Page 96 - 6748

Clearly, wind turbines need to be located on relatively windy sites in order to function. From a
meteorological standpoint, what kinds of geographical location are the most ?
Turbines are generally placed at the tops of tall towers, where wind speeds are higher, thus
making them more What other positioning factors influence performance?
Wind turbines rarely function continuously, due to the fact that wind speeds are .
How significant is the impact of variable weather conditions on power generating capacity?
Transmitting electricity over long distances is inherently , due to power loss
from overhead or underground power lines. Find out more about the advantages of generating
power locally.
The generating capacity of wind turbines is generally for it to be relied upon
100%. What percentage of total generating capacity can wind turbines realistically provide?
Some early wind turbines were , suffering breakdowns caused by inaxial
stresses stemming from higher wind loads on the upper blade. However, this problem has been
overcome on modern units. Learn more about the technical evolution of wind turbines.

b You are engineers at Sigma Power. The marketing manager has asked you to provide
some technical answers for the frequently asked questions section of the company’s
website. The FAQ section is aimed primarily at
potential clients who are thinking of installing wind
turbines at their sites - factories, office complexes,
hospitals, and university campuses. In pairs, discuss the
following questions and write the answers for the
website using the information in the fact file and your
own knowledge.

Frequently Asked Questions
A common-sense introduction to wind turbines
1 What's the big advantage of having a wind turbine at my
site?
2 How dependable are wind turbines as a source of power,
given that weather conditions are changeable?
3 What kinds of site are most suitable for wind turbines,
relative to natural factors such as hills, the coast, and height
above sea level?
4 What's the most appropriate location for my wind
turbine, relative to local features on the site, such as trees
and buildings?

II Describing physical forces
4a Read the following article. What is a solar tower and how does it use the forces of
expansion and pressure?

SOLAR TOWERS
The need to develop renewable energy is widely seen as a futuristic technological challenge. In
reality, some of the most effective ways of harnessing horsepower from nature are based on
concepts that have existed for donkey’s years. The wind turbine is an obvious example. Another
- less well known, but conceived almost a century ago - is the solar tower or solar chimney. And
if the Australian company EnviroMission completes an ambitious solar tower project in the New
South Wales desert, the technology could capture not just the sun’s rays but the public’s
imagination worldwide. The firm is planning to construct a tower a colossal one kilometre high.
If built, it will be the world’s tallest structure by a huge margin.

94