energy – about small wind «

energy – about small wind

Australia has the largest wind resource of any country in the South Pacific, making it the ideal choice for a renewable source of energy. The Australian government has recently announced that 20% of all electricity produced is derived from renewable energy resources. Denmark and Germany currently produce 20% of their electricity from renewables.

It is estimated that small scale wind generation – together with other forms of microgeneration – could provide 30-40% of all the UK’s electricity needs by 2050*. And, with price trends for crude oil continuing upwards, it is currently projected that the cost of small scale wind will be competitive with fossil fuels by as early as 2010. Sustainability Victoria also has some useful information regarding small wind…www.sustainability.vic.gov.au

Although many countries have excellent wind resources, the siting of any wind turbine is still crucial to the output that can be expected from it. Ideally, a wind turbine would have no obstructions between it and the prevailing wind direction (usually South Westerly).

Of course, in an urban or built-up environment, some wind turbulence is inevitable unless the turbine is sited well above any surrounding buildings. Most of the time, turbulence from surrounding buildings will affect a wind turbine to some extent. This is the primary reason for opting for a vertical axis wind turbine, as such a design doesn’t require wind from a consistent direction to continue producing power. Conversely, a horizontal axis wind turbine has to physically rotate into the wind every time the direction changes, wasting valuable resources.

Using real wind data, our modelling shows that QR produces 20% – 40% more energy than a conventional similar sized-HAWT in a typical location near buildings, where the wind is turbulent.

Typically, reasons for wind turbines causing disruption or being refused planning permission include its visual impact, noise and vibration. The quietrevolution turbine’s elegant design is geared towards adding visual appeal to its surroundings, and the aerodynamics of the vertical axis design mean that noise and vibration is reduced to near silence. Many planning departments in councils across Australia may support quietrevolution as their preferred solution for small wind in an urban environment because of their impressive performance characteristics.

*Source:
Energy Saving Trust Microgen Study, March 2006.