Wind Energy: Renewable Energy and the Environment, Second Edition

As the demand for energy increases, and fossil fuels continue to decrease, Wind Energy: Renewable Energy and the Environment, Second Edition considers the viability of wind as an alternative renewable energy source. This book examines the wind industry from its start in the 1970s until now, and introduces all aspects of wind energy.

The phenomenal growth of wind power for utilities is covered along with applications such as wind-diesel, village power, telecommunications, and street lighting.. It covers the characteristics of wind, such as shear, power potential, turbulence, wind resource, wind turbine types, and designs and performance. The text discusses the measurement and siting of individual wind turbines, and considers the development and economic impact of wind farms.

What’s New in the Second Edition:

• Expands the section on distributed wind
• Adds new sections on global warming, community wind, and storage
• Illustrates the need for a shift to renewable energy through discussions on energy use and the order of magnitude estimates for the lifetime of fossil fuels
• Discusses the interconnection of wind turbines to utility grids, regulations on installation and operation, and environmental concerns

This book provides material on statistics, installation, types, and energy data, as well as new information, applications, and updates on the wind industry.

It serves as a resource for practicing professionals in the wind energy industry, and can be used by undergraduate and graduate students in energy engineering/environmental engineering/wind technology.

Table of Contents

Introduction

History

Wind Farms

Small Systems

Community Wind

Links

References

Energy

General

Definitions of Energy and Power

Energy Fundamentals

Energy Dilemma and Laws of Thermodynamics

Exponential Growth

Use of Fossil Fuels

Nuclear Energy

Mathematics of Exponential Growth

Lifetime of Finite Resource

Global Warming

Summary

Links

References

Suggested Readings

Questions and Activities

Order of Magnitude (OM) Estimates

Problems

Wind Characteristics

Global Circulation

Extractable Limits of Wind Power

Wind Power

Wind Shear

Wind Direction

Wind Power Potential

Turbulence

Wind Speed Histograms

Duration Curve

Variations in Wind Power Potential

Wind Speed Distributions

General Comments

Links

References

Questions and Activities

Problems

Wind Resource Assessment

United States

European Union

Other Countries

Ocean Winds

Instrumentation

Data Loggers

Wind Measurement for Small Wind Turbines

Links

Maps

Ocean Wind Data

Data Logger, Sensor, and Tower Information and Photos

References

Problems

Wind Turbines

Drag Devices

Lift Devices

Orientation of Rotor Axis

System Description

Aerodynamics

Control

Energy Production

Calculated Annual Energy

Innovative Wind Power Systems

Applications

Summary

Links

References

Problems

Design of Wind Turbines

Introduction

Aerodynamics

Mathematical Terms

Drag Device

Lift Device

Aerodynamic Performance Prediction

Measured Power and Power Coefficient

Construction

Evolution

Small Wind Turbines

References

Problems

Electrical Issues

Fundamentals

Generators

Power Quality

Electronics

Lightning

Resistance Dump Load

Links

References

Problems

Performance

Measures of Performance

Wind Statistics

Wind Farm Performance

Wake Effects

Enertech

Bergey Excel

Water Pumping

Wind–Diesel and Hybrid Systems

Blade Performance

Comments

Links

References

Problems

Siting

Small Wind Turbines

Wind Farms

Digital Maps

Geographic Information Systems

Wind Resource Screening

Numerical Models

Micrositing

Ocean Winds

Summary

Links

References

Problems

Applications and Wind Industry

Utility Scale

Small Wind Turbines

Distributed Systems

Community Wind

Wind–Diesel Generation

Village Power

Water Pumping

Wind Industry

Storage

Comments

Links

References

Problems

Institutional Issues

Avoided Costs

Utility Concerns

Regulations

Environment

Politics

Incentives

Externalities

Transmission

Links

References

Problems

Economics

Factors Affecting Economics

General Comments

Economic Analysis

Life Cycle Costs

Present Worth and Levelized Costs

Externalities

Wind Project Development

Hybrid Systems

Summary

Future Developments

Links

References

Problems

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