Transcript A&M Research Powerpoint

Wind Energy
A Growing Industry Worldwide
• Wind Energy is
increasing at a
rate of
approximately
30% annually.
• What is wind?
• What is wind energy?
• What are the Pros and Cons
of wind energy?
• Where have wind farms
been developed?
• How does wind energy
affect the local Community?
• Who benefits from wind
energy production?
• Can wind energy improve
global warming and climate
change?
What is Wind?
Wind is the stabilizing of areas of high and
low atmospheric pressure, created by the
uneven heating of the Earth's surfaces:
land, water, and air.
The greater the pressure difference between
these areas, the harder the wind blows.
Wind also exists as the circulation of air
around a high or low pressure area.
What is Wind Energy?
• Wind energy is the converting of wind power
to electrical power through the use of
windmills or turbines.
• Farmed electricity is sent to transformers
where voltage is increased and sent to the
power grid via transmission lines.
Windmill versus Turbine
On farms and
residences:
• Originally was
used to generate
electricity and
pump water
from the ground.
• They had
multiple blades
with a fixed
pitch.
• (1900 – 1930)
On the open plain:
Roscoe Texas
• Innovative use
began in the 1970‘s.
• Large scale use
began in the 1990’s.
• Have 2 or 3 blades,
330 ft or more.
• The pitch can be
changed to achieve
a higher or lower
efficiency.
Positive Attributes of Wind Energy
• Wind Energy is a true option to fossil
fuels, and nuclear energy.
• Wind Energy decreases the need for
fossil fuels to generate electricity.
• It is a clean, variable, and unlimited
resource with no waste products or
pollutants.
Negative Attributes of Wind Energy 1
• Turbines are large, bulky, & noisy (55 db). This noise is about
the level of a soft conversation.
• Wind farm turbines are very expensive to set up and require
many acres for efficient functioning with little air turbulence.
• Turbine maintenance is regular; the dangerous height has led
to fatal accidents.
• Limited wind speeds between 12 - 55 mph can be used to
produce 50 – 300 kW of electricity.
• A brake is used in high wind speeds to prevent damage.
Negative Attributes of Wind Energy 2
• Transmission lines connect wind farms to the power grid and
are limited to a maximum voltage.
• People dislike transmission lines changing the landscape.
• Turbines are hazardous to wildlife. Migratory birds have flown
into turbines and been killed.
• Hurricanes or tornados may occur and cause damage where
wind farms are most efficient.
• Off-shore concerns include hurricanes, wave action, seabed
volatility, birds and marine wild life, navigation, tourism,
servicing and maintenance.
Where have Wind Farms been
developed?
Nationally
Locally
Top town, in
Texas
Roscoe
Land based only
Top Countries
are in Europe
Top states in the
United States
Germany
Texas, Iowa,
California
265,000 homes.
800 megawatts,
Globally
640 huge
windmills
Off-shore
and land
based
wind
farms
Spain
Denmark
Large, rural, windy areas such as mountain and ridge tops,
mesas, plains, and mountain passes are best for wind farms.
Wind Energy Growth
•
•
•
Locally:
– Roscoe, located in Texas high planes, was re-energized by installing a wind farm in its
cotton fields.
– This was part of a 57% increase in wind energy production in 2007.
Nationally:
– California led the nation for 26 years in wind energy technology and electricity
production (1980 – 2006). California has maximized their use of land best suited for
wind farms. Their increases occur as old technology is replaced with more efficient
equipment.
– In 2007, wind energy rose 43% in the United States.
– Today, Texas is the largest producer of wind energy in the United States, followed by
Iowa, and, California.
Globally:
– Germany, Spain, and Denmark are leaders in wind energy production and continue to
plan new wind farms.
– In 2007, the only off-shore wind farms were in Europe.
Roscoe’s Location and Wind Speed
megawatts
Installed Wind Capacity, 1999 – 2007,
in Megawatts
18000
16000
14000
12000
10000
8000
6000
4000
2000
0
1999
2000
2001
Texas
2002
California
2003
Year
2004
2005
United States
Source is U.S. Department of Energy
2006
2007
Wind Energy Requires
More Transmission Lines
The variability
of the wind is
difficult to
predict,
causing power
grid operators
to make
adjustments .
As Demand Increases,
Supply is Affected
The rapid
growth of the
industry has led
to a shortage of
turbine
supplies!
Megawatts of Wind Energy Globally in 2002 vs. 2007
Wind Farms …
… can be land based, like Spain.
… can be offshore, like Denmark.
Who benefits from wind energy production?
Locally, Nationally,
Internationally:
• Industrialized nations,
especially North America and
Europe benefit now.
• India and China have
increasing growth.
• Russia and the Ukraine should
pursue wind energy.
• Wind energy could be used to
create fresh drinking water by
powering desalinization
plants, which need constant
power.
Wind Energy in Bolivia:
Rural areas in South America
benefit from wind energy!
How does Wind Energy affect the local Community?
– State-wide, wind energy currently provides 3% of Texas
electricity demand.
• Roscoe, Texas is important because they set an example of how a
wind farm could improve a community economically, with
minimal affect on the cotton crop or farm land soil.
– Nationally, wind currently provides 0.00039% of USA
electricity demand.
• Wind energy is helping meet our nations increasing energy needs
and decrease dependence on fossil fuels.
– Internationally, wind currently provides 3.7% of EU
electricity demand.
• In Europe, wind energy has not decreased the amount of carbon
emissions placed in the atmosphere!
• Eastern European countries increased their CO2 emissions.
Can Wind Energy improve global
warming and climate change?
Yes!
Wind energy can have a positive, immediate
affect on the earth’s atmosphere by reducing
how much CO2 is produced, only if wind farms
replace electricity generated by coal, oil, and
natural gas.
Conclusions
• Wind Energy is a renewable resource that
benefits the local communities (villages,
towns, and cities) by providing people with
jobs and clean electricity.
• Wind energy can decrease CO2 in the
atmosphere and slow global warming!
• Countries can use this technology to help the
environment and meet electricity demands!
Bibliography
•
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•
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•
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•
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