Energy From Wind

Question 1

What is the mathematical relation of wind speed to energy generation?

Answer 1

The power in the wind changes with cube of the wind speed. Doubling of your windspeed gives you eight times amount of power. 

Question 2

What is the average cost of electricity from the wind in the U.S.?

Answer 2

3.3 to 5.2 cents/kWh

Question 3

What does the average U.S. household consume in kWh per month and year?

Answer 3

the U.S. Energy Information Administration reports that an average U.S. household consumes about 877 kilowatt-hours (kWh) monthly, or more than 10,000 kWh annually. (2021)

Question 4

What is the general rule for when to use deicing systems for wind turbines?

Answer 4

The general rule of thumb is if you have more than 5% energy loss during winter icing; you should install a deicing system.

Question 5

What is Betz’s Law Limit used for and what is it’s percent?

Answer 5

Betz’s law indicates the maximum power that can be extracted from the wind.
According to Betz’s law, no turbine can capture more than 16/27 (59.3%) of the kinetic energy in wind. The factor 16/27 (0.593) is known as Betz’s coefficient. Practical utility-scale wind turbines achieve at peak 75–80% of the Betz limit.

Question 6

What is the relation of blade
relative
wind

Answer 6

V relative =
V wind - V blade

Question 7

In 2021 what was the average kWh per month for a home in Idaho?

Answer 7

4,300GW

As of 2021, the average home in Idaho Power’s service area uses about 950 kWh per month.

Question 8

How many gigawatts of potential energy does the U.S. DOE think is available from wind turbines in our lakes and coastline.

Answer 8

According to research from the Department of Energy (DoE), there is approximately 4.3 terawatts (4,300GW) of potential wind energy off the various coasts of the US, and in the Great Lakes. Of that, only 1.5 terawatts is available in areas where fixed-bottom wind turbines could be built. The rest sits beyond 60 meters (roughly 200 feet) of water depth, where floating units are necessary.

Question 9

Describe typical service contracts for wind turbines.

Answer 9

Service contracts are typically signed on the basis of a per turbine cost per year with a periodic escalator and a corresponding availability guarantee. Some even have a performance guarantee.

Question 10

What is the total gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind capacity is currently in the United States?

Answer 10

A total of 40 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind capacity is currently in different phases of
development in the United States as of 2022.

Question 11

How many acers does it take to make 1 MW of solar energy?

Answer 11

5-10 Acers = 1 MW