Energy Conversion

Chapter -3
Wind Energy

Bewnet Getachew
University Of Hargeisa
Lecturer
3.1 Introduction To Wind Energy
3.1.1 Where Wind Energy Comes From
3.1.2 What Wind Is
3.2 Wind Energy Benefits
3.3 Wind Resources
3.4 Wind Power Fundamentals
3.4.1 Fundamental Equation of Wind Power
3.4.2 Efficiency in Extracting Wind Power
3.4.3 Power Curve of Wind Turbine
3.5 Wind Energy Technology
3.5.1 Wind Energy Conversion Systems
3.5.2 Components of WECS
3.6 Electricity from Wind
3.7 Wind Turbine Energy Conversion System
Design and Integration
INTRODUCTION
Wind energy, the world's fastest growing energy source, is a clean
and renewable source of energy and todays world wind is one of
the cheapest and cleanest energy source.
Where Wind Energy Comes From

All renewable energy (except tidal and geothermal power), and

even the energy in fossil fuels, ultimately comes from the sun.
The sun radiates of 1.74 x 10 17 watts energy to the earth per
hour.
About 1 to 2 per cent of the energy coming from the sun is
converted
What Wind into
Iswind energy.
Wind is simply air in motion. It is caused by the uneven heating of
the earth's surface by the sun. Since the earth's surface is made up
of land, desert, water, and forest areas, the surface absorbs the
sun's radiation differently.
Differential heating of the earth's surface by the sun causes the
movement of large air masses on the surface of the earth, i.e., the
wind.

Wind energy conversion systems convert the kinetic energy of

the wind into electricity or other forms of energy. Wind power
generation has experienced a tremendous growth in the past
decade, and has been recognized as an environmentally friendly
and
Windeconomically competitive
Turbines convert means
the kinetic of electric
energy powertogeneration.
in the wind mechanical
power.
A generator can convert the mechanical power into electricity.
Wind Energy Benefits
1. Wind energy is cost competitive with other fuel sources.
5 to 6 cents per kilowatt-hour
2. Wind energy creates jobs.
3. Wind energy is an indigenous, homegrown energy source
that helps to diversify the national energy portfolio.
4. Wind energy can provide income for rural farmers and
ranchers, as well as economic benefits to depressed rural
areas.
5. Wind energy is an inexhaustible renewable energy source.
6. Wind turbines do not consume water.
7. Wind energy is clean.
8. Wind energy systems have low operating costs.
9. Wind energy can be used in a variety of applications.
10. Wind energy is one of the most popular energy
technologies.
 Why Such Growth?
…costs are low

• Increased Turbine Size

• R&D Advances
• Manufacturing Improvements

1979 2000 2004 2011

40 cents/kWh 4-6 cents/kWh 3-4.5 cents/kWh Less than 5
cents/kWh
 Potential Impacts and Issues
Property Values
Noise
Visual Impact
Land Use
Wildlife Impact

Properly siting a wind turbine can mitigate many of these

issues.
For all wind energy systems, large or small, the ‘size’ usually
refers to the rated power of the wind turbine. This is the power
output of the wind turbine at the ‘rated’ wind speed. The rated
wind speed is nominated by the turbine manufacturer, and is
usually the wind speed at which the turbine reaches its maximum
output. Thus, more often than not, the ‘size’ of the turbine is also
the turbine
Small windmaximum
energy power output.
systems are usually designed to power
activities physically close to the turbine, as opposed to large scale
wind energy systems, or wind farms, which are designed to
supply energy to the electricity grid for distribution and sale.
Wind turbines are available in all sizes. Turbines used in typical
wind farms today are rated between 500-2,000 kW. For domestic
use, wind turbines rated from 1 kW to 5 kW are common. In
general turbines are typically categorized as ‘small’ if they are
less than 20 kW.
 Wind Farms

Wind farms are like power plants, with a number of turbines wired
together before going to the transformer.
The transformer steps up the voltage before the electricity goes out
on transmission lines and the electricity grid.
Some wind farms are very large. (390 turbines and a 1,020 MW)
 Residential Wind Systems and Net Metering

"Net metering" is a method of metering the energy consumed and

produced at a home or business that has its own renewable energy
generator, such as a wind turbine. With net metering capability,
excess electricity produced by the wind turbine will spin the
electricity meter backwards. This provides the customer with a credit
to pull from when more electricity is needed.
 History of Wind Energy

5000 BC 500-900 AD 1300 AD 1850s Late 1880s

Sailboats used on First windmills First horizontal- Daniel Halladay and Thomas O. Perry
the Nile indicate developed in axis John Burnham build conducted 5,000
the power of wind Persia windmills in Halladay Windmill; wind experiments;
Europe start US Wind starts Aermotor
Engine Company Company

1888 Early 1900s 1941 1979

Charles F. Brush Windmills in CA In VT, Grandpa’s First wind turbine
used windmill to pumped saltwater Knob turbine rated over 1 MW
generate electricity to evaporate ponds supplies power to began operating
in Cleveland, OH town during WWII

1985 1993 2004 2013

CA wind capacity US WindPower developed Electricity from Wind power provided
exceeded 1,000 MW first commercial variable-speed wind generation over 17% of renewable
wind turbine costs 3 to 4.5 cents per energy used in US
kWh
Wind Resources
 Global winds
 Local Winds
 Land Breezes and Sea Breezes
 Mountain Breezes and Valley Breezes
Valley Breeze
Mountain Breeze
3.4 Wind Power Fundamentals
3.4.1 Fundamental Equation of Wind Power

Wind Power depends on:

• amount of air (volume)
• speed of air (velocity)
• mass of air (density) A
flowing through the area of interest (flux)
3.4.2 Efficiency in Extracting Wind Power
Betz Limit & Power Coefficient:
• Power Coefficient, Cp, is the ratio of power extracted by the
turbine to the total contained in the wind resource Cp = PT/PW
• Turbine power output
PT = ½ * ρ * A * v 3 * Cp
• The Betz Limit is the maximal possible Cp = 16/27
• 59.3% efficiency is the BEST a conventional wind turbine
can do in extracting power from the wind
The wind power captured by the blade and converted into
mechanical power can be calculated by

 where Cp is the power coefficient of the blade. This

coefficient has a theoretical maximum value of 0.59
according to the Betz limit. With today's technology, the
power coefficient of a modern turbine usually ranges from
0.2 to 0.5, which is a function of rotational speed and
number of blades.
Example
For a three-blade turbine with a rotor diameter of 82 m,
power coefficient of Cp = 0.36, wind speed of 12 m/s and air
density of p = 1.225 kg/m3. Calculate the captured power .
 As can be observed from the pervious equation, there are three
possibilities for increasing the power captured by a wind turbine: the
wind speed vw, the power coefficient Cp, and the sweep area A.
Since wind speed cannot be controlled, the only way to increase wind
speed is to locate the turbines in regions with higher average wind
speeds.
An example is the offshore wind farm, where the wind speed is
usually higher and steadier than that on land. The captured power is
a cubic function of the wind speed. Doubling the average wind speed
would increase the wind power by eight times.
Second, the wind turbine can be designed with larger sweep area (i.e.,
longer blades) to capture more power. An increase in the blade length
has a quadratic effect on the sweep area and the captured power. This
explains the trend of increasing the rotor diameter experienced during
the last decade.
Finally, the third way of increasing the captured power is by improving
the power coefficient of the blade through a better aerodynamic
design.
Additional blade requirements, such as lightning protection, audible
noise reduction, transportation, optimum shape and weight, as well as
manufacturability, make the blade design a challenging task.
3.4.3 Power Curve of Wind Turbine
Capacity Factor (CF):
• The fraction of the year the turbine generator is operating at rated
(peak) power
Capacity Factor = Average Output / Peak Output ≈ 30%
• CF is based on both the characteristics of the turbine and the site
characteristics (typically 0.3 or above for a good site)
Wind Turbine Power Curve
The power characteristics of a wind turbine are defined by the power
curve, which relates the mechanical power of the turbine to the wind
speed. The power curve is a wind turbine's certificate of performance
that is guaranteed by the manufacturer.

A typical power curve is characterized by three wind speeds: cut-in

wind speed, rated wind speed, and cut-out wind speed, where PM is
the mechanical power generated by the turbine and vw is the wind
speed. The cut-in wind speed, as the name suggests, is the wind
speed at which the turbine starts to operate and deliver power. The
blade should be able to capture enough power to compensate for the
turbine power losses. The rated wind speed is the speed at which the
system produces nominal power, which is also the rated output
power of the generator. The cut-out wind speed is the highest wind
speed at which the turbine is allowed to operate before it is shut
down. For wind speeds above the cut-out speed, the turbine must be
stopped, preventing damage from excessive wind.
 Turbine Mechanical Power versus Wind
24
Speed Curve

Figure 3.15
Wind Power - Example
V = 10 m/s
A = (2 m)2 = 4 m2
r = 1.2 kg/m3

AV 3
Power  1 2 ( density )  area  ( velocity ) 
3

P

1.2 kg m 3
4m 10 m s 
2 3

2
kg  m 2 kg  m m m
 2400 3
 2400 2
  2400 N 
s s s s
N m
P  2400  2400 W
s
Betz Limit: 59.3% of the theoretical is the maximum amount
extractable by a wind energy conversion device (WEC)

PBetz  0.593 ( 2400W )  1423.2 W Practical

Maximum

Example 2
A 12 m/s wind with air density of 1.3Kg/m3 enters a two
bladed wind turbine with a diameter of 12 m. Calculate a) the
power of incoming wind. b) the theoretical maximum power
that could be extracted. c) a reasonable average value for
attainable power.
3.5 Wind Energy Technology
3.5.1 Wind Energy Conversion Systems
The basic device in the wind energy conversion system is the
wind turbine which transfers the kinetic energy into a
mechanical energy. The wind turbine is connected to the
electrical generator through a coupling device gear train.
The output of the generator is given to the electrical grid by
employing a proper controller to avoid the disturbances and
to protect the system or network.

controll
er

Fig 3.7 WECS block diagram

Here, Vω represents wind speed, Pω, Pm and Pe represent wind
power, mechanical power and electrical power respectively.
The energy conversion chain is organized into four
subsystems:
 Aerodynamic subsystem, consisting mainly of the turbine
rotor, which is composed of blades, and turbine hub, which is
the support for blades;
Drive train, generally composed of: low-speed shaft –
coupled with the turbine hub, speed multiplier and high-speed
shaft – driving the electrical generator;
 Electromagnetic subsystem, consisting mainly of the
electric generator;
Electric subsystem, including the elements for grid
connection and local grid.
Concerning the power conversion chain, it involves naturally
some loss of power. Because of the nonzero wind velocity
behind the wind turbine rotor one can easily understand that
its efficiency is less than unity. Also, depending on the
operating regime, both the motion transmission and the
electrical power generation involve losses by friction and by
Joule effect respectively.
Wind Turbine
Almost all electrical power on Earth is produced with a turbine
of some type. Wind energy is transformed into mechanical
power through wind turbine and hence it is converted into
electrical power.
Wind Turbine Types
There are various classifications of WTs (Wind Turbines). The
classification depending on the amount of the generated
power is as follows:
small (< 25 kW)
medium (25-100 kW),
large (100-1000 kW)
very large (>1000 kW)
Wind Turbine Size-Power Comparison
LARGE TURBINES:
• Able to deliver electricity at lower cost than smaller
turbines, because foundation costs, planning costs, etc. are
independent of size.
• Well-suited for offshore wind plants.
• In areas where it is difficult to find sites, one large turbine
on a tall tower uses the wind extremely efficiently.
SMALL TURBINES:
 Local electrical grids may not be able to handle the large
electrical output from a large turbine, so smaller turbines may
be more suitable.
 High costs for foundations for large turbines may not be
economical in some areas.
 Landscape considerations
Wind Turbines: Number of Blades
 Most common design is the three-bladed turbine. The most
important reason is the stability of the turbine. A rotor with an odd
number of rotor blades (and at least three blades) can be considered
more stable.
 A rotor with an even number of blades will give stability
problems for a machine with a stiff structure. The reason is that at
the very moment when the uppermost blade bends backwards,
because it gets the maximum power from the wind, the lowermost
blade passes into the wind shade in front of the tower.
 Wind turbines are classified also depending on their rotation
direction.
a) Horizontal Axis Wind Turbines (HAWT)
b) Vertical Axis Wind Turbines (VAWT)
a) Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine
The wind energy conversion system (WECS) includes wind
turbines, generators, control system, interconnection apparatus.
Wind Turbines are mainly classified into horizontal axis wind
turbines (HAWT) and vertical axis wind turbines (VAWT). Modern
wind turbines use HAWT with three blades and operate either
downwind or upwind configuration. This HAWT can be
designed for a constant speed application or for the variable
speed operation. Among these two types variable speed wind
turbine has high efficiency with reduced mechanical stress
and less noise. Variable speed turbines produce more power
than constant speed type, comparatively, but it needs
sophisticated power converters, control equipments to
provide fixed frequency and constant power factor.
 HAWTs have their axis of
rotation horizontal to the
ground and almost parallel to
the wind stream.
Depending on the number of
blades, horizontal axis wind
turbines are further classified
as single bladed, two bladed,
three bladed and multi bladed.

Most of the present

commercial turbines used for
electricity generation have
three blades because they are
more stable as the
aerodynamic loading will be
Figure 3.8 Horizontal axis Turbine relatively uniform.
Advantages of HAWT’s
HAWTs have low cut-in wind speed values and they can easily be
furled. ( Cut-in velocity is the wind velocity value at which the wind
turbine starts to produce power.)
In general, they show relatively high power coefficient.

Disdvantages of HAWT’s
The generator and gearbox of these turbines are to be placed
over the tower which makes its design more complex and
expensive.

Example
-Shrouded / Ducted – Diffuser Augmented Wind Turbine (DAWT)
Based on the direction of receiving the wind, the two and three bladed
HAWTs can be also classified as upwind and downwind turbines

For the upwind turbines, which are

Figure 3.9 upwind and
downwind turbines
the most common, as the wind
stream passes the rotor first, they do
not have the problem of tower
shadow. However, yaw mechanism
is essential for such designs to keep
the rotor always facing the wind. For
the downwind rotors, as the rotors
are placed at the lee side of the
tower, there may be uneven loading
on the blades as it passes through
the shadow of the tower. On the
other hand, downwind machines are
more flexible and may not require a
yaw mechanism.
b) Vertical Axis Wind Turbines (VAWTs)
VAWTs are classified as drag and lift devices based on their
operating principles.

Darrieus turbine Savonios turbine

(lift force driven) (drag force driven)
Figure 3.10 VAWTs
Advantages of VAWT’s
1) You may place the generator, gearbox etc. on the ground,
and you may not need a tower for the machine.
2) You do not need a yaw mechanism to turn the rotor against
the wind. VAWTs can receive wind from any direction. Hence
complicated yaw devices can be eliminated.
3) Moreover the maintenance of these turbines can be done at
the ground level.

Disadvantages of VAWT’s
1) Wind speeds are very low close to ground level, so although
you may save a tower, your wind speeds will be very low
on the lower part of your rotor.
2) The overall efficiency of the vertical axis machines is not
impressive.
3) The machine is not self-starting (e.g. a Darrieus machine
will need a "push" before it starts. This is only a minor
inconvenience for a grid.
 Configuration Tradeoffs
Factors
◦ Efficiency
Power produced per unit cost
◦ Directionality
◦ Support configuration
◦ Speed of rotation
◦ Reliability
◦ Cost
◦ Maintainability

Which type is best, HAWT

or VAWT?
Wind Turbine Subsystems
Nacelle:
The nacelle is the heart
of the turbine, where
the generator, gearbox
and turbine drive train
parts are held.
The generator inside
the nacelle is used to
convert the wind
energy into kinetic
energy and then into
electrical energy.

Figure 3.11
Hub
which is the support for blades.
Foundation:
The foundation holds the turbine in place in the ground. A
wind turbine has to have a strong foundation to handle strong
winds and support the overall height and the length of the
blades.
Tower
Generation equipment is kept in the tower. The tower raises
the blades and generation equipment high above the ground
into the smoother, stronger wind currents. Access to the
Nacelle and rotor is through the tower.

The height of the tower increases with the turbine power

rating and rotor diameter. In addition, the tower must be at
least 25 to 30 m high to avoid turbulence caused by trees and
buildings. Small wind turbines have towers as high as a few
blade rotor diameters. However, the towers of medium and
large turbines are approximately equal to the turbine rotor
diameter.
 The tower also houses the
power cables connecting the
generator or power converters
to the transformer located at
the base of the tower. In some
cases, the transformer is also
included in the nacelle and the
cables connect the transformer
to the wind farm substation.

Concrete towers or towers

with a concrete base and
steel upper sections are
sometimes used as well.

Figure 3.12
Main elements of a two-bladed HAWT

Figure 3.13
Pitch Mechanism
The pitch mechanism can be
either hydraulic or electric.
Electric pitch actuators are
more common nowadays
since they are simpler and
require less maintenance

The pitch system is usually

placed in the rotor hub
together with a backup energy
storage system for safety
purposes (an accumulator for
the hydraulic type or a battery
Figure 3.14 for the electric type).
 The pitch mechanism in large wind turbines enables the rotation of
the blades on their longitudinal axis. It can change the angle of
attack of the blades with respect to the wind, by which the
aerodynamic characteristics of the blade can be adjusted.
 This provides a degree of control over the captured power to
improve conversion efficiency or to protect the turbine.
 When the wind speed is at or below its rated value, the angle
of attack of the blades is kept at an optimal value, at which
the turbine can capture the maximum power available from
the wind.

When the wind speed exceeds the rated value, the pitch
mechanism is activated to regulate and limit the output
power, thus keeping the power output within the designed
capability.
For this purpose, a pitch range of around 20 to 25 degrees is
usually sufficient.
When the wind speed increases further and reaches the limit
of the turbine, the blades are completely pitched out of the
wind (fully pitched or feathering), and no power will be
captured by the blades. The wind turbine is then shut down
and protected.
Gearbox
The rotor of a large three-blade wind turbine usually operates in a
speed range from 6-20 rpm. This is much slower than a standard 4-
or 6-pole wind generator with a rated speed of 1500 or 1000 rpm for
a 50 Hz stator frequency and 1800 or 1200 rpm for a 60 Hz stator
frequency. Therefore, a gearbox is necessary to adapt the low speed
of the turbine rotor to the high speed of the generator.
The gearbox conversion ratio (rgb), also known as the gear ratio, is
designed to match the high-speed generator with the low-speed
turbine blades. For a given rated speed of the generator and turbine,
the gearbox ratio can be determined by

The gearbox usually generates a high level of audible noise. The

noise mainly arises from the meshing of individual teeth. The
efficiency of the gearbox normally varies between 95% and 98%.

The gearbox is a major contributor to the cost of the wind turbine in

terms of initial investment and maintenance.
 Gear ratio versus the rated turbine
50
speed (for s = 0.01)

Figure 3.16
The wind turbine gearboxes normally have multiple stages to achieve
the high conversion ratio needed to couple the turbine rotor and
generator. For example, with a rated turbine rotor speed of 15 rpm
and a 4-pole, 50 Hz induction generator, a gear ratio of 100 is
needed, as shown in the next figure which is difficult to achieve by
one gear stage.

Figure 3.17
Rotor Mechanical Brake The brake is normally used to
aid the aerodynamic power
control (stall or pitch) to stop
the turbine during high speed
winds or to lock the turbine into
a parking mode during
maintenance.

A mechanical brake is normally

placed on the high-speed shaft
between the gearbox and the
generator, but there are some
turbines in which the brake is
mounted on the low-speed
shaft between the turbine and
gearbox.

Figure 3.18
Electrical Generator
 The conversion of rotational mechanical energy to electric
energy is performed by the generator.
 Different generator types have been used in wind energy
systems over the years. These include the squirrel cage
induction generator (SCIG), doubly fed induction
generator (DFIG), and synchronous generator (SG)
(wound rotor and permanent magnet) with power
ratings from a few kilowatts to several megawatts. The
SCIG is simple and rugged in construction. It is relatively
inexpensive and requires minimum maintenance.
 Traditional direct grid-connected wind energy systems are
still available in today's market. All these turbines use
SCIGs and operate at a fixed speed. Two-speed SCIGs are
also commercially available, in which a tapped stator
winding can be adapted to change the pole pairs to allow
two-speed operation.
 The SCIGs are also employed in variable-speed wind energy
systems. To date, the largest SCIG wind energy systems are
around 3.5 MW in offshore wind farms.
DFIG have windings on both stationary and rotating parts, where
both windings transfer significant power between shaft and grid. In
DFIG the converters have to process only about 25-30 percent of
total generated power (rotor power connected to grid through
converter) and the rest being fed to grid directly from stator.
Whereas, converter used in PMSG has to process 100 percent power
generated, where 100 percent refers to the standard WECS
equipment with three stage gear box in DFIG.
Majority of wind turbine manufacturers utilize DFIG for their WECS
due to the advantage in terms of cost, weight and size. But the
reliability associated with gearbox, the slip rings and brushes in DFIG
is unsuitable for certain applications. PMSG does not need a gear box
and hence, it has high efficiency with less maintenance. The PMSG
drives achieve very high torque at low speeds with less noise and
require no external excitation. In the present trend WECS with
multibrid concept is interesting and offers the same advantage for
large systems in future
 The DFIG is the current workhorse of the wind energy
industry. The stator of the generator is connected to the
grid directly, while the rotor is interfaced with the grid
through a power converter system with reduced power
capacity.
 The DFIG typically operates about 30% above and below
synchronous speed, sufficient for most wind speed
conditions.
 It also enables generator-side active power control and
grid-side reactive power control.
 The reduced-capacity converter is less expensive and
requires less space, which makes the DFIG WECS popular
in today's market.
 The synchronous generator is very well suited for direct-
drive wind turbines.
 Wound rotor synchronous generators (WRSGs) and
permanent magnet synchronous generators (PMSGs) are
used in wind energy systems with a maximum power rating
up to 7.5 MW.
 Permanent magnet generators have higher efficiency and
power density as compared to wound rotor generators.
Recent trends indicate a move toward direct drive turbines
with PMSG. Although most SG-based turbines are direct
driven, some manufacturers have developed SG turbines
with gearbox drive trains.
 Figure 3.19
Permanent magnet synchronous generators (PMSG) wind energy
conversion system (WECS) using variable speed operation is being
used more frequently in wind turbine application. Variable speed
systems have several advantages over the traditional method of
operating wind turbines, such as the reduction of mechanical stress
and an increase in energy capture.
To allow the variable speed operation of the PMSG WECS a
conventional three-phase bridge rectifier (BR) with a bulky capacitor
associated with voltage source current controlled inverter (VS-CCI)
is used.
 Wind Energy System Configurations
58

Figure 3.20
WIND TRIBUNE USE

Electricity for homes and farms

Electricity for communities
Electricity in industry
Supplying electricity for a
nation
Remote communities
Energy to drive pumps
Wind Turbine Energy Conversion System
Design and Integration Conceptual Sketch

Requirements
• Supply 200W load
• Grid frequency of 60 Hz
• Grid configuration is accessible to
connect with load
• Turbine chosen to meet building codes,
federal electrical regulations, fixed
speed, etc.
Design of a Residential Wind Turbine System
Lower your electricity bills by 50%–90%.
Help you avoid the high costs of having utility power lines
extended to a remote location.
Help uninterruptible power supplies ride through extended
utility outages.

1. Planning a Small Wind Electric System

a. Estimating your Wind Resource
 Consult Wind Resource Maps.
 Obtain Airport Wind Speed Data.
 Use a Measurement System.
b. Zoning, Permitting, and Covenant Requirements
a building permit.
 Height Issue(view).
 Noise Issues.
C. The Economics of a Small Wind Electric System
•Costs
•Savings
•Cash flow
•Output
•Electric bills and electric bill comparisons
•Wind characteristics
•Simple payback in years.
Resource Costs
Item Cost

Air X 400 W Wind Turbine $750

Outback GTFX2524 Inverter $1800

Batteries $750

Microcontroller $25

Controller wiring and misc $20

Turbine Mounting Materials $250

Thick Gauge Wiring $175

Sensors $100

Insulated Ring Tung Terminations $10

Conduit $100
Labor 632 Hours

Estimated Total $3980

Payback Period
2. Installing and Maintaining a Small Wind
Electric System
 Siting -- or finding the best location -- for your system
• Estimating the system’s annual energy output and
choosing the correct size turbine and tower.
• Deciding whether to connect the system to the electric
grid or not.
a. Siting a Small Electric Wind System
 Wind Resource Considerations
 annual wind speeds,
 directions of the wind at your site.
 existing obstacles, such as trees, houses, and sheds.
 future obstructions, such as new buildings or trees.
 turbine needs to be sited upwind of any buildings and
trees, and it needs to be 30 feet above anything within
300 feet.
b. Connection Style
Off Grid
Direct Connect
Battery and Grid

Grid-Connected Small Wind Electric Systems

Grid-connected systems can be practical if the following conditions
exist:
• an area with average annual wind speed of at least 4.5 meters per
second.
• Utility-supplied electricity is expensive in your area (about 10–15
cents per kilowatt-hour).
Wind Power in Stand-Alone Systems

An off-grid, hybrid electric system may be practical for you if the items below
describe your situation:
•an area with average annual wind speed of at least 4.0 meters per second.
•A grid connection is not available ( a remote site ).
•You would like to gain energy independence from the utility.
•You would like to generate clean power.
C. Small Wind Electric System Components
1. Turbines
 horizontal-axis, upwind machines that have three blades.
The turbine's frame is the structure onto which the rotor,
generator, and tail are attached.
The amount of energy a turbine will produce is determined
primarily by the diameter of its rotor.
Small wind turbines used in residential applications typically
range in size from 400 watts to 20 kilowatts, depending on the
amount of electricity you want to generate.
A typical home uses approximately 10,932 kilowatt-hours of
electricity per year (about 911 kilowatt-hours per month).
Depending on the average wind speed in the area, a wind turbine
rated in the range of 5–15 kilowatts would be required to make a
significant contribution to this demand.
 A 1.5-kilowatt wind turbine will meet the needs of a home
requiring 300 kilowatt-hours per month in a location with a 14
mile-per-hour (6.26 meters-per-second) annual average wind
speed.
Estimating Annual Energy Output
To get a preliminary estimate of the performance of a particular wind
turbine, you can use the following formula:

AEO= 0.01328 D2 V3
Where:
•AEO = Annual energy output (kilowatt-hours/year)
•D = Rotor diameter, feet
• V = Annual average wind speed, miles-per hour (mph), at
your site
Wind Turbine
 Southwest Windpower Air X 400
Rotor Diameter 46 in.

Weight 13 lb

Start-Up Wind Speed 8 mph

Voltage 24 VDC

Rated Power 400 watts at 28 mph

Turbine controller Micro-processor

based smart internal regulator

Body Cast aluminum

Blades 3-Carbon fiber

composite

Overspeed Protection Electronic torque

control

Kilowatt Hours/Month 38 kWh/mo at 12 mph

Survival Wind Speed 110 mph

Turbine Output

1 kW
2. Tower
The height of a wind turbine's tower also affects how much
electricity the turbine will generate
Because wind speeds increase with height, a small wind turbine is
mounted on a tower. In general, the higher the tower, the more
power the wind system can produce.
Relatively small investments in increased tower height can yield
very high rates of return in power production. For instance, to raise
a 10-kilowatt generator from a 60-foot tower height to a 100-foot
tower involves a 10% increase in overall system cost, but it can
produce 25% more power.
3. Balance of System Components
A controller. Inverter
Power Generator.
Storage batteries. Nominal DC Input 24 VDC

An inverter (power Continuous Power Rating 2500 VA

conditioning unit) AC Voltage/Frequency 120 VAC 60 Hz

Wiring. Continuous AC RMS Output 20.8 Amps AC

Electrical disconnect switch.
Idle Power 6-20 Watts
Grounding system.
Foundation for the tower. Typical Efficiency 92%

Total Harmonic Distortion 2-5%

Output Voltage Regulation ± 2%

Maximum Output Voltage 50 amps AC RMS

AC Overload Capability Surge 6000 VA

5 seconds 4800 VA
30 minutes 3200 VA

AC Input Current Max 60 amps AC

AC Input Voltage/Frequency 80-150 VAC 58-62 Hz

DC Input Range 21-34 VDC

Weight 56 lbs
Battery Sizing Calculations
Battery Sizing Calculations for a 2KWh Load
System
Schematic