Wind Measurements in Front of the Rotor with iSpin: Higher Yield, Lower Loads, Better Insights The iSpin technology at the spinner allows owners to accurately measure the most important input parameter of wind turbine operation: the wind speed and direction. This allows operators to determine undetected yaw misalignment. After correcting the yaw misalignment, owners can…
Vectorply announces Carbon Multiaxial Expansion in North America
Vectorply Corporation has expanded its advanced product manufacturing capabilities with the installation of a new Liba Max 5 machine. The state-of-the-art Liba Max 5 is the first machine of its type in North America. The new Max 5 will expand Vectorply’s domestic capacity for manufacturing multiaxial, spread tow carbon fiber reinforcements. The installation of the…
Ethiopia Opens Africa’s Largest Wind Farm to Boost Power Production
Africa’s biggest wind farm began production in Ethiopia on Saturday, aiding efforts to diversify electricity generation from hydropower plants and help the country become a major regional exporter of energy. The Horn of Africa country – plagued by frequent blackouts – plans to boost generating capacity from 2,000 MW to 10,000 MW within the next…
How to calculate power output of wind
Most U.S. manufacturers rate their turbines by the amount of power they can safely produce at a particular wind speed, usually chosen between 24 mph or 10.5 m/s and 36 mph or 16 m/s. The following formula illustrates factors that are important to the performance of a wind turbine. Notice that the wind speed, V,…
What size wind turbine do I need?
The size of the wind turbine you need depends on your application. Small turbines range in size from 20 watts to 100 kilowatts (kW). The smaller or “micro” (20- to 500-watt) turbines are used in a variety of applications such as charging batteries for recreational vehicles and sailboats. 1 kilowatt to 10 kilowatt turbines can…
How loud is a wind turbine really?
Modern small wind turbines have better insulation, lower rotation speeds, fewer moving parts, no gearboxes, and more efficient blades that make them much quieter than their ancestors. Today’s small wind turbines emit sound that is barely discernible from ambient noise, even with a decibel (dB) meter. Sound from traffic, rustling trees, airplanes, and people in…
How high should your small wind turbine be?
A tall tower is the single most important factor in the economic viability of a small wind system. Tall towers enable turbines to access faster in better quality winds, and even small increases in wind speed translate to exponentially more energy the turbine can generate. In other words, a taller tower means far more –…
Vertical Axis Wind Turbines vs Horizontal Axis Wind Turbines
In the wind turbine business there are basically two types of turbines to choose from, vertical axis wind turbines and horizontal axis wind turbines. They both have their advantages and disadvantages and the purpose of this article is to help you choose the right system for your application. Horizontal axis wind turbine dominate the majority…