Old Persia, dating back to the 7th century AD. These were open towers with vertical sails named \u2018Panemone\u2019.<\/p>\n Vertical axis turbines are often considered to be less efficient and to have a lower power coefficient (conversion of the wind energy in electricity). However, recent developments, which allow vertical axis wind turbines to obtain similar power coefficients, challenge this idea. This shows the importance of choosing specialised companies, that have a vast amount of knowledge and experience in their field.<\/p>\nVAWT<\/h3>\n
Better suited to turbulent winds<\/h4>\n
Less mechanical components<\/h4>\n
Less noise<\/h4>\n
Less impact on landscape<\/h4>\n
Aerodynamic improvements<\/h3>\n