Wind turbins developed a lot since 80s. (According to the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC), modern turbines are 100 times the size of those in 1980. Over the same period, rotor diameters have increased eight-fold, with turbine blades surpassing 60 m in length. ) The countries that shifted to Wind Energy relatively earlier, started to lack behind the efficiency standard. Their -now old technology- wind farms are situated in the places optimum for it. This means that they have lower energy outputs per turbin, than they could have with the new generation turbins. Walter Hulshorst lists the factors that encourage repowering in his report on the subject:

1. Multiplied power generation from the same area of land
2. Fewer and higher turbinsHigher efficiency and lower costs
3. Better visual appearence
4. Better grid integration and higher utilisation degree

“Some of these machines were built like tanks and like many aircraft and other pieces of equipment, they can be stripped down to the frame and rebuilt, using many newer technologies that were not even available when they were first made.” says David Wright, VP of Manufacturing at Aeronautica Windpower, a Massachusetts-based company  recycling turbins.

I’d recommend you Kari Larsen’s article  on what to do with recycled turbins on the following link – http://www.renewableenergyfocus.com/view/319/recycling-wind/

This entry was posted on Tuesday, August 4th, 2009 at 1:24 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.