Group 13: Wind Energy By: Rachel Wood (0563411); Bj

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Group 13 Wind EnergyBy Rachel Wood (0563411)
Björn Sederholm (0568164) Maxence Marchalot
(0790024) Fraser Anderson (0562517)IMS3
Sustainability Module, March 2008
SustainableEngineering_at_Edinburgh
Introduction What is a wind turbine? A wind
turbine is a device able to tap some power of
the wind. They most commonly have 3 blades,
these face into the wind, which forces them to
turn, usually at 10-30 rpm. This spins a shaft
inside the turbine, which is connected to a
generator to produce electricity. Why Wind? Wind
is a clean, renewable fuel with no carbon
emissions The large amount of carbon produced in
the current methods of energy production (fossil
fuels) are believed to be contributing to global
warming The rising costs of fuel are making our
energy more expensive Fossil fuels are a limited
resource, using other sources of power there is
energy security Why not? Wind farms are capital
intensive it costs a lot to construct It is
difficult to accurately estimate the output There
is a concern about the effect they have on
wildlife. They are thought of by some as ugly and
noisy. Three types On-shore, off-shore
microgeneration

• Impacts
• Micro generation
• 0.4-2.5 kW
• Doesnt work well in urban environemnts
  (turbulence, low wind speeds).
• Payback time 27 years, which is longer than the
  20 year expected life span of the turbine.
• On-shore
• Space limitations
• Nieghbours must be considered, with respect to
  noise and visual impact
• Almost all viable land-based areas are already in
  use.
• Benefit of being close to the National Grid.
• Off-shore
• 2.3MW
• Far from National Grid
• More difficult to construct.
• Boat travel might be affected.
• Roughly 1.5 times more efficient than on-shore.

• Nysted Havmøllepark
• Worlds largest off-shore wind farm to date.
• 10 km south of the town of Nysted, Denmark.
• 72 turbines of 2.3MW, generating electricity for
  145000 households on a yearly basis.
• Total output of the wind farm is 165.5MW.
• The turbines rise 69 meters from the sea, and the
  blades are 41 meters long.
• The wind farm will save the environment from 0.5
  million tonnes of CO2, 490 tonnes of SO2 440
  tonnes of NOx.
• During construction, 100000m3 seabed was
  disrupted, destroying 3-4 tonnes of bottom fauna
  and 250 tonnes of blue mussels. However, this
  accounts for less than 1 of total fauna in area
  by volume.
• An expected growth of 550 tonnes of blue mussels
  on the foundations and artificial reefs will
  offset this loss
• Fauna is expected to regrow fast in both the
  foundation area and over the land cables.
• Noise levels 10dB above sea level at the seal
  reserve, the same sound level of a human calmly
  breathing. This will be even lower, just a few
  dB, at the nearest coast.

In the future? The targets are 10 of power
generated by renewable sources by 2010 (UK, 18
in Scotland), 40 by 2020 (UK Scotland). Wind
power plays a vital role in reaching these
targets, and as it is carbon-free, it will help
the UK reach its target of a reduction in CO2
emissions by 60 by 2050. Off-shore is the way of
the future since most on-shore land has already
been utilised, while there is ample space
off-shore for new development.

• Current situation
• 2007 93.8GW of wind energy capacity is installed
  worldwide.
• Growth rate of 26.6.
• Wind energy produces 200 TWh,
• and is responsible for 1.3 of
• total worldwide energy production.
• Wind energy responsible for
• 2389MW of UK energy production
• in 2007 (WWEA)
• 196 wind farms in operation in the
• UK, with 1969 turbines in total. (BWEA)
• This is equivalent to powering over
• 1.36 million homes
• This saves
• 5.5 million tonnes of CO2 per annum.
• 640000 tonnes of SO2 per annum
• 192000 tonnes of NOX per annum

• References
• http//www.bwea.com/energy/myths.html (Accessed
  06.03.08)
• http//www.wwindea.org/home/index.php
• (updated February 21, 2008)
• http//www.nystedwindfarm.com/ (Accessed
  10.03.08)
• www.bbc.co.uk
• Micro wind turbines in the UK Domestic Sector,
  A. D. Peacock et. al. Energy Buildings (2007)
• http//www.berr.gov.uk/energy/sources/renewables/s
  trategy/page43356.html (Accessed 07.03.08)