Wind exists everywhere on the earth and in some places with

Wind exists everywhere on the earth, and in some places with considerable energy density. Wind had been widely used in the past, for irrigation, grinding, pumping water, saw woods as well as transportation. The technology of extracting energy from the wind has evolved dramatically over the last few decades. The design and operation of wind turbines have improved substantially in the last decades. A wind turbine is a machine, which converts the kinetic energy in the wind into electricity. In modem wind turbines, the actual conversion process uses the basic aerodynamic force of lift to produce a net positive torque on a rotating shaft, resulting first in the production of mechanical power and then in its transformation to electricity in a generator. Today, wind energy is one of the important sources of electric power. In many countries, wind energy plays an even larger role as a source of electricity. Several new wind energy plants are built to meet the needs of their growing populations and economies. However, there are several local impacts of such kind of technology on environment, society and economy. In view of the above information; List the different types of small wind turbines (1 - 10 kW) in terms of their design, speed, grid connection and maximum output power. Study and discuss the effect of wind speed and direction on the wind power generation. Give a brief example of small wind energy applications in Oman. Discus the local impacts of the wind power generation on environment, society and economy. Also, discuss, if the wind energy can meet the continuous growing demand of electrical energy in Oman.

Solution

1. Different types of Wind Turbines

2.Because the ‘power in the wind’ is proportional to the cube of the velocity, this means that the wind turbine on the 9 m/s site would on average be exposed to well over three-times the loads compared to the 6 m/s site. The direction of the wind velocity is very crucial for a Wind Turbine .The power is maximum if the Velocity is Perpendicular to the Blade Cross section.

3. Oman benefits from a long coastline and exposure to the strong summer and winter monsoon winds. It has an average wind speed slightly over 5 m/s and an estimated 2,463 hours of full load per year, making wind power an economically viable form of renewable energy.

Recent studies undertaken in 2010 have confirmed that four locations at Thumrait, Masirah, Sur and Qayroon Hyriti are the most suitable for the erection of wind turbines with an estimate that the construction of two sites at Thumrait and Qayroon Hyriti of 375MW each would produce 2.3TWh a year of electricity. This corresponds to 12 per cent of Oman’s 2010 electricity production.

4. The environmental impact of wind power when compared to the environmental impacts of fossil fuels, is relatively minor. Compared with other low carbon power sources, wind turbines have some of the lowest global warming potential per unit of electrical energy generated. According to the IPCC, in assessments of the life-cycle global warming potential of energy sources, wind turbines have a median value of between 12 and 11 (gCO2eq/kWh) depending on whether off- or onshore turbines are being assessed.

Wind energy can definitely meet the growing demands of the Electricity in the Oman given the infrastructure is developed well and the government will support the non-renewable sources of energy.