The United States wind energy market is growing at an average rate of 29% a year (with 45% growth in 2007 alone), and if this continues to accelerate, industry experts believe that wind has the potential to supply 20% of U.S. electricity by 2030. The installation of 5,249 MW of wind energy in 2007 contributed close to 35% of the new power-producing capacity added in the U.S. That new capacity will generate 16 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) of clean, cost-effective electricity – equivalent to powering more than 1.5 million American homes. Using more domestic wind power will diversify the nation’s energy portfolio – adding wind-generated electricity at stable prices not subject to market volatility – and strengthening national security through reduced reliance on foreign sources of oil and natural gas.
ARM Energy Solutions is experienced in the development of both large-scale and small-scale wind energy systems.
Background on Wind Energy
Wind energy is a derivative of solar energy produced by uneven heating of the Earth's surface. Wind resources are typically the best along coastlines, on hills, and in the northern states, but usable wind resources can be found in most areas. As an energy source, wind energy is less predictable than solar energy, but it is also typically available for more hours in a given day. Wind resources are influenced by terrain and other factors that make the magnitude of the resource more site specific than solar energy. In hilly terrain, for example, two neighbors are likely to have the same solar resource, but one may have a much better wind resource than the other because their property is on top of the hill or has better exposure to the prevailing wind direction. Due to the high variability of wind energy, it must be considered more carefully than solar energy.
Wind energy follows seasonal patterns that provide the best performance in the winter months and the worst performance in the summer months. This is just the opposite of solar energy. For this reason wind and solar systems often work well together in hybrid systems. These hybrid systems provide a more consistent year-round output than either wind-only or PV-only systems (www.bergey.com).
Who Should Consider Buying a Wind Turbine?
A residential wind turbine can be a relatively large device and is not suitable for urban or small-lot suburban homes. Except for very small wind turbines (i.e., with rotors one meter or less in diameter) on very small towers, a property size of one acre or more is desirable.
The economics of a wind system are very sensitive to the average wind speed in the area, and to a lesser extent, the cost of purchasing electricity. As a general rule of thumb, if economics are a concern, a turbine owner should have at least a 10-mph average wind speed and be paying at least 9 cents/kWh for electricity.