Wind Energy

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Wind Energy

• Presented by Jerad Naymick Selvam Arjunan
• Fall 2006

Department of Chemical Engineering, The
University of Texas at Austin
http//www.tva.gov/news/files/buffmtn/turbines3.jp
g
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Overview

• Technical background
• Small wind systems
• Potential in Texas
• Large scale economics

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How does a wind turbine function?
Wind
Kinetic energy to mechanical energy
Mechanical energy to electrical energy
http//www.solarnavigator.net/wind_turbines/turbin
e_drawing.jpg
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Power from a Wind Turbine
P ½Cp?AV3
Where P captured power Cp max power
coefficient, generally 0.25 to 0.45 (Betz limit
0.59) ? air density A rotor swept area V
wind speed
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http//www.eere.energy.gov/windandhydro/windpoweri
ngamerica/pdfs/small_wind/small_wind_guide.pdf
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Small Wind Electric Systems

• Is wind energy a practical solution?
• What power should the wind turbine produce?
• Which tower type is best?
• How much do wind turbines cost?
• Is grid connection an option?

http//www.eere.energy.gov/windandhydro/windpoweri
ngamerica/pdfs/small_wind/small_wind_guide.pdf
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Wind Potential in Texas
Improving technology will further increase the
potential capacity!
http//www.infinitepower.org/reswind.htm
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Large Scale Economic Analysis

• Financing Costs
• Opportunity Costs
• Operating Costs
• Externalities

http//www.personal.psu.edu/users/m/c/mcc171/dolla
r.jpg
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Opportunity Costs

• 2 of time needed for maintenance
• Inability to achieve Betz limit

http//www.energyadvocate.com/fw91.htm http//www.
ftexploring.com/energy/wind-enrgy.html
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Operating Costs

• Wind is free, where available
• Economies of scale

http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ImageUS_wind_power_m
ap.png
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Financing Costs

• Conventional energies are better off than
  renewable energies
• Utility versus private developer
• Risk affects interest rate, and thus cost
• Variability in wind
• PTC renewals
• REPI not guaranteed
• Industry lacks stability

Company Type Utility Private
Interest Rate 7.5 9.5
Payment Period 20 years 12 years
Risk Management - DSCR
Federal Aid REPI PTC
www.awea.org/pubs/documents/Outlook_2006.pdf
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Externalities

• Environmental
• Zero emissions!
• Minimal noise pollution
• Bird fatalities
• No Hidden Subsidies
• Medical
• Military

www.awea.org/pubs/documents/Outlook_2006.pdf
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Questions?
http//shiftingbaselines.org/blog/wind_turbines_30
0.jpg
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References

• Comparitive Cost of wind and Other Energy
  Sources. Wind Energy Fact Sheet. American Wind
  Energy Association. 19 Nov. 2006
  lthttp//www.awea.org/?pubs/?factsheets/?Cost2001.P
  DFgt.
• Cost FAQ. American Wind Energy Association. 19
  Nov. 2006 lthttp//www.awea.org/?faq/?cost.htmlgt.
• Economics of Wind Energy. Mar. 2002. American
  Wind Energy Association. 17 Nov. 2006
  lthttp//www.awea.org/?pubs/?factsheets/?Economicso
  fWind-March2002.pdfgt.
• Economics of Wind Energy. Endless Energy
  Corporation. 19 Nov. 2006 lthttp//www.endlessener
  gy.com/?windenergy.shtmlgt.
• Frequently Asked Questions. Horizon Wind Energy
  for Landowners. 2005. 19 Nov. 2006
  lthttp//www.horizonwind.com/?about/?landowners/?fa
  q.aspxgt.
• How Does a Wind Turbine Work? National Wind
  Technology Center. 19 Nov. 2006
  lthttp//www.nrel.gov/?wind/?animation.htmlgt.
• Small Wind Electric Systems. Energy Efficiency
  and Renewable Energy. U.S. Department of Energy.
  19 Nov. 2006 lthttp//www.eere.energy.gov/?windandh
  ydro/?windpoweringamerica/?pdfs/?small_wind/?small
  _wind_guide.pdfgt.
• Texas Wind Energy Development. Wind Project
  Database. American Wind Energy Association. 16
  Nov. 2006 lthttp//www.awea.org/?projects/?texas.ht
  mlgt.
• Texas Wind Energy Resources. Texas State Energy
  Conservation Office. 19 Nov. 2006
  lthttp//www.infinitepower.org/?reswind.htmgt.
• Variability of Wind Power and Other Renewables
  Management Options and Strategies. 2005. American
  Wind Energy Association. June 2005. International
  Energy Association. 19 Nov. 2006
  lthttp//awea.org/?policy/?regulatory_policy/?trans
  mission_documents/?IEA_report_variability_wind.pdf
  gt.
• Wind Energy Applications Guide. American Wind
  Energy Association. 16 Nov. 2006
  lthttp//www.awea.org/?pubs/?documents/?appguidefor
  matWeb.pdfgt.
• Wind Energy for Rural Economic Development.
  National Renewable Energy Laboratory. 18 Nov.
  2006 lthttp//www.nrel.gov/?docs/?fy04osti/?33590.p
  dfgt.
• Windmill Efficiency. The Energy Advocate. 2001.
  17 Nov. 2006 lthttp//www.energyadvocate.com/?fw91
  .htmgt.
• Wind Power Myths vs. Facts. American Wind Energy
  Association. 18 Nov. 2006 lthttp//www.awea.org/?p
  ubs/?factsheets/?050629_Myths_vs_Facts_Fact_Sheet.
  pdfgt.
• Wind Power Outlook 2006. American Wind Energy
  Association. 17 Nov. 2006 lthttp//www.awea.org/?pu
  bs/?documents/?Outlook_2006.pdfgt.
• Wind Turbines and the Energy in the Wind.
  Energy Exploration. 2005. FT Exploring Science
  and Technology. 19 Nov. 2006 lthttp//www.ftexplor
  ing.com/?energy/?wind-enrgy.htmlgt.