small wind energy appalachian state university affordable, clean energy for homes, farms &...

Small Wind EnergySmall Wind EnergyAppalachian State UniversityAppalachian State University

Affordable, Clean Energy

for Homes, Farms & Businesses

Small Wind EnergySmall Wind EnergyAppalachian State UniversityAppalachian State University

• Small Wind Introduction

• Beech Mountain R&D Site

• Wind Resource Assessment

Small Wind Intro

Why Wind?

•Renewable•Clean•Widely available•Produced locally•Reduced price volatility•Allows energy independence•SUSTAINABLE!

A Valuable, Widely-Available Resource

Small Wind Energy Systems

Value of Power = 6-18¢ / kWh

Installed cost of $2-$3/Watt is 1/3 to 1/2 that of solar technologies

Require less wind to operate than utility-scale wind energy applications

Factors to Consider

• Good wind resource: Class 2 or better

• Home or business located on 1 acre or more of land

• (depending on site) Average monthly electricity bills >$100 for 10 kW system, >$50 for 5 kW system

• Zoning restrictions, economic incentives

• Utility-Scale Wind Power600 - 1,800 kW wind turbines

– Installed on wind farms, 10 – 300 MW

– Professional maintenance crews– 13 mph (6 m/s) average wind speed

• Small Wind Power300 W - 250 kW wind turbines

– Installed at individual homes, farms, businesses, schools, etc.

– On the “customer side” of the meter, or off the utility grid entirely

– High reliability, low maintenance

– 9 mph (4 m/s) average wind speed

Small Wind Turbines Are Different

1,500 kW

10 kW

Small Wind Turbines

Bergey EXCEL, 10 kW

• Configuration: 2 or 3 blades aimed into the wind by the tail

• Blades: Fiber-reinforced plastics

• Over-Speed Protection: Furling (rotor turns out of the wind), no brakes

• Generator: Direct-drive, permanent magnet alternator (no brushes), 3-phase AC, variable-speed operation

• Controller: Electronic device that delivers - DC power for charging batteries- AC power for utility interconnection

• Result:– Simple, rugged design– Only 2–4 moving parts– Little regular maintenance required

Small Wind Turbine Towers

Guyed Tower Tilt-Up Tower Self-Supporting Tower

Over-Speed Protection During High Winds

• Upward Furling: The rotor tilts back during high winds

Over-Speed Protection During High Winds

• Angle Governor: The rotor turns up and to one side

• Or do a 360 degree spin out , from commentator Jeff Lauckhart….

The Small Wind Market

Southwest WindpowerFlagstaff, Arizona www.windenergy.com

AIR-X400 W

WhisperH40

900 W

Whisper H801000 W

Whisper1753 kW

BWC Excel10 kW

Bergey WindpowerNorman, Oklahoma www.bergey.com

1 kW

African WindpowerAbundant Renewable Energy, Newberg, Oregon

www.abundantre.com

AWP3.61 kW

Proven Engineering Products, Ltd. Scotland, United Kingdom www.provenenergy.com

WT600600 W

WT2500 2.5 kW WT6000

6 kW

Wind Turbine Industries, Inc. Prior Lake, Minnesota www.windturbine.net

Jacobs 31-2020 kW

Atlantic Orient Corp.Norwich, Vermont www.aocwind.net

AOC 15/5050 kW

FuhrländerLorax Energy Systems, Rhode Island

www.lorax-energy.com

FL 3030 kW

FL 100100 kW

FL 250250 kW

AeromaxAeromax Incorporated Chino Valley, AZ

www.aeromaxenergy.com

OB1KWComing soon

Lakota900 W

Lakota M1900 W

…or Build Your Own Turbinewww.scoraigwind.com

Types of Systems

Options: On or Off the Grid?

Stand-Alone System

• Batteries to store excess power

• Charge controller

• Inverter (DC to AC)

• Back-up power source for complete energy independence

Grid-Connected System

• Inverter (DC to AC)

• Annual wind speed >10 mph (4.5 m/s)

• Customer motivated by high utility prices, self sufficiency, or environmental concerns

Connecting to the Grid• PURPA requires utilities

to connect with and purchase power from small wind systems

• Utility acts as a big “battery bank”

• Safety - Must stop supplying power to grid during power outages

• Power Quality - Must match utility’s voltage, frequency, and quality

Supplementing Grid Power

• Connected to utility grid through house/farm wiring

• 3 kW, 15-ft rotor, 23-ft tower*

• Produces ~ 5,000 kWh/yr

• Offsets ~ 3.8 tons CO2/yr

• Costs ~ $10,000* due to zoning restrictions

(not recommended)

Typical Applications Farms, Homes, Businesses

Off-Grid Water Pumping with Wind

• Produces ~ 2,000 kWh/yr

• Offsets ~ 1.5 tons CO2/yr

• Costs ~ $4,000 installed

• Supplies water for 120 head of cattle

• 1 kW, 9-ft rotor, 30-ft tower

Hybrid Systems

Solar and Wind Resourcesare Complimentary

Hours of sunshine/month

400

350

300

250

200

150

100Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Ho

urs

of s

uns

hin

e o

r av

era

ge

win

d p

ower

(W

atts

/m2)

Average wind power

Data from SE Iowa

02770324

Hours of Sunshine

The Effect of Seasons onHybrid Power Systems

02770322

PV modules and wind turbine(no generation)

Battery(storage)

Loads(utilization)

PV modules and wind turbine(active generation)

Summer

Winter

Battery(storage)

Loads(utilization)

SWI Research & Demonstration SiteBeech Mountain, NC

SWI Research & Demonstration SiteBeech Mountain, NC

www.wind.appstate.edu

SWI Research & Demonstration SiteBeech Mountain, NC

Research•Acoustic•Power Curve•Energy

Workshops•Intro/tours

•Wind assessment•Experts

•Installations

Demonstration•Students

•Public•Always open

www.wind.appstate.edu

SWI Research & Demonstration SiteBeech Mountain, NC

Problem Solving•Tower raising•Grid connection•Hurricanes•Configuration

www.wind.appstate.edu

SWI Research & Demonstration SiteBeech Mountain, NC (class 5)

www.wind.appstate.edu

SWWPAirX400W

33 kWh/mon

SWWP Whisper

H40900W

155 kWh/mo

BergeyXL.1

1000W

185 kWh/mo

AfricanAWP3.6

1500W

362 kWh/mo

SWWP Whisper

1753000W

697 kWh/mo

Jacobs31-2020kW

3991 kWh/mo

Wind Resource Assessment

The United States Wind Map

North Carolina

The North Carolina Wind Map

Watauga County

Initial Site Assessment

• Flagging of vegetation

• Open view to prominent wind direction

• Hill or ridge perpendicular to prominent wind direction

• Funneling effects

Importance of “Micro-Siting”

Measuring Devices and Parameters

• Anemometer– Best indication of energy production– Indicator of turbulence– Provide information on wind shear

• Wind Vane– Wind rose– Siting

• Temp Sensor– Identify icing events– Air density

• Barometric Pressure – Air Density

• Pyranometer– Effectiveness of hybrid system

Estimation of Annual Energy Production

PowerCurve

Frequency of Occurrence(Rayleigh Distribution)

Annual Energy Production

SWI Anemometer Loan Program

SWI Anemometer Loan Programwww.wind.appstate.edu

SWI Anemometer Loan Programwww.wind.appstate.edu

•Four systems

•Application process

―15 this year

•One year

•Final Report

•Small wind information

Thanks, For More Information

• www.wind.appstate.edu

• www.homepower.com

• www.nrel.gov/wind

• www.awea.org/smallwind.html

• www.eren.doe.gov/erec/factsheets/wind.html