NAME: SOMNATH LAHIRI

REGISTRATION NO: 15BEM0103

SLOT: E1

COURSE CODE : MEE1067

FACULTY: VIGNESH G.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………

DIGITAL ASSIGNMENT: 2
1. Do you think that wind energy is superior to other forms of energy like Thermal,
Hydel, etc. If so why?

Answer:
Yes, I think that wind energy is superior than the other forms of energy.

This is because of the following reasons :

a. Wind is the fastest-growing renewable energy source.

b. It is a cleaner energy source which does not produce greenhouse gases.
c. It generates electricity anytime, when used for it, unlike solar panels which generate
electricity only during daytime.
d. Wind costs twice as less per kWh than solar energy
e. The nation's wind supply is abundant: over the past 10 years, cumulative wind power
capacity in the United States increased an average of 30% per year, outpacing the 28%
growth rate in worldwide capacity. At a large utility scale, wind is available at a better
rate than any other kind of sources.
f. Wind is actually a form of solar energy, winds are caused by the heating of the
atmosphere by the sun, the rotation of the earth, and the earth's surface irregularities.
For as long as the sun shines and the wind blows, the energy produced can be
harnessed to send power across the grid. Thus, wind is a sustainable form of energy.
2. Draw a typical power curve of a 1 MW wind turbine.

Answer:

Power output (MW) vs Wind speed (km/h)

3. List sensors used in wind turbine.

Answer: There are three sensors on a wind turbine, an anemometer, a wind vane and vibration
sensors:

1) Anemometer: An anemometer is like a small component with 3 blades and it use to measure
the speed of the wind. With this value the electronic controller can decide to let turn the blades of
the wind turbine or stop them if the wind power is too high.

2) Wind Vane: A wind vane look like an arrow and it use to determinate the direction of the
wind and with that the electronic controller can determinate the more appropriate direction of the
blades to have the best product of energy.

Wind vane and vibration sensors

3) Vibration Sensors: The vibration sensor is a very simple safety sensor on the wind turbine.
It consists of a ball resting on a ring. The ball is connected to a switch through a chain and
when the wind turbine start if it shaking, the ball fell down in the ring and it's switch off the
wind turbine.

Vibration sensors
 Hybrid turbine control sensors offer:
 All-weather performance and durability for increased turbine uptime
 Dirt and dust-resistant bearings for extended life

4. The best way to determine the wind resource at a site is measuring speed. What duration
time would be preferred?

Answer: The "wind speed" reported in each observation is an average speed for the most recent
two-minute period prior to the observation time. This is also considered the "sustained wind"
for routine surface observations (just to confuse matters a bit, in hurricane forecasts, the
sustained wind is a one-minute average). This two minute average is calculated from a series of
24 five-second average values.

5. What are the different types of towers used in wind

turbine? Answer:

a.Tubular steel tower

Area of contact is more – hence more loading but evenly distribution–
attractive – cost is more.
b. Tubular concrete tower
Area of contact is more – high elasticity – loading high but even
distribution – cost slightly less.
c.Lattice tower
Area of contact is less – less loading – load distribution is uneven –
transportation / fabrication easy.
d.Three legged tower
Area of contact is less – less loading – load distribution is uneven –
transportation / fabrication easy.
e.Guy wired tower
Area of contact is less – less loading – load distribution even –
transportation / fabrication easy and not suitable for huge wind turbines.
f.Hybrid tower
A combination of tubular and lattice- Less obstruction- Strong.
6. Justify the importance of 'Wind resource assessment in wind farm development project'.

Answer: A crucial factor in the development, siting, and operation of a wind farm is the ability
to assess and characterize available wind resources. The 'Wind resource assessment supports
efforts to accurately define, measure, and forecast the nation's land-based and offshore wind
resources. More accurate prediction and measurement of wind speed and direction allow wind
farms to supply clean, renewable power to businesses and homeowners at lower costs. The
'Wind resource assessment is leading a portfolio of wind integration, transmission, and resource
assessment and characterization projects that will help the industry understand how to reliably
integrate large quantities of wind energy into system operations, as well as develop capabilities
that will enable these new wind installations to actively improve the quality of electric grid.

7. If the wind speed doubles, the energy output of a wind turbine will
be :
a. 6 times higher
b. 2 times higher
c. 8 times higher
d. 3 times higher

Answer: c. 8 times higher.

8. Why offshore wind turbines are not yet installed in India?

Answer: The turbine represents just one third to one half of costs in offshore projects today, the
rest comes from infrastructure, maintenance, and oversight. Larger turbines with increased
energy capture make more economic sense due to the extra infrastructure in offshore systems.
Additionally, there are currently no rigorous simulation models of external effects on offshore
wind farms, such as boundary layer stability effects and wake effects. This causes difficulties in
predicting performance accurately, a critical shortcoming in financing billion-dollar offshore
facilities. Locating wind turbines offshore exposes the units to high humidity, salt water and salt
water spray which negatively affect service life, cause corrosion and oxidation, increase
maintenance and repair costs and in general make every aspect of installation and operation
much more difficult, time-consuming, more dangerous and far more expensive than sites on land.
The humidity and temperature is controlled by air conditioning the sealed nacelle.

9. List advantages of offshore wind turbines.

Answer: Advantages of offshore wind turbines are as follows :

a. Offshore wind power can help to reduce energy imports, reduce air pollution and greenhouse
gases (by displacing fossil-fuel power generation), meet renewable electricity standards, and
create jobs and local business opportunities.
b. The wind is much stronger off the coasts, and unlike wind over the continent, offshore breezes
can be strong in the afternoon, matching the time when people are using the most electricity. C.
c. Offshore turbines can also be "located close to the power-hungry populations along the coasts,
eliminating the need for new overland transmission lines".
10. What is your opinion about replacing the existing units by bigger ones? What are all
to be checked before embarking on this?

Answer: We can replace the existing wind turbine units with the larger ones depending on the
needs. If the area for establishing larger wind turbines is available, the extra spacing is there or
can be made available, then only replacement should be done. Further, if the requirement
required for more power output is necessary, then replacement should be done. However, with
larger units maintenance costs, safety costs, infrastructure costs etc. will increase. These
factors should be kept in mind.

11. Rotor blade starts to rotate at ___________________velocity.

Answer: Optimal Tip Speed Ratio is 7 and optimal wind speed to generate power is 13
km/h Hence, Rotor blade starts to rotate at 13 x 7 = 51 km/h.

12. List applications of small wind turbine.

Answer:
Off-grid applications:
 Sailboats
 Signalling
 Street lamp
 Remote houses/dwellings
 Farms
 Water pumping
 Seawater Desalination
 Village power
 Mini-grid

On-grid applications:
 Street lamp
 Buildings rooftop
 Dwellings
 Public Centres
 Car parking
 Industrial farms

13. What is Survival wind speed or extreme wind speed?

Answer: The survival wind speed is the maximum wind speed that the wind turbine is designed
to withstand safely. Most wind turbines have a specified survival wind speed of 50 m/s - 65
m/s (112 mph - 145 mph), and in many cases this value is regulated by national standards.
Generally, it is 55 m/s.
14. Compare HAWT and VAWT. Answer:
VAWT
1) Can spin in light breezes (1 m/s)
2) No or less maintenance
3) Configured to capture winds from any
direction without any external control.
4) Major components at ground level.
5) No massive tall tower construction.
6) Cost/kWh is less.
7) Long life span.
HAWT
1) Requires high wind speed (> 3 m/s)
2) Need of replacement of bearings,
lubrications, etc.
3) Requires yaw mechanism to turn turbine
blades in the direction of wind.
4) At a height on tall towers.
5) Requires tall tower
6) Cost/kWh is more.
7) Less life span.

15. Name 8 wind turbine manufacturers that you know.

Answer:
1. Doosan Heavy Industries (South Korea)
2. SANY (China)
3. Senvion (Germany)
4. Shanghai Electric (China) (SEwind)
5. Siemens Wind Power (Germany/Denmark)
6. Sinovel (China)
7. STX Windpower (South Korea / The Netherlands)
8. Suzlon (India)

16. What are the technological advancements you anticipate in future.

Answer: We're likely to see most of the wind sector's expansion in a number of targeted areas—
especially offshore. The technology for offshore wind power is rapidly increasing, and the
potential for power generation on the open seas is much greater than on land, where wind is
slowed by uneven geography. So it's more likely that you'll be spotting tons more wind turbines
from your airplane window as you make a transatlantic flight than anything. Turbines are also
being built into big buildings, increasing the chances you'll see integrated turbines in
skyscrapers in urban environments. All told, the future will indeed be one filled with wind
turbines of every stripe— behemoth commercial turbines that are growing ever larger and more
efficient, to tiny, personalized floating power plants that can run a small home — but the
changes to the general landscape will be slow and subtle.

17. How much power can a 7 MW wind turbine generate?

Answer: Output power depends on the power coefficient of the wind turbine. Theoretical maximum
of power coefficient is 0.59. So, maximum output power can be 0.59 x 7 = 4.13 MW.
18. What is meant by a turbine’s swept area?

Answer: Area perpendicular to the wind direction that a rotor will describe during
one complete rotation or the area of imaginary circle formed during the rotation of
wind turbine is called swept area. It is also called capture area.
It is written as pi x Radius² = Area Swept by the Blades.

19. Which energy systems can be integrated along with wind energy system and used
as hybrid power source?

Answer: Possible hybrid systems which use wind power with any other combination are:
 Wind-Solar
 Wind- PV Fuel cell

20. What is Yawing?

Answer: Alignment of rotor surface area facing the wind direction is called yawing. In
detail, rotation of the rotor axis about a vertical axis (for horizontal axis wind turbine only) is
called yawing.

21. Estimate the annual energy production for a 50 MW wind plant where the average
wind power potential is 500 W / m2 at 50 m height. Select the size of wind turbine
from commercial turbines available today.
2
Answer: Power output = 500 x (π/4) x 50 = 981250 W = 981.25 kW

So, annual energy production = 981.25 x 24 x 365 = 8595750 kW-hr

Commercial wind turbine:

Siemens-Gamesa
Renewable Energy SWT- Rotor diameter: 154m
8.0 Drivetrain: Direct Drive IEC Class: IB
22. Life span of a typical wind turbine is ___________

Answer: The wind energy industry and the Government base all their calculations on
turbines enjoying a lifespan of 20 to 25 years.

23. What is wind?

Answer: The Earth is surrounded by the atmosphere, which is made up of air. Air is a mixture of
gas, and solid and liquid particles. Energy from the sun heats up the atmosphere and the Earth
unevenly.
Cold air contains more air particles than warm air. Cold air is therefore heavier and sinks down
through the atmosphere, creating high pressure areas. Warm air rises through the atmosphere,
creating low pressure areas. The air tries to balance out the low and high pressure areas – air
particles move from areas of high pressure (cold air) to areas of low pressure (warm air). This
movement of air is known as the wind.
The wind is also influenced by the movement of the earth. As it turns on its axis the air does not
travel directly from areas of higher pressure to areas of lower pressure. Instead, the air is pushed
to the west in the northern hemisphere and to the east in the southern hemisphere. This is
known as the Coriolis force.

24. Why strong winds are desirable to extract more wind power?
3
Answer: As we know power generated by wind turbine is 0.5ρAV . Hence, power is directly
proportional to wind speed, V. So, strong winds having more velocity are required to
produce more power.

25. How to measure the winds at a site?

Answer: Wind is usually measured by its speed and direction. Wind atlases show the
distribution of wind speeds on a broad scale, giving a graphical representation of mean wind
speed (for a specified height) across an area. They are compiled by local meteorological
station measurements or other wind-related recorded data.
Traditionally, wind speed is measured by anemometers – usually three cups that capture the wind
rotating around a vertical axis. The wind direction is measured with weather vanes.
After measuring wind data for at least one year, the mean annual wind speed can be
calculated. Wind speed and wind direction statistics are visualised in a wind rose, showing the
statistical repartition of wind speed per direction.
Wind statistics show the best sites to locate wind farms according to the best wind resources.
They also provide further information on how the turbines should be positioned in relation
to each other and what the distance between the turbines should be.
26. Debrief the fluctuations in wind electricity production and suggest the means
of rectification.

Answer: Power fluctuations, where the supply does not match the demand, need to be dealt with
properly to ensure that electrical devices connected to the grid don‘t receive too little or too
much power. These fluctuations can arise from variations in supply of wind.
Utilities must maintain enough power plant capacity to meet expected customer electricity
demand at all times, plus an additional reserve margin. All other things being equal, utilities
generally prefer plants that can generate as needed (that is, conventional plants) to plants that
cannot (such as wind plants). Recent studies concluded that when turbines are added to a utility
system, they increase the overall statistical probability that the system will be able to meet
demand requirements. They noted that while wind is an intermittent resource, conventional
generating systems also experience periodic shutdowns for maintenance and repair. The exact
amount of capacity value that a given wind project provides depends on a
number of factor, including average wind speeds at the site and the match between wind patterns
and utility load (demand) requirements.

27. Is there a possibility of India becoming a super power in wind energy. What are the
advantages and disadvantages of India compared to western countries on the availability of
wind and possibilities to harness the same.

Answer: Yes. The potential is far from exhausted. It is estimated that with the current level of
technology, the ‗on-shore‘ potential for utilization of wind energy for electricity generation is
of the order of 65,000 MW. India also is blessed with 7517km of coastline and its territorial
waters extend up to 12 nautical miles into the sea. The unexploited resource availability has the
potential to sustain the growth of wind energy sector in India in the years to come. Potential
areas can be identified on Indian map using Wind Power Density map. C-WET, one of
pioneering Wind Research organization in the country is leading in all such resource studies
and has launched its Wind Resource map.

28. What will be the power generation in a 100kW wind turbine?

Answer: A 100 kW wind turbine produces 100 kWh or units of electricity after running for an
hour, at its rated wind speed of about 12 – 14 m/s. Likewise, a 250kW turbine at its rated wind
speed of about 12m/s produces 250 kWh after 1 hour of operation.

29. Define tip-speed ratio and state its significance.

Answer:
TSR (λ) = Vblade tip /Vwind (or) Cp / CT
Vblade tip = 60 m/s
Significance:

If the rotor of the wind turbine spins too slowly, most of the wind will pass straight through the
gap between the blades, therefore giving it no power! But if the rotor spins too fast, the blades
will blur and act like a solid wall to the wind. Also, rotor blades create turbulence as they spin
through the air. If the next blade arrives too quickly, it will hit that turbulent air. So, sometimes it
is actually better to slow down your blades! Wind turbines must be designed with optimal tip
speed ratios to get the maximum amount of power from the wind.

30. What are the different turbine technology options?

Answer:
 Axis orientation: Horizontal/Vertical
 Power control: Stall / Variable Pitch / Controllable Aerodynamic
 Surfaces / Yaw Control
 Yaw Orientation: Driven Yaw / Free Yaw / Fixed Yaw
 Rotor Position: Upwind / Downwind
 Transmission: with gear / without gear
 Type of Hub: Rigid / Teetered / Hinged blades / Gimbaled
 Generator Speed: Constant / Variable
 Number of Blades: One, Two, Three, multi-bladed.
 Location: on-shore / Off-shore

31. Is the wind power answer to global warming and climate change?

Answer: Wind energy system operations do not generate air or water emissions and do not
produce hazardous waste or deplete natural resources such as coal, oil, or gas, or cause
environmental damage through resource extraction and transportation. Wind's pollution
free electricity can help reduce the environmental damage majorly caused
by conventional power generation. The most important thing about wind energy is it does not
emit Green House Gases .The build-up of greenhouse gases is not only causing a gradual rise in
average temperatures, but also seems to be increasing fluctuations in weather patterns and
causing more severe droughts. Particulate matter is of growing concern because of its impacts on
health. Its presence in the air along with other pollutants has contributed to make asthma one of
the fastest growing childhood ailments in industrial and developing countries alike, and it has
also recently been linked to lung cancer. Similarly, urban smog has been linked to low birth
weight, premature births, stillbirths and infant deaths. Use of large scale wind generation will
bring about a significant alleviation to this problems.

32. List five research challenges existing in current wind energy sector.

Answer:
Research challenges existing in current wind energy sector are:
 Making supercooled generators to improve the efficiency of offshore wind turbines
  Big data from sensors mounted on wind turbines to help in the maintenance of wind
farms.
 To calculate the effects of waves on floating wind turbines
 To forecast wind power at the height of wind turbines
 To combine offshore wind turbines with wave or tidal energy generators

33. Imagine a world where there is no other energy source except wind. Do you think a grid
of steady supply is possible? If not is there a possibility to develop an independent power
system for wind energy. Which is best suited for wind energy (a) Independent Power
System, (b) Integrated Power System.

Answer:
Due to fluctuations in the wind speeds, grid of steady supply is difficult. Integrated power
system is suitable.
For example: Wind-hydro system:
Wind and its generation potential is inherently variable. However, when this energy source is
used to pump water into reservoirs at an elevation (the principle behind pumped storage), the
potential energy of the water is relatively stable and can be used to generate electrical power by
releasing it into a hydropower plant when needed. The combination has been described as
particularly suited to islands that are not connected to larger grids

34. Why is the plant load factor of wind turbines so low when compared to a conventional
power generation plant like thermal, nuclear?

Answer: The wind turbine do not have the winds throughout the year as does a thermal plant
and hence cannot be operational for the same kind of periods as would a conventional power
plant. Hence the plant load factor is comparatively lesser for a wind turbine to that of a
thermal power plant.

35. How does the Earth’s rotation modify the wind motion?

Answer: Our planet's rotation produces a force on all bodies moving relative to theEarth. Due
to Earth's approximately spherical shape, this force is greatest at the poles and least at the
Equator. The force, called the "Coriolis effect," causes the direction of winds and ocean currents
to be deflected.In the Northern Hemisphere, wind and currents are deflected toward the right, in
the Southern Hemisphere they are deflected to the left.

36. What are the techniques used for wind resource assessment?

Answer: There are three basic steps to identify and characterize the wind resource in a
given region. In general, they are prospecting, validation and optimization. In prospecting,
the identification of potential windy sites within a fairly large region, in the range of several
square kilometers areas would be considered. Generally this is carried out by meteorologists
who depend on various sources of information such as topographical maps (in
India, Survey of India map), climatological data from meteorological stations (e.g. India
Meteorological Department), and satellite imageries, etc. A site visit also will be conducted at
this stage and a representative location for wind measurement would be identified.Validation
process involves a more detailed level of investigation like wind measurements and data
analysis. The most imperative and final step is micro survey and micrositing. The main objective
of this step is to quantify the small scale variability of the wind resource over the region of
interest. In micro survey, a small region in and around a wind monitoring station ( generally 10
km radius) will be taken as a reference station for horizontal and vertical assessment. Finally,
micrositing is carried out to position the wind turbines on a given area of land to maximize the
overall energy output of the wind farm. In complex terrain, micrositing may involve two or more
measurements, as a single site wind data cannot give good results. There are several industry
standard Software in the market for resource modeling over a small region (micro survey) and
later for micrositing. Wind Atlas Analysis Application Programme (WAsP), Resoft Wind Farm,
Wind PRO and GH Wind Farmer are some of the models available in the market. As the
mathematical equations used in these models are linearised, there are some limitations in using
these models in all atmospheric and topographic conditions. Even if these models have some
limitations, they can give good results if ‗handled‘ circumspectly.

37. The wind does not blow all the time. How can it really contribute to a utility’s supply?

Answer: Utilities must maintain enough power plant capacity to meet expected customer
electricity demand at all times, plus an additional reserve margin. All other things
being equal, utilities generally prefer plants that can generate as needed (that is, conventional
plants) to plants that cannot (such as wind plants). Recent studies concluded that when turbines
are added to a utility system, they increase the overall statistical probability that the system will
be able to meet demand requirements. They noted that while wind is an intermittent resource,
conventional generating systems also experience periodic shutdowns for maintenance and
repair. The exact amount of capacity value that a given wind project provides depends on a
number of factor, including average wind speeds at the site and the match between wind patterns
and utility load (demand) requirements.

38. Can you kindly share some of the latest developments in wind energy technology
in India and abroad?

Answer: To keep itself up to date, Pune-headquartered Suzlon Group, one of the biggest wind
turbine makers in the world, has been setting up research and development (R&D) centres in the
countries where the latest advances in wind energy technology are being worked on. In February this
year, it launched its Blade Science Centre in Vejle, Denmark. It already has two other R&D centres
in Aarhus, Denmark and Hengelow, Netherlands. The Vejle centre will work on technologies to
make turbine blades lighter, yet at the same time longer - blade efficiency is inversely proportional to
weight, while the more the blade length, the higher its wind catchment area. Suzlon has installed
capacity to produce 3,600 MW of wind generating equipment per year. While its R&D efforts are
entirely in-house, its closest Indian competitor, Inox Wind, with about 1,600 MW capacity, has the
Austria-based AMSC Gmbh as a technology partner. The third big player in the Indian market is the
Spain-headquartered Gamesa Ltd, with a footprint in 22
countries; between them, the three held over 75 per cent of the wind turbine market share in
2015/16. (Other global wind turbine giants such as GE Energy and Vestas also operate in India,
but their market share is relatively small.) Ramesh Kymal, Chairman and Managing Director,
Gamesa India, notes how Indian conditions sometimes require unique technological solutions.

39. What are the services offered by National Institute of Wind Energy (NIWE)?

Answer: The services provided by NIWE are:

 Support multi institutional research on wind energy
 Performance testing of Small Wind Turbines / Aerogenerators
 Study of wind-solar-diesel hybrid system
 Power Performance Measurements
 Load measurements
 Power Quality measurements
 Safety and function test
 Yaw efficiency test
 User defined measurements

40. Does wind turbines height affect the generation?

Answer: Yes, to achieve more power generation, the turbine should require more
wind speeds with velocity, which will be available in a good elevation. If the rotor is
placed at a height where the flow is least obstructed by obstacles and as the height
increases the wind faces less friction from its nearest surface.

41. Calculate powers in MW for a site having average wind velocity as 8 m/s. It is
proposed to use two wind turbines with diameters 80 m and 100 m respectively.

Answer:
Given, V = 8 m/s

1) Turbine with D=80 m

3 2 3 2
Power = 0.5 x ρ x A x V = 0.5 x 1.225 x π/4 x D x 8 = 0.5 x 1.225 x π/4 x 80 x
3
8 Power= 1575526.4 W
Power = 1.57 MW

2) Turbine with D = 100 m

3 2 3 2
Power = 0.5 x ρ x A x V = 0.5 x 1.225 x π/4 x D x 8 = 0.5 x 1.225 x π/4 x 100 x
3
8 Power= 2461760 W
Power = 2.46 MW
42. Rough terrain or nearby large obstacles may
create; e. Breeze
f. Pollution
g. Turbulence
h. tornados

Answer: g. Turbulence

43. Please elaborate on the Central Monitoring Control System?

Answer: The expert system transmits information on the equipment of facilities such as water
supply and sewage treatment plants, community wastewater treatment plants and factories to a
central monitoring system to monitor the operating status and measurement data of the
equipment and produce ledgers.The system can also support external communication
functions such as voice messaging and sending of email.

44. Name any 10 sub-components in wind turbine.

Answer:
1. Rotor
2. Blades
3. Nacelle
4. Low-speed shaft
5. Gear Box
6. High-speed shaft
7. Brake
8. Generator
9. Controller
10. Anemometer
11. Pitch
12. Tower
13. Foundation
14. Wind Vane
15. Yaw Drive
16. Yaw Motor

45. What is “Capacity factor”?

Answer: Capacity factor is a way to measure the productivity of a wind turbine or any
other power production facility. It compares the plant‘s actual production over a period of
time with the amount of power the plant would have produced if it had run at the
full capacity for the same amount of time.
Capacity Factor = Actual amount of power produced over time/Power that would
have been produced if turbine operated at maximum output 100% of the time
Most modern utility–scale wind turbines operate with a capacity factor of 25% to
40% although they may achieve higher capacity factor during windy season.
46. Will a wind turbine produce power in the rain season?

Answer: Yes, but the generation will be less when the air is humid and has larger percentage of
water molecules. if the air is dry and has no water molecules, a wind turbine will produce more
power.

47. Write limitations of wind energy.

Answer:

1. Erosion of land.
2. Bird and bat kills by the wind turbine blades.
3. Visual Impacts.
4. Electromagnetic Interfernce.
5. Noise

48. What is the estimated Indian wind energy potential?

Answer: Wind power installable potential of the country has been estimated with
reference to Indian Wind Atlas and insitu measurements. On a conservative
consideration, a fraction of 2% land avaiability for all states except Himalayan
states, Northeastern states and Andaman Nicober Islands has been assumed for
energy estimation. In Himalayan states, Northeastern states and Andaman &
Nicobar Islands, it is assumed as 0.5%. However the potential would change as
per the real land availability in each state. The installable wind power potential
(name plate power) is calculated for each wind power density range by assuming
9 MW (average of 7D x 5D, 8D x 4D and 7D x 4D spacing, D is rotor diameter of
the turbine) could be installed per square kilometer area .
49. Can you compare the wind energy climate in India and abroad. Please also suggest
steps for boosting the installation of wind turbines in India?

Answer: Noticeably drier than areas with a tropical monsoon climate, it prevails over most of
inland peninsular India except for a semi-arid rain shadow east of the Western Ghats. Winter and
early summer are long and dry periods with temperatures averaging above 18 °C (64 °F) .

A national wind energy mission is slated to be launched soon, which will, in all likelihood,
implement capacity addition targets higher than those set under the ambitious national solar
mission.The national wind energy mission will also include the central and state governments to
implement additional regulatory and financial incentives for project developers. This will lead to
more project developers getting into the market which, in turn, will spur competition and drive
tariffs down.Rapid evolution in wind turbine technology, and rising preferential tariffs have
attracted many companies to invest heavily in the sector. Recently, GE announced that it will
invest $200 million to set up a wind turbine manufacturing unit in India. Over the last couple of
years, ReNew Power (an independent power producer) has raised $390 million in equity funding
from a fund backed by Goldman Sachs, the Asian Development Bank, and the Global
Environment Fund. The company had announced plans to invest about a billion dollars to boost
its wind energy capacity to 1,000 MW in the short-term.Some wind energy companies, like
ReNew Power and Inox Wind, are also planning initial public offers to raise additional funds to
boost capacity.

50. What are the environmental benefits of wind power?

Answer: Wind energy system operations do not generate air or water emissions and do not
produce hazardous waste or deplete natural resources such as coal, oil, or gas, or cause
environmental damage through resource extraction and transportation. Wind's pollution free
electricity can help reduce the environmental damage majorly caused by conventional power
generation.The most important thing about wind energy is it does not emit Green House Gases
.The build-up of greenhouse gases is not only causing a gradual rise in average temperatures, but
also seems to be increasing fluctuations in weather patterns and causing more severe droughts.
Particulate matter is of growing concern because of its impacts on health. Its presence in the air
along with other pollutants has contributed to make asthma one of the fastest growing childhood
ailments in industrial and developing countries alike, and it has also recently been linked to lung
cancer. Similarly, urban smog has been linked to low birth weight, premature births, stillbirths
and infant deaths. Use of large scale wind generation will bring about a significant alleviation to
this problems.

51. In what other ways does wind energy benefit the economy?

Answer: Wind farms can revitalize the economy of rural communities, providing steady income
through lease to the landowners. Farmers can also grow crops or raise cattle next to the towers.
Wind farms may extend over a large geographical area, but their actual "footprint ―covers only
a very small portion of the land, making wind development an ideal way for farmers to earn
additional revenue.

52. List any five electrical generators used in wind turbines.

Answer:
1.Constant speed Asynchronous generator
2. Variable speed Asynchronous generator
3. High speed Asynchronous generator
4. Variable speed Synchronous generator
5. Slow speed Synchronous generator
6. Doubly fed induction generator.

53. Most wind turbine manufacturers now equip power generating units by induction
generators – list the reasons.

Answer: The wind turbine generator converts mechanical energy to electrical energy. Wind
turbine generators are a bit unusual, compared to other generating units you ordinarily find
attached to the electrical grid. One reason is that the generator has to work with a power
source (the wind turbine rotor) which supplies very fluctuating mechanical power (torque).
The induction generator can be connected directly to the utility grid and driven directly by the
turbines rotor blades at variable wind speeds. For economy and reliability many wind power
turbines use induction motors as generator which are driven through a mechanical gearbox to
increase their speed of rotation, performance and efficiency.

54. Wind electric generators produce maximum power at ________________velocity.

Answer: 50 km/h

55. Can a wind turbine be mounted on a moving structure and be used to produce power
like on trains, buses etc?

Answer: It is not a economically feasible idea to produce power from a moving platform
because the resistance generated to the advancement of the moving platform due to the wind
turbine would have to be overcome by consumption of more power than that the wind turbine
mounted on its top would produce. Hence the net power produced from the adventure would be
in the negative domain.

56. What is Indian Wind Atlas?

Answer: C-WET has prepared the Indian Wind atlas. It will be useful for the identification of
windy locations and the development of wind energy in the country. The Indian Wind Atlas is a
result of combined efforts of C-WET and RisØ DTU National Laboratory for Sustainable
Energy, Denmark on the investigation of Indian wind climatology with a specific focus on wind
resource assessment for harnessing wind energy. It gives an updated overview of the wind
climatological situations of India based on reliable measured wind data and using contemporary
numerical mesoscale models. It also seeks to provide an up to date methodology for applying to
primary data and results of mesoscale model for the purpose of wind resource assessment.
Numerical Wind Atlas methodologies have been used to prepare Indian Wind Atlas and it is
devised to solve the issue of insufficient wind measurements.

57. What are the details of C-WET’s certification of wind turbines?

Answer: Wind turbines are large, dynamic structures installed in open spaces. They
are exposed to various external conditions of nature and are expected to work safely
and efficiently for at least twenty years. Type certification of wind turbines, is
becoming more and more relevant in India, with the wind turbine industry is reaching
new heights with the introduction of more new wind turbine models and increased unit
size. C-WET‘s Type Certification ensures quality, safety and reliability of the wind
turbine and provides confidence to various stakeholders investing in the technology.
Indian wind turbine certification employs the IEC system for issuing type certificates
for wind turbines. The Indian Certification scheme was prepared in the year 2000
and has seen some amendments over time. It is an evolving system and takes into
account the experiences made so far, and hence it is termed a provisional scheme.
The Type Approval – Provisional Scheme (TAPS-2000), the Indian certification
scheme for wind turbines was approved and issued by MNRE. According to TAPS-
2000, the Provisional Type Certification (PTC) of wind turbines is being carried out
according to the following three categories (which has been elaborately dealt with by
the concerned unit in its presentation):

 Category-I PTC for wind turbine already possessing type certificate or approval
 Category-II PTC for wind turbine already possessing type certificate or approval, with
minor modifications / changes, including provisional type testing / measurements at the
test site of C-WET / Field
 Category-III PTC for new or significantly modified wind turbine including
provisional type testing / measurements at the test site of C-WET / field.

58. How global and local winds are formed?

Answer:

Global Winds:
Earth‘s curved surface causes some parts of Earth to receive the Sun‘s rays more directly than
other parts. For example, the Sun shines more directly on the surface at the equator than at
the poles. As the warmer air over the equator rises, colder air from the poles rushes toward
the equator to take its place. This steady exchange of warm and cold air that occurs between
the equator and the poles produces global wind belts.
Local Winds:
Small-scale convection currents arise from uneven heating on a smaller scale. This kind of
heating occurs along a coast and in the mountains. Small-scale convection currents cause local
winds. Local winds blow over a much smaller area and change direction and speed over a shorter
period of time than global winds.

59. How the wind energy can be stored when power evacuation to grid is not available?

Answer:

1) Store surplus electricity in the form of hydrogen gas. In this case, the surplus electricity is
used for water electrolysis to generate hydrogen gas that can stored and when electricity is
needed, then this hydrogen gas can be used as feedstock for the PEM fuel cells to produce
electricity. Alternatively, the stored hydrogen gas can be burned in internal combustion
engines (ICE) to generate mechanical or electrical energy.

2) The surplus electricity can be used to pump water to a higher elevation tanks and when
electricity is need, water flow from the higher elevation can be used to run turbines to generate
electricity. This concept is called hydropower generation where the potential energy of water
stored in a higher elevation is converted into kinetic energy to run the turbine generators.
3) The surplus electricity can be stored in flywheels which can produce electricity when it is
needed.

4) The surplus electricity can be used to compress air which can then be used to run turbine
generators when electricity is needed. The concept is known as the compressed air energy
storage (CAES).

60. Write and explain wind power equation.

Answer: Wind energy is the kinetic energy of the moving air. The kinetic energy of a mass
m with the velocity v is:

The air mass m can be determined from the air density ρ and the air volume V according to:

Then,

Power is energy divided by time. We consider a small time, Δt, in which the air particles travel a
distance s = v Δt to flow through. We multiply the distance with the rotor area of the wind
turbine, A, resulting in a volume of:
The wind power increases with the cube of the wind speed. In other words: doubling the wind
speed gives eight times the wind power. Therefore, the selection of a "windy" location is very
important for a wind turbine.

61. What is the state wise installed capacity in India?

Answer: Upto 31.3.2011 a total capacity of 14156 MW has been installed, as per
following break-up:

62. Where can I get the wind power density map of India?
Answer: You can download it from http://cwet.res.in/web/html/departments_wpdmap.html
63. What is Type Testing of wind turbines and its need?
Answer: Type testing of wind turbine is similar to any product testing in engineering practices.

Any new wind turbine model has to be type tested so as to get certified. Unless and until it
is certified, it cannot be installed in any wind farm site, as per the quality regulations.
Quality regulations vary from country to country.

64. Will the wind turbine erected near my house cause any trouble to us?
Answer: Wind turbine erection and commissioning is strictly as per the rules and regulations
laid out by the state electricity boards and a NOC (No objection Certificate) to erect is always
given only after affirmation by the agency that it will be the cause of consternation to local
human habitats.
65. What are the environmental impacts of wind power?

Answer: The local environmental impacts that can result from wind power development
include:

1. Erosion: which can be prevented through proper installation and landscaping

techniques. Erosion can be a concern in certain habitats such as the desert, where
a hard-packed soil surface must be disturbed to install wind turbines.

2. Bird and Bat kills: Birds and bats occasionally collide with wind turbines, as they
do with other tall structures such as buildings. Wind‘s overall impact on birds is low
compared with other human-related sources of avian mortality. No matter how
extensively wind is developed in the future, bird deaths from wind energy are
unlikely to ever reach as high as 1% of those from other human-related sources such
as hunters, buildings, and vehicles. The number of accidents caused by wind is very
negligible. Still, areas that are commonly used by threatened or endangered species
should be regarded as unsuitable for wind development.

3. Visual impacts: This can be minimized through careful design of a wind power
plant using turbines of the same size and type and spacing them uniformly generally
results in a wind Plant that satisfies most aesthetic concerns. Computer simulation is
helpful in evaluating visual impacts before construction begins.

4. Noise: This was an issue with some early wind turbine designs, but it has been
largely eliminated as a problem through improved engineering and through
appropriate use of setbacks from nearby residences. Aerodynamic noise has been
reduced by adjusting the thickness of the blades' trailing edges and by orienting
blades upwind of the turbine tower. A small amount of noise is generated by the
mechanical components of the turbine. A wind turbine 250 meters from a residence
is no noisier than a kitchen refrigerator.

66. Wind farm projects bring social benefits to the locality - Prove it.

Answer:
1) Physical displacement of wind farm site:
Construction hazards on the wind farm site could potentially be hazardous for the general
public, tourists.

2) Physical Displacement on Road Rehabilitation Route:

On the road upgrade route three communities have been identified as sensitive receivers which
will be impacted by the proposed construction activities. The routes to be rehabilitated are all
existing routes (some of which have become overgrown and disused).

3) Public Health:
Increase in risk of sexually transmitted diseases, such as HIV/AIDS etc. due to influx of migrant
workers; solid waste and effluent discharge from construction camps; risk of increase in vectors
of schistosomiasis and malaria due to stagnant water associated with construction works/borrow
pits etc. Once the road has been rehabilitated, there will be an increase in number of people using
it and hence increased interaction between local communities and road users.

4) Community:
The increase in the number of people in the Project area has the potential to lead to a number of
negative socio-economic impacts, including increased insecurity and community conflicts,
increased incidences of diseases (as mentioned above); increased risk of accidents and
occupational hazards; and immigration of construction workers and labour force management
challenges.

5) Culture:
There is a risk of finding additional modern burial cairns during construction. As the Project
progresses, there is a possibility that there will be a dilution of local cultural i.e. the
increased accessibility of the area due to upgrading of roads could lead to an influx of people
and thus possibility of introduction of new culture.

6) Traffic:
Increased traffic, especially construction vehicles. This will mean an increased risk to
pedestrians.

67. Suggest and debrief one of the ways to control aerodynamic forces on the turbine rotor
during high winds to avoid damage.

Answer: Pitch control mechanism is one of the ways to control aerodynamic forces on the
turbine rotor during high winds to avoid damage. On a pitch controlled wind turbine the
turbine's electronic controller checks the power output of the turbine several times per second.
When the power output becomes too high, it sends an order to the blade pitch mechanism which
immediately pitches (turns) the rotor blades slightly out of the wind. Conversely, the blades are
turned back into the wind whenever the wind drops again.

68. .Can I get wind resource data from NIWE?

Answer: Wind power installable potential of the country has been estimated with reference to
Indian Wind Atlas and insitu measurements. On a conservative consideration, a fraction of 2%
land availability for all states except Himalayan states, Northeastern states and Andaman
Nicobar Islands has been assumed for energy estimation. In Himalayan states, Northeastern
states and Andaman & Nicobar Islands, it is assumed as 0.5%. However the potential would
change as per the real land availability in each state. The installable wind power potential (name
plate power) is calculated for each wind power density range by assuming 9 MW (average of
7D x 5D, 8D x 4D and 7D x 4D spacing, D is rotor diameter of the turbine) could be installed
per square kilometer area .
69. Will a wind power project interfere with electromagnetic transmissions such as radio,
television, or cell-phone signals?

Answer: First, this is not a problem for modern small (residential) wind turbines. The materials
used to make such machines are non-metallic (composites, plastic, wood) and small turbines are
too small to create electromagnetic interference (EMI) by "chopping up" a signal. Large wind
turbines, such as those typically installed at wind farms, can interfere with radio or TV signals if
a turbine is in the "line of sight" between a receiver and the signal source, but this problem can
usually be easily dealt with improving the receiver's antenna or installing relays to transmit the
signal around the wind farm. Use of satellite or cable television is also an option.

70. A force of 250N is used for pushing a 100 Kg box through a distance of 5m along
a horizontal floor. Calculate the work done and energy transformed.

Answer: Work done = Force x displacement = 250 x 5 = 1250 N.

By Work-energy theorem, energy transformed to the box = work done = 1250 N.

71. State limitations of wind energy.

Answer:
1. Erosion of land.
2. Bird and bat kills by the wind turbine blades.
3. Visual Impacts.
4. Electromagnetic Interfernce.
5. Noise

72. What happens when the winds become too much for the wind turbines?

Answer: When the wind speed is high beyond cut-out speed, the turbine stops producing
power and goes into an inert state to avoid components‘ stress and damages.
Normally the machines are manufactured with safety incorporation to cater to most
of the conceivable emergencies.

73. List the procedures to select suitable sites for wind farm development.

Answer: The site selected for wind farm development need to have many positive attributes
including:
(i) Superior wind speed
(ii) Good road access to sites
(iii) Suitable terrain and geology for onsite access
(iv) Low population density
(v) Minimum risk of agro-forestry operations
(vi) Close to suitable electrical grid
(vii) Supportive land holders
(viii) Significant tourism infrastructure in place
(ix) Privately owned free hold land
(x) Good industrial support for construction and ongoing operations
(xi) Land use is primarily for grazing and cropping
(xii) Significant potential for revalidation

74. Where does the power generated from a wind turbine go?

Answer: Normally, the powers produced by large wind turbines are connected to the
state / central electricity grid whereas smaller wind turbines normally charged into a
battery. Now a day lots of encouragement steps are being initiated to couple small wind
turbine into grid. The power concentrated to the grid can be sold to the state
utility / any private party / can also be used for captive use by paying wheeling
charges alone.

75. What do you think will be the future of Wind Energy in India?

Answer: Demand for energy is bound to increase with the increased economic development in
the country. Indian economy is reviving after sluggish growth in the last three years and expected
to grow at faster pace in the times to come. It will further push the demand of electricity in
almost all the sectors i.e. household, agriculture, commercial, institutional and industrial sector.
Indian electricity sector is predominated by the fossil fuel based thermal power plants but
recently we are shifting towards the renewable energy to arrest the GHG emission. Solar and
wind energy can play a vital role in supplying clean and green energy. Present paper tries to find
out the role wind energy can play in the generation mix of power sector in India. It tries to
estimate the total production of wind energy by 2050 in India. Though regression equation is
used for estimation, yet no statistical tool is efficient enough to estimate for such a long period in
future. Therefore, personal estimation of total wind power generation is proposed to guide the
policy-maker and industrial leaders. It also tries to find out potential impact of 'Make in India' on
cost and social acceptability of wind energy.

76. Is wind energy a reliable source of electricity? Comment on the statement.

Answer: Wind power gives variable power which is very consistent from year to year but
which has significant variation over shorter time scales. It is therefore used in conjunction with
other electric power sources to give a reliable supply. As the proportion of wind power in a
region increases, a need to upgrade the grid, and a lowered ability to supplant conventional
production can occur. Power management techniques such as having excess capacity,
geographically distributed turbines, dispatchable backingsources, sufficient hydroelectric power,
exporting and importing power to neighboring areas, or reducing demand when wind production
is low, can in many cases overcome these problems. In addition, weather forecasting permits the
electric power network to be readied for the predictable variations in production that occur.

77. What are the prospects of renewable energy sources in India?

Answer: Installed grid interactive renewable power capacity in India as of 28 February

2016 (excluding large hydro):
 Wind Power: 29,151.29 MW (56.8%)
  Solar Power: 9,566.66 MW (18.6%)
 Biomass Power: 8,182 MW (15.9%)
 Small Hydro Power: 4,346.85 MW (8.5%)
 Waste-to-Power: 114.08 MW (0.2%)

78. List the applications of water pumping wind mill.

Answer: The most common application is to install a windmill directly over a drilled or dug
well. Pumping water from an aboveground source is also an easy task for a windmill. If you need
to pump water on your property and the site has access to reliable winds, a water-pumping
windmill may be a good option.

79. "Yaw control and pitch control mechanism increases the energy production of wind
turbines" - Justify.

Answer: Yaw is the angle of rotation of the nacelle around its vertical axis. Efficient yaw control
is essential to ensure that wind turbines always face directly into the wind. Pitch control
gearboxes serve the essential purpose of setting wind turbine blades at the best angle to the wind
to turn the rotor. Advanced technical features, extremely robust design and high torque capacity
make these gearboxes a favourite with wind turbine manufacturers around the world.

80. Contrast design of wind turbines operating on aerodynamic drag and lift force.

Answer: The two primary aerodynamic forces at work in wind-turbine rotors are lift, which acts
perpendicular to the direction of wind flow; and drag, which acts parallel to the direction of
wind flow. Turbine blades are shaped a lot like airplane wings -- they use an airfoil design. In an
airfoil, one surface of the blade is somewhat rounded, while the other is relatively flat. when
wind travels over the rounded, downwind face of the blade, it has to move faster to reach the end
of the blade in time to meet the wind travelling over the flat, upwind face of the blade (facing the
direction from which the wind is blowing). Since faster moving air tends to rise in the
atmosphere, the downwind, curved surface ends up with a low-pressure pocket just above it. The
low-pressure area sucks the blade in the downwind direction, an effect known as "lift." On the
upwind side of the blade, the wind is moving slower and creating an area of higher pressure that
pushes on the blade, trying to slow it down. Like in the design of an airplane wing, a high lift-to-
drag ratio is essential in designing an efficient turbine blade. Turbine blades are twisted so they
can always present an angle that takes advantage of the ideal lift-to-drag force ratio.

81. What factors are contributing to wind energy development in India?

Answer:
 Elevation of Blade Hub above ground – The higher above ground one is, the higher
the wind velocity (to the 1/7th power) and since power is proportional to the cube of the
velocity, an increase in hub elevation from 30m to 50m leads to an average wind speed
7.6% higher. This becomes a significant cost-benefit trade-off since taller hubs become
more expensive.
  Spacing of Wind Turbines on Wind farms – Too far a spacing will prevent the
maximum amount of wind to be intercepted. However, too close a spacing will lead to
interference, and downwind units will be less productive.
 Siting of Wind Turbine – Naturally not all locations are suitable for placement of wind
turbines. In order to be economical, most sites have to have average wind speeds of
about 10 m/s. This speed usually increases with height above ground.
 Air density – The higher the density of air, the more power carried by the wind, and as
air density decreases with height above sea-level, usually in mountainous regions, they
are less preferable than those at flat, sea-level locations. (For example, in ―mile high)
Denver, air density is only 0.84 that at sea level which reduces the available wind-
borne energy by as much as 6% in average wind velocity).

82. Why do some wind turbines have two blades, three blades and others more than
three blades?

Answer: The main reason for three blades over two is studies have shown they have
greater aesthetic appeal. The negative is that every blade costs and weighs more and can be
more difficult to install, particularly offshore.
Machines with two blades are cheaper and lighter, with higher running speeds, and the
installation is easier. On the other hand two bladed machines can be noisier and are not as
aesthetically pleasing, appearing 'jerky' when they rotate. The engineering ideal would be to
have just one blade, and some one bladed prototypes were developed early on, but they didn't
stand the test of time.
The optimum number of blades for a turbine depends on the exact job it has to do. For turbines to
generate electricity they need to run at high speeds, however they don't need much turning force.
For these machines it is optimally best for them to have three or two blades. A wind pump, on
the other hand, operates with plenty of force but not much speed and thus requires many blades.

83. 'Environmental benefits of wind turbine' - Summarize.

Answer: Wind energy system operations do not generate air or water emissions and do
not produce hazardous waste or deplete natural resources such as coal, oil, or gas, or
cause environmental damage through resource extraction and transportation. Wind's
pollution free electricity can help reduce the environmental damage majorly caused
by conventional power generation.
The most important thing about wind energy is it does not emit Green House
Gases .The build-up of greenhouse gases is not only causing a gradual rise in
average temperatures, but also seems to be increasing fluctuations in weather
patterns and causing more severe droughts. Particulate matter is of growing concern
because of its impacts on health. Its presence in the air along with other pollutants
has contributed to make asthma one of the fastest growing childhood ailments in
industrial and developing countries alike, and it has also recently been linked to lung
cancer. Similarly, urban smog has been linked to low birth weight, premature births,
stillbirths and infant deaths. Use of large scale wind generation will bring about a
significant alleviation to this problems.
84. Define Sustainable Development.

Answer: Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present
without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

85. Define Power coefficient.

Answer: Power Coefficient (Cp) is a measure of wind turbine efficiency often used by the wind
power industry. Cp is the ratio of actual electric power produced by a wind turbine divided by
the total wind power flowing into the turbine blades at specific wind speed. When defined in this
way, the power coefficient represents the combined efficiency of the various wind power system
components which include the turbine blades, the shaft bearings and gear train, the generator and
power electronics.

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