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General

UNDERSTANDING WIND ENERGY By Dr. James F. Manwell & Dr. Duane E. Cromack. The typical wind machine consists of a rotor or turbine, which are usually mounted upon a tower. The wind rotates the turbine or rotor, which turns the shaft of an electrical generator or a mechanical device. If the wind system produces electricity, the electrical power may be used immediately or stored in batteries for later use.

Wind Energy Weekly AWEA's Wind Energy Weekly is packed with detailed and up-to-date information on the world of wind energy that simply can't be obtained elsewhere. See also: Wind Letter which recaps the month's most significant wind energy news and includes interesting information for wind energy enthusiasts, including articles on small wind systems by Mick Sagrillo and feature articles by AWEA Staff members.

The US Small Wind Turbine Industry Roadmap This is a PDF format report.

Small Wind Systems Slide Show AWEA's new small wind slide show can be viewed from your browser in PowerPoint,Acrobat PDF or HTMLformat (Webshow) or downloaded for later use in promotional or educational presentations.

Environmental Benefits of Your Wind System A wind generator, tower, and long wire runs are still more cost effective than a comparably-sized PV array on a non-movable fixed rack, by a factor of two to three. As a result, sizing of the two generating sources becomes a function of how much of each resource your site enjoys. For the most part, how much wind and how much PV to install depends on the area of the country you hail from.

The Effect of Wind Development on Local Property Values In May 2003, REPP released a report which concluded that statistical evidence does not support a contention that property values within the view shed of wind developments suffer or perfom poorer than in a comparable region. REPP continues to collect property value data to update its database with the latest figures.

Theory & Operation

Aerodynamics The aerodynamic forces acting on wind turbines are extremely complex. Researchers continue to study the aerodynamic behavior of wind turbines.

Computer Models Computer models are used to predict wind turbine performance and aid in design.

Wind Energy for Electric Power This REPP issue brief presents a general background on utility-scale wind power and provides a solid foundation for further understanding of the technical, economic, and policy dimensions of wind power development world wide.

Generators & Turbines

BWEA - Building your own wind turbine Wind energy is both green and fun, so the idea of building one's own wind turbine is a good one. The following will give you an idea of what is involved and point you toward sources of information on the subject.

Wind Turbine Components: Advances in wind turbine components promise to increase productivity and lower costs. Technologies under development include airfoils developed specifically for wind turbines, sophisticated control systems that respond to complex operating environments, innovative generators (operating at variable or low speeds) that may replace commonly used induction generators, and new types of rotors.

Siting & Wind Maps

Siting Your Wind Turbine. Typically, a wind turbine would be sited south, west, or southwest of the buildings and structures that are on the property. This is assuming that conventional airflow is from this direction. In Wisconsin, the people that live along the shoreline of Lake Michigan may receive more wind from the east than the west. Short article from a provider.

Wind Forecasting The ability to accurately forecast the wind would allow utilities to use more wind energy to replace conventional energy.

Estimating the Wind | Measuring the Wind | Wind Forecasting | Wind Maps | Wind Speed Data

Towers

SAVONIUS ROTOR CONSTRUCTION Vertical Axis Wind Machines From Oil Drums by Jozef A. Kozlowski. Jozef Kozlowski has built two Savonius rotors -- one in Wales and the other in rural Zambia. This manual details the construction of these machines. For those who decide to build rotors, step-by-step construction details are provided. The manual includes a two-stage rotor for pumping water and a three-stage rotor designed to charge automobile batteries (the latter can be constructed using only hand tools). Both rotors depend upon use of discarded oil drums.

Horizontal Axis Turbines (HAWT) Horizontal axis turbines are the most common turbine configuration used today. They consist of a tall tower, atop which sits a fan-like rotor that faces into or away from the wind, the generator, the controller, and other components. Most horizontal axis turbines built today are two- or three-bladed, although some have fewer or more blades.

Vertical Axis Turbines (VAWT) Vertical axis turbines fall into two major categories: Savonius and Darrieus. Neither turbine type is in wide use today.

Darrieus Turbines The Darrieus turbine was invented in France in the 1920s. Often described as looking like an eggbeater, this vertical axis turbine has vertical blades that rotate into and out of the wind. Using aerodynamic lift, these turbines can capture more energy than drag devices. The Giromill and cycloturbine are variants on the Darrieus turbine.

Savonius Turbines First invented in Finland, the Savonius turbine is S-shaped if viewed from above. This drag-type VAWT turns relatively slowly, but yields a high torque. It is useful for grinding grain, pumping water, and many other tasks, but its slow rotational speeds are not good for generating electricity.

Tilt Up Towers Tilt-up towers are guyed lattice or pipe towers that are assembled on the ground with the wind generator perched on top and raised to a standing position from ground level with a winch, truck, or tractor. When you need to work on the wind turbine, the operation is reversed and the tower with turbine is lowered back to the ground. This technology eliminates the need for climbing, so even those who are absolutely terrified of heights can install and service their own wind turbines.

Wind Turbine Swept Area Anyone shopping for a home-sized wind turbine by comparing the various models offered by different manufacturers soon realizes that there is a problem in trying to make those comparisons — in the United States, no standard method for describing wind turbine performance in advertisements.

Advanced Wind Turbines Advanced wind turbines will incorporate the latest components and reduce the cost of energy from wind to 2.5 cents per kilowatt-hour (in 15 mile per hour winds).

Hook-ups

Home Systems Homeowners can generate their own electricity or charge batteries using the wind, and in some cases, sell excess electricity to the utility, a practice called net metering. Before buying a system, homeowners should check into local zoning regulations. A number of turbine manufacturers serve the home energy market. Some homeowners choose to build their own systems.

Hybrid Systems Wind turbines are used in hybrid systems with other technologies like photovoltaic panels, batteries, and diesel generators.

Distributed Generation Several new wind energy projects use the distributed generation concept: building generation plants where the generation is needed and feeding the electricity into distribution rather than transmission lines.

Green Power Green power is electricity generated by clean, renewable energy sources. Some consumers now have the option to buy green power instead of electricity from conventional power plants.

Utility Integration Utilities are gaining experience operating wind energy plants and integrating them into their electric grid.

Federal Programs & Regulations

State Programs and Incentives Some states offer tax incentives and other support for wind energy

Certification Certified wind turbines meet accepted safety and design standards. Many wind turbine manufacturers are getting their turbines certified to give customers added confidence in their product.

Other

Low-cost Windmill for Developing Nations [multi-vane fan type] Construction details for a low cost windmill are presented. The windmill produces one horsepower in a wind of 6.4 miles/sec (14.3 mph), or two horsepower in a wind of 8.1 miles/sec (18.0 mph). The windmill uses the rear axle and differential of a small car. Other parts are made from sheetmetal, pipe, steel ribbon, rod, angle iron, or channel, welded or bolted together, and wood. No precision work or machining is required, and the design can be adapted to fit different materials or construction skills. The rotor blades feather automatically in high winds to prevent damage. A full-scale prototype has been built and tested successfully.

Windmills. Mostly links to other places, but may be of value.

Windmills Windmills have been used by humans since at least 200 B.C. for grinding grain and pumping water. By the 1900s, windmills were used on farms and ranches in the United States to pump water and, later, to produce electricity. Windmills have more blades than modern wind turbines, and they rely on drag to rotate the blades.

Water Pumping Wind turbines are still used today to pump water.

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