Wind Energy Conversion

Kinetic > Mechanical > Electric

Wind is created by the unequal
heating of the Earth’s surface by
the sun. Wind is air flow that has
speed and direction.
Wind turbines convert the kinetic
energy in wind into rotational
power that runs a generator to
produce clean electricity. Invest,
install and encash by operating.
 WIND RESOURCE POTENTIAL

Wind Resource Map of

India

 Wind monitoring is being carried out by the Centre

for Wind Energy Technology (C-WET).

 C-WET published the Indian Wind Atlas, showing

areas with average WPD > 200 w/sq.m. at 50 m
above ground level.

 Wind sites: 233 sites declared as wind potential

sites have WPD >200 w/sq.m.
• Different agencies have projected different
estimates for wind potential in India. C-WET 49.13
GW, World Institute of Sustainable Energy (WISE)
– 100 GW, Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC)
> 160 GW. Hence, detailed reassessment is
required in the immediate future.
From wind to electric power

 Force of wind:
 Turn turbine and generator, produce
electricity (Wind varies speed &
direction, so what?)
 Firstly, is there sufficient wind resource?
 Wind farm evaluation is done.
 Wind farms in India

At the end of March 2000, India had

1080-MWs capacity wind farms, of which
Tamil Nadu contributed 770-MW capacity.
Gujarat has 167MW followed by Andhra
Pradesh, which has 88 MW installed wind
farms.
There are about a dozen wind pumps of
various designs providing water for
agriculture, afforestation, and domestic
purposes, all scattered over the country. The
states of Tamil Naduand Gujarat lead in the
field of wind energy.
How Do Wind Turbines Work?
 Today’s turbines are versatile
modular sources of electricity.
 Their blades are aerodynamically
designed to capture the maximum
energy from the wind. The wind
turns the blades, which spin a shaft
connected to a generator
basic questions ?
 Is there enough wind ?
 Are tall wind towers allowed in your
area?
 Do you have enough space?
 How much electricity do you need or
want to produce?
 Do you want to connect to the utility grid
or be grid-independent?
 Can you afford a wind energy system?
basic questions …
 What does it take to
install and maintain a
system? Is there
enough wind where you
install it ?
 How much electricity do
you need or want to
produce?
For Pumping Water
 One- to 10-kW turbines can be used
in applications such as pumping
water.
 Wind-electric pumping systems can
be placed where the wind resource is
the best and connected to the pump
motor with an electric cable.
The formula for calculating the power
from a wind turbine is:
• Depending on the average wind
speed in the area, a wind turbine
rated in the range of 5 to 15 kW
would be required to make a
significant contribution to about
830 kWh per month).
• A 1.5- kW wind turbine will meet
the needs of a home requiring 300
kWh per month in a location with a
14-mile-per-hour (6.26-meters-per-
second) annual average wind
speed.
• Information on the maximum wind
speed at which the turbine is
designed to operate safely is given
by manufacturers.
• Most turbines have automatic
over-speed-governing systems to
keep the rotor from spinning out of
control in very high winds.
• This information, along with your
local wind speed and your energy
budget, will help you decide which
size turbine will best meet your
electricity needs.