Archive for category Wind Power

Wind Turbines + Batteries = Stable Power Supplies

Posted by Leigh Kim in Wind Power on May 9, 2013

By pairing a hybrid wind turbine’s battery with a wind-forecasting algorithm, wind farm operators might be able to guarantee a specified amount of power output for nearly an hour. If this pairing is possible, then integrating intermittent renewable energy might become much easier and lower the cost of wind power. It’s difficult to determine the [...]

MIT’s New Floating Wind Turbines Produce Energy When There’s No Wind

Posted by Mike Sandru in Wind Power on April 29, 2013

Finally, it seems the main shortfall of wind power – the lack of power when there is no wind – may have been solved by scientists at MIT. Their engineers have designed a new wind turbine which would be anchored in the sea by hollow spheres which also produce energy from the seawater. This would [...]

SUPRAPOWER Project to Develop Superconductor Wind Turbines for EU

Posted by Mike Sandru in Superconductors, Wind Power on April 27, 2013

Despite the clean energy provided by wind turbines, they remain expensive to build and install, especially the offshore type. To help reduce this cost, the EU together with nine more companies and science groups and led by Spain’s Tecnalia, have unveiled a project to develop superconductor technology for wind turbines. The entire project is to [...]

Large Wind Farms Need Improved Computer Modeling, Study Shows

Posted by Ovidiu Sandru in Wind Power on April 18, 2013

As technology progresses, and wind power is becoming less expensive, the demand for larger wind farms increases. Alongside with growth comes a new challenge: the profit that needs to be obtained is in direct correlation with the accuracy with which the total power output is predicted. The total performance of the wind farm decreases when [...]

28% More Wind Turbines Installed In 2012, Compared to 2011

Posted by Mike Sandru in Wind Power on April 16, 2013

The wind power industry in the US is growing in leaps and bounds with the country particularly keen on tapping its offshore potential. This is evident with the industry’s strongest year to date being 2012 which saw the number of wind turbines increase by 6,700 or 28% over the previous year, according to a report [...]

London Array, The World’s Largest Offshore Wind Farm Now Operational

Posted by Mike Sandru in Wind Power on April 11, 2013

The London Array has officially become the largest wind farm in the world after recently installing its last turbine and switching online. The wind farm which is made up of 175 turbines with the capacity to provide power from Margate to Essex is situated in the Thames Estuary. A collaboration between Masdar, EON and Dong [...]

If Bigger Wind Turbines are Better, then Why Go Smaller?

Posted by Benji Jerew in Wind Power on April 8, 2013

Recent developments in blade technology and turbine size have proven that bigger is better when it comes to wind turbine costs, efficiency and overall power output. This is true, for the most part, and wind energy is becoming cheaper per kWh than even fossil fuels in some areas. By increasing blade length, and therefore the [...]

Charged Water Droplets Power Bladeless Wind Turbine in Holland

Posted by Benji Jerew in Wind Power on April 4, 2013

Current best-technology wind energy is produced by huge wind turbines with blades that exceed 600ft diameter, but this is also cause for concern because they can kill birds that pass through. Wind turbines are actually pretty good renewable-energy generators, but they have a couple of issues. Placing them in urban areas is challenging and residents [...]

Solar-Powered Wind Turbines: An Idea Developed at Liverpool University

Posted by Mike Sandru in Solar Power, Wind Power on April 3, 2013

Researchers at the University of Liverpool have developed the ultimate renewable energy-generating structure, by incorporating solar panels on regular wind turbines. The team developed the idea of using solar blades on conventional wind turbines to answer critics who claim that wind turbines are only beneficial while the wind blows. The technology thus makes it possible [...]

100% Wind Powered: DC Government Agencies One Step Closer to Goal

Posted by Mike Sandru in Wind Power on March 24, 2013

As part of their recent aim to become the ‘greenest’ city in the US, Washington DC has signed a new contract requiring that all government agencies be 100% powered by wind energy. The deal, signed between DC’s Department of General Services (DGS) and Washington Gas Energy Services (WGES) who are based in Herndon, would initially [...]

Siemens Opens World’s Biggest Wind Turbine R&D Center

Posted by Mike Sandru in Wind Power on March 19, 2013

Siemens Energy has launched two key wind turbine Research and Development test centres in Denmark; one in Brande and the other in Aalborg. The Brande test center would evaluate the main parts of their wind turbines such as main bearings, complete nacelles and generators, while the Aalborg facility would perform the full gamut of tests [...]

Wind Turbines Falsely Accused to Cause Sickness, Study Claims

Posted by Mila Luleva in Wind Power on March 16, 2013

‘Wind turbine sickness’ was found to be a purely psychological phenomenon, according to a new study by a public health scientist at Sidney University. Thousands of people around the world claim that their health is affected by wind farms. Increased blood pressure and blood glucose are just some of the symptoms triggered by sleepless nights and constant [...]

Large Wind Farms Might Produce Less Energy Than Thought

Posted by Mila Luleva in Energy news, Wind Power on March 4, 2013

A study conducted by scientists from University of North Carolina and Harvard University claims that global wind power resources have been significantly overestimated. Amanda S Adams and David W Keith state that production levels of 2 to 7 watts per square meter, estimated before, are unrealistic and should be brought down to not more than [...]

Student-Made Micro Wind Turbines Harvest Subway Airflow in India

Posted by Ovidiu Sandru in Wind Power on February 28, 2013

Micro wind turbines installed in subway tunnels recover the energy lost through the friction of the trains with the air. A team of 10 students and two teachers from Kalindi College at Delhi University is now studying, simulating and building a micro turbine prototype that could produce up to 200 watts of power each. The [...]

Renewable Power Generation in U.S. Cheaper Than Coal, Gas

Posted by Benji Jerew in Energy news, Solar Power, Wind Power on February 25, 2013

The renewable power generation added to the U.S. grid in January 2013 has been found to be less expensive than fossil fuels. The demand for electricity is generally and consistently on the rise, and there are three ways to combat it. First, changing the way we use electricity has a big impact, not only on [...]