Small Wind Energy Devices Can Provide Lowest Energy Prices
Overview
Small wind energy devices (wind turbines) with no external rotating parts are environment-friendly and easy to install and maintain.
For example, if wind energy devices with effective height 2,5 m and width 2 m are deployed in a number equal to the number of motor vehicles in the world, the electricity production from these devices in fresh breeze (8,7 m/s) would make up about 56% of the world total electricity production. Fresh breeze is defined as wind speed between 8,7 and 10,7 m/s.
This is calculated as follows:
The total number of vehicles in service worldwide has surpassed 1 billion[1]. Using data from 2013, the world electricity production was 23,322 TWh. This is equal to 23,322 billion kWh.[2] A small wind energy device shown at ref 3 is estimated to produce 1,5 kW in 8,7 m/s wind.[3]
If the annual average electricity from each device was 1,5 kW, the quantity of electricity produced per year from 1 billion devices would be 1,5 (kW) x 24 x 365 (number of hours per year) x 1 billion = 13,140 billion kWh which makes up about 56% of the world total electricity production.
1,5 kW from a device with effective area 2,5 x 2 m and overall efficiency 0,75 requires wind speed 8,7 m/s or wind energy density 400 W/m^2. For information about the average wind energy density in your area click here. Please note that the available energy depends on the altitude of the energy converter components in relation to the ground.
The terrain around the wind energy device may both decrease and increase the wind energy density. In some cases a building wall can locally increase the wind energy density.
