Can Wind Turbines Be Placed Anywhere?

It is well known that operating a wind turbine to generate electricity is challenging. The needed wind speed typically ranges from 3 to 25 m/s. Additionally, a plentiful and reliable wind resource is needed for the best wind turbine location.

Can You Install wind Turbines Anywhere?

Since there are no geographical restrictions on the range of where wind energy can be used, a wind turbine can be constructed and used practically everywhere. These turbines can also be found someplace offshore in the ocean or onshore in farms and mountains.

Ideal Places to Install a Wind Turbine

The best locations for wind farms are along the coast, on top of rounded hills, in wide-open spaces, and between gaps in mountains where the wind is steady and powerful. Certain are offshore.

China, India, and the US have some of the largest operational onshore wind farms. For instance, the Gansu Wind Farm in China, the biggest wind farm in the world, with a capacity of over 6,000 MW by 2012 and aimed to reach 20,000 MW by 2020.

Places You Shouldn’t Install a Wind Turbine

There shouldn’t be any or very few barriers in the prevailing wind’s path. Buildings and trees are examples of obstacles that reduce wind quality by creating turbulent zones nearby. These can dramatically lower a turbine’s output.

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Should You Put Your Wind Turbine in the Backyard?

A wind turbine installation is allowable as an approved development, but it must meet various requirements imposed by authorities in your locality.

Also, an air source heat pump cannot already be present on the property for one turbine to be considered allowed construction.

How to Select the Best Place to Install Your Wind Turbine

As aforesaid, the location of the wind turbine is critical. So, account for the following factors when erecting a wind turbine:

Wind Condition

The location has good wind resource characteristics, such as a greater annual wind speed, an acceptable wind frequency distribution pattern, a stable wind direction, and less intense turbulence.

Environmental factors

The typical temperature ranges between -20 and 30 degrees Celsius. The site is a better choice if the temperature surpasses this range for a shorter amount of time.

Safety requirements

Natural calamities must not threaten the location. The most crucial components of a wind turbine tower, such as the blades, will be harmed by storms and hurricanes.

Everything on the ground will be destroyed by the earthquake, of course. The lifespan of the wind turbine will be shortened by frozen ice or a stand storm.

Even worse, the surrounding residential residents will be in danger from the frozen ice.

The surrounding environment/vicinity

The local ecology should be little affected by the construction of a wind turbine.

Selecting any zone that protects natural resources is not advised. Keep the chosen site as far away from woods and bird migration paths as you can.

Grid conditions

Ensure the electrical grid can reach it. Try to keep the additional cost of connecting to the grid as low as feasible.

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Geographical circumstances

It is vital to have cranes and massive wind turbine tower components that are simple to carry.

On the other hand, the site must be at least 350 meters away from the residential area due to noise and scintillation contamination.

Topographical features

The preferred altitude is greater. Meanwhile, pick a location with little elevation variation to ensure long-term stability for the wind turbines. Verify the earth-carrying capacity on the site using a primary survey and ensure it is greater than 250kpa.

What Size Wind Turbine is Ideal to Power the House?

An average home uses 10,649 kilowatt hours of electricity annually (about 877-kilowatt hours per month). Depending on the local average wind speed, a wind turbine with a power output of between 5 and 15 kilowatts would be needed to significantly contribute to this need.

How to Install A Wind Turbine

The size and kind of wind turbine determine the length and complexity of the installation process. It’s vital to commission a professional survey of your location before any installation and to continuously track local wind speeds (at least 3 months).

In a nutshell, wind turbine installation can be a piece of cake if you have the technical know-how and resources or tools; here is how you go about it:

Installation Procedure

Step 1: Ready the foundation

This could necessitate the use of large equipment like an excavator and crane, depending on the size and kind of turbine system.

After laying the foundations, it’s typically necessary to wait at least 2 weeks to allow the concrete base to cure.

It could be required to have your property’s roof strengthened if a building-mounted system is being built so that it can support the weight of the turbine.

Step 2: Dig ditches/trenches

The electrical lines that connect the turbine to the control unit and inverter need to be buried in trenches.

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Step 3: Erect a tower and a turbine

This can call for the employment of a crane, depending on the size of the turbine.

Step 4: Connect electrical wires

A Direct Current (DC) output of a wind turbine should be connected to the control box. And subsequently, the inverter is by an electrical expert or electrician.

The energy grid and the supply of electricity to your property will both be connected to the inverter’s AC output. An OFGEM-approved generation meter will be fitted after the inverter, along with other safety-related electrical components including isolators.

Step 5: Connect the system (wind turbine) to a power grid

Your installer will communicate with your nearby District Network Operator in order to connect the wind turbine system to the grid (DNO).

Step 6: Last checks

Before commissioning the system, your installer should carry out last-minute electrical safety and performance checks and give you the required documents (manuals, warranties, maintenance information).

Step 7: MCS enrollment

Additionally, the installer needs to submit a registration form for your turbine system to the Microgeneration Certification Scheme, which will give you the certificate you need to apply for Feed-in Tariff generation and export payments.

Conclusion

The latest European Wind Energy Association and the Global Wind Energy Council indicate that the installed capacity of wind turbine towers worldwide reached 37,500 MW in 2009.

The entire investment in development and installation has now surpassed 45 billion euros. The selection of the ideal location for a wind turbine takes precedence over all other factors.

So, it’s necessary to select the best site to build your wind turbine. Otherwise, you will jeopardize all your investment in the tool.

References:

  1. https://profound-answers.com/can-wind-turbines-be-placed-anywhere/#
  2. https://renewableenergyhub.co.uk/main/wind-turbines/wind-turbine-installation-guide/#
  3. http://www.steelwindtower.com/selecting-a-wind-turbine-site/

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