Wind Power Systems

Wind power is produced by using wind generators to harness the kinetic energy of wind. It is gaining worldwide popularity as a large scale energy source, although it still only provides less than one percent of global energy consumption.

Wind turbine wiring diagram

Wind Power Applications

• In the large windy areas, wind turbine could be used to produce electricity requirements of farms and houses.
• In order to convert wind power to electricity, a large number of turbines are usually close to each other like as a farm of turbines that nowadays provides a large efficiency.
• Wind turbines could be connected to an "ancillary power grid" or connected to a solar cell or photo-voltaic system.
• Pumping water from wells and rivers, wheat mill, etc.
• Generally independent turbines are used for pumping water. Wind turbine applications for water pumping are: Supplying drinking water for cattle, small-scale irrigation, and pumping from low- depth water intake for aquatic breeding.
• Battery recharge.
• House Heating

Wind Power Features

Advantages

• Fuel (wind blast), is free of charge.
• Wind power has a local resource and no need to transfer energy resource.
• Wind power could be called somehow a clean-burning fuel in this technology. Because it leaves no air contamination while consuming unlike fossil fuel power plants.
• Wind power is renewable energy. So it is permanently available.
• Nowadays, wind power is one of the cheapest renewable energies where every single kilowatt costs 4 to 6 cents only.
• Wind turbines can be made in the farms or pastures. So it could be very beneficial in rural areas.

Disadvantages

• The initial costs of Wind energy should be competitive against conventional energies. When it comes down to capital cost, this technology is more expensive than fossil fuel power plants.
• The major challenge for the use of wind energy as a power resource is intermittent lack of wind and temporary availability at necessary.
• Appropriate sites often are located out in the sticks and far from the cities which need electricity.
• Wind resource development may compete with other land uses and other options may worth more against electricity production.
• Sometimes the rotor noise of wind power plant, aesthetic concerns, and unsafe environment for birds are considered as an environment threat.