Page 30 - Wind Energy Handbook
P. 30
4 INTRODUCTION
Figure 1.3 Wind Farm of Variable-Speed Wind Turbines in Complex Terrain (Reproduced
by permission of Wind Prospect Ltd., www.windprospect.com)
Figure 1.4 1 MW Wind Turbine in Northern Ireland (Reproduced by permission of Renew-
able Energy Systems Ltd., www.res-ltd.com)
The stimulus for the development of wind energy in 1973 was the price of oil and
concern over limited fossil-fuel resources. Now, of course, the main driver for use
of wind turbines to generate electrical power is the very low CO 2 emissions (over
the entire life cycle of manufacture, installation, operation and de-commissioning)
