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Insurance Against
Conventional Fossil-based
Price Risk No Sulfur Dioxide (SO2),
Nitrous Oxide (NOx), or
Mercury Emissions
Why Wind Energy?
Wind, for now, is the renewable energy resource/technology of
choice
“Free” resource
P = ½ * ρ * A * V3
1) Power in the wind is correlated 1:1 with area and is extremely sensitive to wind speed
(the cubic amplifies the power significantly)
3) A site with 16 mph average wind speed will generate nearly 50% more electricity and be
more cost effective than one with 14 mph average wind speed (16*16*16) /
(14*14*14) = 1.4927
4) Therefore, it “pay$” to hunt for good wind sites with better wind speeds
Energy from the Wind
Turbine output drives wind economics and output is a strong function of wind
speed
Wind speed increases with height above the ground
Power = 1/2 × (air density) × (area) × (wind speed) ³
V2/V1 = (H2/H1)1/7
Wind Turbines
Turbines: Different Sizes and Applications
Small (10 kW)
• Homes (Grid-connected) Intermediate
• Farms
• Remote Applications
(10-500 kW)
• Village Power
(e.g. battery changing, water
pumping, telecom sites) • Hybrid Systems
• Distributed Power
165-220 ft TOWER
Lowest ground clearance is at
least 100 ft.
location
terrain
wind speed = f(location, terrain)
cost of competing energy source
rate structure of competing energy source
Wind Insures Against
Fuel Price Risk
Platts “conservatively Value of domestic fuel
estimates that generating source (wind) would have
electricity from renewable a direct benefit on the
sources can ultimately Kansas/community
save consumers more
than $5/MWh (1/2¢ per Wind energy “Fuel” is
kW-h) by eliminating fuel inflation-proof; therefore
price risk”* impervious to fuel price
hikes
*4/8/03 announcement re “Power Price Stability:
What’s it Worth?”
Wind - Natural Gas Comparison
Wind Natural Gas
Low Operating Cost High Operating Costs
High Capital Cost Low Capital Cost
Non-dispatchable Dispatchable
No Fuel Supply/Cost Fuel Supply/Cost Risk
Risk
Smog, Greenhouse
No Emissions Gas Emissions
Wind Power Costs
Wind Speed
Assuming the same
size project (total
MW installed), the
better the wind
resource, the lower
the cost; capture
more energy for the
same capital/
installed/
maintenance cost
Wind Power Costs
Project Size
• www.wwea.org
• www.windpower.org