Wind Power FAQ's
Are wind turbines noisey?
The "swish" sound of the rotor blades passing the tower
of a wind turbine primarily arises at the tip and the back
edge of the rotor blade. The higher the rotational speed,
the louder the sound. Aerodynamic noise has been cut dramatically
during the past ten years due to better design of rotor blades
(particularly blade tips and back edges).
Is wind energy expensive?
No. Wind energy has become the least expensive renewable
energy technology in existence.
Is wind energy enviromentally safe?
Yes. Wind energy leaves no harmful emissions or residue in
the environment.
Are wind turbines reliable?
Wind turbines only produce energy when the wind is blowing,
and energy production varies with each gust of wind. The variable
forces acting on a wind turbine throughout its average lifetime
of 120,000 operating hours could be expected to exert significant
tear and wear on the machine. Turbines therefore have to be
built to very exacting industrial standards. High quality
modern wind turbines have an availability factor above 98
per cent, i.e. the turbines are on average operational and
ready to run during more than 98 per cent of the hours of
the year. This availability factor is beyond any other electricity
generating technology. Modern wind turbines only require a
maintenance check every six months.
Will wind energy work on a small scale?
Wind energy can be used in all sorts of applications - from
small battery chargers in lighthouses or remote dwellings
to industrial scale turbines of 1.5 megawatts capable of supplying
the equivalent of the electricity consumption of one thousand
families. Other interesting and highly economic applications
include wind energy used in combination with diesel powered
backup generators in several small, isolated electrical grids
throughout the world.
For any further questions please contact
us here.
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