Latest Updates: wind power RSS

• Build A Homemade Wind Generator
  Tate 05:59:14 pm on November 11, 2008 | 8 | # |
  Tags: homemade wind generator, renewable energy, wind power

  With oil prices now hovering around $60/barrel, the appetite for wind and solar energy has waned quite a bit but that doesn’t mean that we can forget about alternative energies.  The demand picture may have changed as the world economy falters but the supply picture won’t.  Once the economy improves, cheap oil will be increasingly difficult to come by and prices will rise again. . in a big way.

  Perhaps now is the time to look into building your own homemade wind generator!  Parts are likely much cheaper and you’ll be well positioned and an expert on wind generators once oil prices skyrocket again.  Many families around the the world are discovering that its not too difficult to get your own wind generator built and up and running which is much cheaper than buying a pre built wind generator. .. perhaps just a couple hundred bucks.

  In a nutshell, you’ll need to construct a wind turbine tower first and one site recommends just using an old telephone signal tower which can be erected in parts.  The most complex part of the construction process is putting together the hubs and blades but with a little patience and elbow grease you’ll be up and running in no time potentially slashing your electricity bill by half.

  One of the most popular step by step guides to build your own wind generator is provided by Michael Harvey who has been building wind and solar power systems for friends and family for the past 6 years.

   

• China Plans to Go Green
  Srikant Rajan 06:12:46 am on October 5, 2008 | 0 | # |
  Tags: china, green tech, hydropower, solar energy, wind power

  The dragon is looking for new sources of energy to fuel its furious flight.Chinese government has acknowledged the importance of clean energy and is investigating its abundant source of hydropower.Chinas hydro potential ranks the first in the world.The country’s hydropower installation reached 145,000 MW IN  2007 and is now targeting 190,000 MW for 2010. Other source that look promising for China are the global favorites, namely wind and solar energy.The nation’s total wind installation reached nearly 6,000 mw in capacity by 2007. The government has doubled the wind target for 2010 from 5,000 MW to 10,000 MW.Adds China Wind Energy Association Vice President Shi Pengfei “   The new target is still conservative. Actual installation may reach 20,000 mw by the time   ”

   

• Pickens Planning Largest Wind Farm
  Srikant Rajan 06:14:44 am on August 26, 2008 | 1 | # |
  Tags: active damping system, t boone pickens, turbine control system, wind energy, wind power, wind turbine, windmill

  Wind energy suddenly seems to have found a lot of takers.Following the recent plans of New York mayor Bloomberg to have windmills literally everywhere within the city,billionaire T Boone Pickens , is planning the biggest wind farm ever constructed.The proposed wind farm is being planned over 200,000 acres of land and  an estimated cost of $10.4 billion , including transmissions costs.The wind farm power production is anticipated to be 1,000 megawatts (MW)  by the end of 2011 and 4,000 MW by 2014. One megawatt can power about 300 average homes, but turbines do not produce 100 percent of their capacity because the wind varies in speed and blows intermittently

  Dismissing the noise generated by turbine operation as a potential disadvantage,Pickens said “ If you’re getting royalties from them, it might be a pleasant sound “ .Considering the recent development of active noise damping systems for limiting turbine operation noise the sound, it seems that it might even make the sound musical ! 

   

• Breezy Does it Easy !
  Srikant Rajan 01:31:33 pm on August 24, 2008 | 1 | # |
  Tags: new york, solar energy, wind power, windmill

  If Michael Bloomberg has his say ,then New York is in for a major image makeover.Bloomberg states that the cities power grid is being overtaxed and thus is producing several blackouts.H thus wants windmills on available spaces such as buildings,  bridges to harness wind energy.Bloomberg is planning to commission a study that would aid in identifying best possible manner of construction of these windmills and the expected power output from them.

  Quite recently , research was being pursued to find out methods to tap in the asphalt pavement to extract stored solar energy.Such approaches are no doubt eco friendly , but it is worth mentioning that the quantum of energy generated needs to be significant to undertake any additional construction and to compensate for loss of aesthetic appeal of present structures.

   

• NYC Mayor Bloomberg Wants To Harness Alternative Energy
  Tate 03:12:03 am on August 21, 2008 | 0 | # |
  Tags: alernative energy, michael bloomberg, new york city, wind power

  New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg told a conference in Las Vegas yesterday that he wants the city to begin tapping into alternative energies such as wind power with wind turbines on skyscrapers, bridges as well as off shore as he recalled the blackout of 2003.  While his term ends soon, he did say he is committed to the “greening” of NYC.

   

• Silent Wind Turbines ?
  Srikant Rajan 09:49:30 am on August 16, 2008 | 2 | # |
  Tags: active damping system, Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt, passive damping system, turbine control system, turbine noise, wind power, wind turbine

  Wind turbine operation normally leads to a great deal of noise production , thus preventing their widespread use particularly near residential areas.Additionally a gigantic wind turbine on the roof isn’t exactly visually appealing.A way around this problem is to operate the turbine under partial load to limit the noise production.However this also reduces the power output associated with the turbine.Damping systems used till now were of passive kind and in some cases even entail replacing the gearbox which is an expensive proposition.Passive systems are capable of absorbing noise at a certain frequency and in turn produce a humming sound which in turn penetrates the surrounding areas and sometimes cause more discomfort than actual noise.

  In a project funded by the Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt researchers are developing an active damping system for wind turbines.These systems are dynamic in operation that is they react autonomously to any change in frequency , irrespective of the speed of turbine operation.This system uses piezo actuators which convert electricity into mechanical motion and cancel out the vibrations produced by the turbines. A working model of the system is already in place and field trials are expected soon.The challenge however would be to integrate these sensors with the mainstream turbine control system in a cost effective manner.

   

• US Wind Power Sector Blowing Strong
  Srikant Rajan 12:41:03 pm on August 9, 2008 | 0 | # |
  Tags: Iberdrola, renewable energy, US, wind power, wind turbine

  The first wind farm to be constructed in Arizona has already found buyers of its power yet to be produced.The Dry Lake Wind Project , being built by Iberdrola Renewable’s has entered  into agreement with Salt River Project (SRP), according to which SRP would purchase 100% of power generated by this wind farm.The contract also give SRP an option to buy additional power in case of capacity expansion.

  SRP’s optimistic estimation of power demand is partly governed by strong business sense .The existing transmission line in Arizona are in proximity with the proposed wind farm,which would save a significant amount of additional construction for building up transmission capabilities.And Iberdrola seems to have got right its market estimate regarding wind power viability . It had recently signed up with GE for delivery of 200 wind turbines .Judging by the present demand ,  Iberdrola  would find good use for all 200 of the wind turbines.

   

   

• Scotland To Have Europe’s Largest Onshore Wind Farm
  Srikant Rajan 08:34:36 am on July 24, 2008 | 0 | # |
  Tags: Europe wind power, onshore wind, scotland, ScottishPower, wind power

  Scotland has approved a wind plan capable of powering 320000 homes .The wind farm is being planned on the hills of of South Lanarkshire, straddling the M74 Glasgow-Carlisle motorway.The wind farm would consist of 152 turbines and have a capacity of 548 MW , making it one of the largest wind farms in Europe.Alex Salmond ,minister Scotland says “ Scotland has a clear, competitive advantage in developing clean, green energy sources such as wind, wave and tidal power. Installed renewable power capacity is already greater than nuclear capacity. This announcement demonstrates that we are only at the start of the renewable revolution in Scotland “ . Salmond further says , that the new project would make it “ virtually certain “ that Scotland will meet its target of generating 31 per cent of the country’s energy from renewable sources by 2011 and 50 per cent by 2020.

  This certainly is a bold step towards clean energy generation.However since the project is being planned on shore ,it would be unable to exploit high energy winds , typically available offshore.Additionally in tandem with the new wind farm, the infrastructure necessary to transmit the energy it creates is also being upgraded. ScottishPower announced yesterday the completion of a £84 million project for two new 400kV primary sub stations in South Lanarkshire, one of which, at Elvanfoot, will serve the proposed wind farm. The supporting infrastructure for this wind farm may offset the “ green “ efficiency , and significantly too as the scale of power generation is enormous.

   

• A Strong Wind Blows
  Srikant Rajan 09:32:30 am on July 10, 2008 | 0 | # |
  Tags: clne, GE, General Electric, natural gas, renewable energy, t boone pickens, wind power

  Wind energy seems to be the new favorite of all renewable energy technologies. Billionaire T Boon Pickens has invested a couple of billions ($12 Billion) in his wind farm and also initiated the  Clean Energy Fuels (CLNE) .Pickens believes the dependence on foreign oil can be weaned through a rigorous adoption of a multitude of energy technologies, and rightfully so. He further adds that Bush is too ethanol focused and believes natural gas as one of US energy assets. Now GE has declared that its renewable energy investments have exceeded $4billion with $100 million invested in upcoming wind projects.

  GE’s present investments include a total of 76 wind farms and a generating capacity in excess of 4000 MW. This seems to be beneficial to GE from a business perspective as investments in wind projects provide a steady demand for their in house turbines.

   

   

• T Boone Pickens Launches Green Energy "Pickens Plan"
  Tate 11:30:51 pm on July 8, 2008 | 1 | # |
  Tags: clne, pickens plan, t boone pickens, wind power

  T Boone Pickens, the legendary oil speculator who has made  billions on soaring crude prices has a plan (called the Pickens Plan) for weaning ourselves off foreign oil by increasing the use of wind power and natural gas (for car fuel) and has begun a 10 million dollar ad campaign to get the word out.  It should be noted that Pickens, who has invested a few billion into his own wind farm and is the man behind Clean Energy Fuels (CLNE), stands to profit greatly should these initiatives gain greater traction.  After all he is a businessman.  It’s still a noble effort and he should be applauded for taking the initiative while our elected leaders sit on their hands.  The time must be now. 

  Pickens says his plan, which aims to reduce foreign oil imports by a third in the next decade is doable if Congress and the next President act quickly, however he also calls for much of the initiative to funded by the private sector

   
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