A Look into the Future of Wind Power – By Kenneth Go
Wind is unquestionably everywhere. This air in motion is a result of the uneven heating of the earth’s surface. As warm patches of air rise, the cooler ones take its place, resulting in a blowing force that is wind.
Wind is a free source of energy. It is also renewable as it is always available regardless of location. Because of this, wind has become one of the largest sources of energy known to man.
Advancement of Wind Power
The prospect of using wind to generate electricity is not an entirely new-fangled idea. As early as the Middle Ages, man saw the utilization of wind for grinding grain and pumping water. Further before that, the Babylonians and the Chinese used wind power to distribute water for the crops.
There were a few crude inventions in the past, but the first automatically operating wind turbine emerged only in 1887, with Charles F. Brush at the forefront. It generated electricity in Cleveland, Ohio with its 50-foot rotor and 144 cedar wood rotor blades.
As electric power has become more in demand and expensive, people are constantly in search for innovations that deliver electricity in a more efficient and cost effective way. Modern wind turbines distribute electricity more efficiently and amply with their sleek yet operative build.
Wind turbines vary in sizes and can produce energy from one kilowatt (KW) for a small-scale contraption all the way to three megawatts (MW) for huge machines. Wind turbines do not produce greenhouse gases which disrupts the environment
Although wind is free, installation of wind turbines to create wind power is capital intensive. It also necessitates operation and maintenance on top of the initial investment. However, the long-term upshot may override the outflow if wind generation projects are sustained. The wind power sector also opens numerous lucrative jobs from manufacturing to installation of wind turbines.
In the US, Texas leads in the onshore wind farming with the Roscoe Wind Complex in Roscoe, Texas. Boasting 781.5 megawatts of electricity, the Roscoe Wind Complex can power about 230,000 homes in Roscoe and neighboring counties in Texas with its 627 gigantic wind turbines. The construction of the complex began in 2007 through E.ON Climate & Renewables. The project is estimated at US$1 billion and has been operational since 2009.
World’s Largest Wind Companies
While the 21st century still holds cheap selling of fossil fuel, interest in exploring available forms of renewable energy, particularly wind power, is steadily rising. In a Global Industry Analysts (GIA) report, it is estimated that there will be an increase by 700,000 MW in wind farm capacity by 2015.
The speculative numbers are far less conservative compared to the forecast made by other wind market analysts. The Global Wind power Council (GWEC), conversely, expects around 300,000 to 530,000 MW of total wind capacity set up by 2015.
Regardless of megawatts envisaged to come up in the next couple of years, wind power companies are continuing their strategies to reach their goals of having wind farms that will churn out electricity by hundred thousands of megawatts.
Vestas
Vestas of Denmark is in the lead, with a share of 12.5%, among the wind turbine manufacturers in the world. Vestas has installed more than 41,000 wind turbines all over the world and is carrying on the development of a 6 MW offshore turbine.
GE Energy
GE Energy, a subsidiary of General Electric, has over 13,500 wind turbines installed all over the world. These turbines produce about 127,000 GWh of energy with more than 218 million operating hours.
Gamesa
Gamesa Corporación Tecnologíca from Spain is the third largest wind turbine manufacturing company as of 2010. Gamesa develops and manages wind farms. Gamesa has so far already installed over 10,000MW in four continents.
Enercon
Enercon of Aurich, Northern Germany ranks fourth among the top wind turbine manufacturers of the world with over 17,000 wind turbines installed in 2010. Enercon’s most remarkable innovation is the direct drive wind turbine combined with an annular generator.
Suzlon
Suzlon Energy climbed its way to fifth position. Headquartered in Pune in India, Suzlon has prestigious wind farm projects under its wing including the Hallet Wind farm in Australia, John Deere in the USA and Weihai in China.
With constant innovation, the worldwide installed capacity of wind power will dramatically increase over the years. The wind power sector undoubtedly has a huge potential. However, its high capital cost could prove to be one of its biggest obstacles.
Wind is unquestionably everywhere. This air in motion is a result of the uneven heating of the earth’s surface. As warm patches of air rise, the cooler ones take its place, resulting in a blowing force that is wind.
Wind is a free source of energy. It is also renewable as it is always available regardless of location. Because of this, wind has become one of the largest sources of energy known to man.
Advancement of Wind Power
The prospect of using wind to generate electricity is not an entirely new-fangled idea. As early as the Middle Ages, man saw the utilization of wind for grinding grain and pumping water. Further before that, the Babylonians and the Chinese used wind power to distribute water for the crops.
There were a few crude inventions in the past, but the first automatically operating wind turbine emerged only in 1887, with Charles F. Brush at the forefront. It generated electricity in Cleveland, Ohio with its 50-foot rotor and 144 cedar wood rotor blades.
As electric power has become more in demand and expensive, people are constantly in search for innovations that deliver electricity in a more efficient and cost effective way. Modern wind turbines distribute electricity more efficiently and amply with their sleek yet operative build.
Wind turbines vary in sizes and can produce energy from one kilowatt (KW) for a small-scale contraption all the way to three megawatts (MW) for huge machines. Wind turbines do not produce greenhouse gases which disrupts the environment
Although wind is free, installation of wind turbines to create wind power is capital intensive. It also necessitates operation and maintenance on top of the initial investment. However, the long-term upshot may override the outflow if wind generation projects are sustained. The wind power sector also opens numerous lucrative jobs from manufacturing to installation of wind turbines.
In the US, Texas leads in the onshore wind farming with the Roscoe Wind Complex in Roscoe, Texas. Boasting 781.5 megawatts of electricity, the Roscoe Wind Complex can power about 230,000 homes in Roscoe and neighboring counties in Texas with its 627 gigantic wind turbines. The construction of the complex began in 2007 through E.ON Climate & Renewables. The project is estimated at US$1 billion and has been operational since 2009.
World’s Largest Wind Companies
While the 21st century still holds cheap selling of fossil fuel, interest in exploring available forms of renewable energy, particularly wind power, is steadily rising. In a Global Industry Analysts (GIA) report, it is estimated that there will be an increase by 700,000 MW in wind farm capacity by 2015.
The speculative numbers are far less conservative compared to the forecast made by other wind market analysts. The Global Wind power Council (GWEC), conversely, expects around 300,000 to 530,000 MW of total wind capacity set up by 2015.
Regardless of megawatts envisaged to come up in the next couple of years, wind power companies are continuing their strategies to reach their goals of having wind farms that will churn out electricity by hundred thousands of megawatts.
Vestas
Vestas of Denmark is in the lead, with a share of 12.5%, among the wind turbine manufacturers in the world. Vestas has installed more than 41,000 wind turbines all over the world and is carrying on the development of a 6 MW offshore turbine.
GE Energy
GE Energy, a subsidiary of General Electric, has over 13,500 wind turbines installed all over the world. These turbines produce about 127,000 GWh of energy with more than 218 million operating hours.
Gamesa
Gamesa Corporación Tecnologíca from Spain is the third largest wind turbine manufacturing company as of 2010. Gamesa develops and manages wind farms. Gamesa has so far already installed over 10,000MW in four continents.
Enercon
Enercon of Aurich, Northern Germany ranks fourth among the top wind turbine manufacturers of the world with over 17,000 wind turbines installed in 2010. Enercon’s most remarkable innovation is the direct drive wind turbine combined with an annular generator.
Suzlon
Suzlon Energy climbed its way to fifth position. Headquartered in Pune in India, Suzlon has prestigious wind farm projects under its wing including the Hallet Wind farm in Australia, John Deere in the USA and Weihai in China.
With constant innovation, the worldwide installed capacity of wind power will dramatically increase over the years. The wind power sector undoubtedly has a huge potential. However, its high capital cost could prove to be one of its biggest obstacles.
About the Author
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