Wind Energy: Applying New Technology to an Old Idea

Special PaperPg. 89-100Wind energy has been used by man since the first ships sailed the Mediterranean Sea more than four thousand years ago. In the last two thousand years, wind has been used as a motive force to pump water for the cultivation of arid regions of the world. Within the last one hundred years, the generation of electricity from the wind has had limited use in remote areas of the world. Since 1978, federal and state laws have encouraged investment in alternative energy technology. This investment has advanced wind power technology to a new level, involving innovative mechanical design and application. Through the application of entrepreneurial and engineering innovation, a new electric power generation industry has been created. Over the last six years nearly 10, 000 wind turbine generators, comprising well over 30 different designs, have been installed in California. These machines range in generator size from less than 1 kW to over 3200 kW; the rotor diameters range from less than 2 ft to over 300 ft. Since 1973, this technology has taken two distinct development paths-a few large machines (100 kW or greater) developed with federal funds, and thousands of small machines (less than 100 kW) developed by the private sector. While both large and small machines have encountered technical and economic problems, only the small machine industry has progressed to commercialization under recent limited federal and state financial assistance. An overview of the wind industry is presented, along with a review of the commercialization process. The operating history of a 15 MW project run by a power corporation is discussed. This project demonstrates a typical commercialization process for any new technology, where problems are assessed, designs evaluated and improved, and modified machines are deployed and successfully operated. If federal financial assistance abruptly ends in 1985 (as presently planned), it could retard the rapid deployment of larger second generation machines (200 kW to 400 kW). If this occurs, it would be unfortunate, because these second generation machines, while a nonfirm resource, will cost less and can be constructed faster than most conventional oil, gas, nuclear, and coal resources through the end of this century. As a result, these second generation machines will continue to reduce future energy costs and, therefore, become an important part of utility resource plans