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Wind power: Difference between revisions
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===Intermittency=== | ===Intermittency=== | ||
Wind power is even more intermittent than [[solar]]. There can be weeks where the wind blows strongly{{x|although if it blows ''too'' strongly, power also can't be generated - more on this later}}, and weeks where it barely blows at all. | Wind power is even more intermittent than [[solar]]. There can be weeks where the wind blows strongly{{x|although if it blows ''too'' strongly, power also can't be generated - more on this later}}, and weeks where it barely blows at all. Also, wind turbines can't function when the wind blows ''too'' hard. | ||
{{p2|(suitable wind speeds)| | |||
Most wind turbines can only generate power when wind speeds are between '''3.5 m/s''' and '''25 m/s'''. | |||
<ref>DASH, Meteorologically Defined Limits to Reduction in the Variability of Outputs from a Coupled Wind Farm System in the Central US [Online], Available: http://dash.harvard.edu/bitstream/handle/1/10981611/Meteorologically%20defined%20limits%20to%20reduction%20in%20the%20variability%20of%20outputs%20from%20a%20coupled%20wind%20farm%20system%20in%20the%20Central%20US_1.pdf?sequence=6</ref> | |||
{{x|Power is proportional to the cube of the wind speed.}} | |||
When the wind speed is ''too high'', the wind turbine has to switch itself off completely{{x|maybe with the right innovations, it could just dissipate ''excess'' power instead of shutting off completely? {{rn}} }} to prevent damage to the electronics and gearbox. Without this feature, some wind turbines have even been known to catch fire. | |||
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{{minor|Having multiple wind farms might ''somewhat'' reduce the intermittency. But in practice, this doesn't seem to help much.<ref>David JC McKay, Sustainable energy - without the hot air [Online], Available: http://www.inference.phy.cam.ac.uk/withouthotair/c26/page_187.shtml</ref>}} | {{minor|Having multiple wind farms might ''somewhat'' reduce the intermittency. But in practice, this doesn't seem to help much.<ref>David JC McKay, Sustainable energy - without the hot air [Online], Available: http://www.inference.phy.cam.ac.uk/withouthotair/c26/page_187.shtml</ref>}} | ||
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Maybe wind energy could be stored via [[hydrogen]], which doesn't have a ''fixed capacity'' the way batteries do. {{x|A battery can only store a fixed amount of energy at any given time. But hydrogen could be produced and stockpiled if necessary (as long as [[hydrogen gas/safety|safety]] concerns are addressed). Hydrogen production units (electrolyzers) still have a fixed ''power'' rating: There's a limit to how much hydrogen can be produced ''per unit of time''.}} [[wind/hydrogen|This has its own challenges.]] | Maybe wind energy could be stored via [[hydrogen]], which doesn't have a ''fixed capacity'' the way batteries do. {{x|A battery can only store a fixed amount of energy at any given time. But hydrogen could be produced and stockpiled if necessary (as long as [[hydrogen gas/safety|safety]] concerns are addressed). Hydrogen production units (electrolyzers) still have a fixed ''power'' rating: There's a limit to how much hydrogen can be produced ''per unit of time''.}} [[wind/hydrogen|This has its own challenges.]] | ||
===Geography=== | ===Geography=== | ||