Page 108 - Managing Global Warming

Fig. 3.11 Map of wind-speed distribution over the United States (shown here just for reference
purposes and as an example). Figure shows that winds with average speed of 6m per s and
above (brown, red, and purple colors) have been uncovered only over the central part of the
United States from North to South. However, average wind speed along the United States
shores of Great Lakes, Atlantic and Pacific oceans, and Gulf of Mexico is usually higher
than 6m per s at the height of 90m from the see level [1].
Courtesy of DOE, United States.

Fig. 3.12 Photo of offshore wind park, Horns Rev. II (Denmark). The facility, which is located
in the North Sea, has the maximum output of about 210MW el (91 2.3MW el Siemens wind
turbines), enough to meet the electricity needs of 200,000 households [11]. In general, as of
today offshore wind power plants are at least 2.5–3 times smaller by installed capacity than
onshore wind power plants. However, offshore wind turbines can be significantly larger by
power and by a rotor diameter compared to that of onshore turbines. For example, Alstom
6-MW el net wind turbine for the Haliade Offshore Platform has a rotor with the diameter of
150m and tower 100-m high [12]. This Alstom turbine can operate within 3m per s (11km per
h)—25m per s (90km per h). One of negative impacts from wind farms on environment is
killing birds and bats with rotating blades and even with turbulence created by them.
Siemens press photo; copyright Siemens AG, Munich/Berlin, Germany.