Example 6.11 Annual Energy Delivered by a Wind Turbine.

Suppose that a NEG Micon

750/48 (750-kW generator, 48-m rotor) wind turbine is mounted on a 50-m tower in an area with
5-m/s average winds at 10-m height. Assuming standard air density, Rayleigh statistics, Class 1
surface roughness, and an overall efficiency of 30%, estimate the annual energy (kWh/yr)
delivered. (the roughness length z for class 1 is 0.03m)
Solution
From table6.4, the roughness length z for class 1 is 0.03m.
ln ⁡(H 50/ z ) ln ⁡(50/0.03)
v50 ¿v10 ¿5× ¿6.39m/s
ln(H 10/ z ) ln (10 /0.03)

Average power in the wind at 50m

6 1 3
P50 ¿ × v
π 2
¿ 1.91×0.5×1.225×(6.39)3
¿305.24 W/m2
This 48m machine collects 30% of that
π 1 kW
Energy ¿ 0.3×305.24 × (48)2 ×8760h/yr ×
4 1000 W
¿ 1.45×106 kWh/yr

Example 6.12 Energy Potential for a Wind Farm. Suppose that a wind farm has 4-rotor-
diameter tower spacing along its rows, with 7-diameter spacing between rows (4D × 7D).
Assume 30% wind turbine efficiency and an array efficiency of 80%.
(a) Find the annual energy production per unit of land area in an area with 400-W/m 2 winds at
hub height (the edge of 50 m, Class 4 winds).
(b) Suppose that the owner of the wind turbines leases the land from a rancher for $100 per acre
per year (about 10 times what a Texas rancher makes on cattle). What does the lease cost per
kWh generated?

Solution
 (a) the land area occupied by one wind turbine is 4D × 7D = 28D2, where D is the diameter
of the rotor.
Energy 1 Wind turbine π 2
m rotor W
¿ 2 ( 2 ) × D2 ( ) ×400 ( 2 ) ×0.30×0.80×
Land area 28 D m land 4 Wind turbine m rotor
8760

¿ 23.588 kWh/m2. yr
(b) At 4047 m2 per acre,

Energy
¿23.588 ×4047
Land area
¿95461kWh/acre.yr

Land cost $ 100 acre . yr

¿ ×
kWh acre . yr 95461 kWh

¿$0.00105/kWh

¿0.1¢ /kWh

Example 6.13 A NEG Micon 1000/54 wind turbine (1000-kW rated power, 54-m-diameter rotor)
has a cut-in windspeed VC = 4 m/s, rated windspeed VR = 14 m/s, and a furling wind speed of VF
= 25 m/s. If this machine is located in Rayleigh winds with an average speed of 10 m/s, find the
following:
(a) How many h/yr is the wind below the cut-in wind speed?
(b) How many h/yr will the turbine be shut down due to excessive winds?
(c) How many kWh/yr will be generated when the machine is running at rated power?
Solution
(a) F(Vc) ¿ prob (v ≤Vc)

[ ]
2
−π Vc
¿ 1- exp ( )
4 v

[ ]
2
−π 4
¿ 1-exp ( )
4 10
¿ 0.1181
Hours (v≤4m/s)¿ 8760 h/yr ×0.1181
¿ 1034.5 h/yr
 (b) The hour when the wind is higher than VF = 25 m/s

[ ]
2
V
Hours (v≥ 25m/s)¿8760× exp −π ( F )
4 v

[ ]
2
−π 25
¿8760× exp ( )
4 10

¿ 65 h/yr
(c) The wind turbine will deliver its rated power of 1000kW anytime the wind is between VR
= 14 m/s and VF = 25 m/s. The number of hours that the wind is higher than 14m/s

[ ]
2
V
Hours (v≥ 14m/s)¿8760× exp −π ( R )
4 v

[ ]
2
−π 14
¿8760× exp ( )
4 10

¿ 1879 h/yr

number of hours per year that the wind is between 14m/s and 25m/s is 1879-65¿ 1814h/r
Energy (VR≤v≤VF) ¿ 1000×1814

¿ 1.814×106kWh/yr

Example 6.14 For a wind site with Rayleigh winds having average speed v = 8 m/s, what is the
probability that the wind would blow between 6.5 and 7.5 m/s? How does this compare to the
p.d.f. evaluated at 7 m/s?
Solution

[ ]
2
−π 6.5
Prob (v≥ 6.5) ¿ exp ( )
4 8
¿0.59542

[ ]
2
−π 7.5
Prob (v≥ 7.5) ¿ exp ( )
4 8
¿ 0.50143

Prob (6.5≤v≤ 7.5) ¿ 0.59542-0.50143¿ 0.09399

 πv
[ ]
2
−π v
f(v) ¿ 2 exp ( )
2v 4 v

7π
[ ]
2
−π 7
f(7m/s) ¿ 2 exp ( )
2× 8 4 8
¿ 0.09416
The approximation 0.09416 is only 0.2% higher than the correct value of 0.09399.

Example 6.15 Annual Energy Delivered Using a Spreadsheet. Suppose that a NEG Micon 60-
m diameter wind turbine having a rated power of 1000 kW (average windspeed 6m/s generated
150kW) is installed at a site having Rayleigh wind statistics with an average windspeed of 7 m/s
at the hub height.
(a) Find the annual energy generated.
(b) From the result, find the overall average efficiency of this turbine in these winds.
(c) Find the productivity in terms of kWh/yr delivered per m2 of swept area.
Solution
From Table 6.7,
πv
[ ]
2
−π v
(a) f(v) ¿ 2 exp ( )
2v 4 v

6π
[ ]
2
¿ −π 6
2 exp ( )
2× 7 4 7
¿ 0.10801
Hours (6 m/s)¿ 8760 ×0.10801
 ¿ 946.2 h/yr
Energy (6m/s) ¿ 150kW× 946.2h/yr
¿141930 kWh/yr
(b) assuming the standard value of air density equal to 1.225kg/m3
6 1
P¿ × A v 3
π 2
6 π
¿ ×0.5×1.225× (60)2 ×(7)3
π 4
¿ 1.134×106 W
¿ 1134kW
Energy in wind ¿ 8760×1134
¿ 9.938×106 kWh

6
2.85 ×10
Average efficiency¿ 6
9.938 ×10
¿ 0.29
¿ 29%
 6
2.85× 10
(c) Productivity ¿ π 2
×60
4
¿ 1008kWh/m2.yr

Example 6.16 Capacity Factor for the NEG Micon 1000/60. What is the capacity factor for the
NEG Micon 1000/60 in Example 6.15?
Solution
Annual energy delivered
CF ¿
P R ×8760
6
2.851 ×10
¿
1000× 8760
¿ 0.325

Example 6.17 Energy Estimate Using the Capacity Factor Approach. The Whisper H900 wind
turbine has a 900-W generator with 2.13-m blades. In an area with 6-m/s average windspeeds,
estimate the energy delivered.
Solution
PR
CF ¿ 0.087V - 2
D
0.90
¿ 0.087 ×6- 2
2.13
¿0.324
Energy¿ 8760 ×0.90×0.324
¿ 2554 kWh/yr

Example 6.18 A Loan to Pay for a Small Wind Turbine. Suppose that a 900- W Whisper H900
wind turbine with 7-ft diameter (2.13 m) blade costs $1600. By the time the system is installed
and operational, it costs a total of $2500, which is to be paid for with a 15-yr, 7 percent loan.
Assuming O&M costs of $100/yr, estimate the cost per kWhr over the 15-year period if average
windspeed at hub height is 15 mph (6.7 m/s).
Solution
n
i(1+i)
CRF (0.07,15 yr)¿
(1+i)n−1
15
0.07(1+0.07)
¿
( 1+ 0.07)15−1
¿ 0.1098/yr

A ¿P×CRF (0.07,15 yr)

¿$ 2500×0.1098/yr

¿$274.5/yr

PR
CF ¿ 0.087V - 2
D

0.90
¿ 0.087×6.7- 2
2.13

¿ 0.385

Annual Energy delivered

kWh/yr ¿ 0.9×8760×0.385

¿ 3035kWh/yr

Annual cost ($ / yr )
Average cost ¿
Annual energy (kWh / yr )

$ 374.5 / yr
¿
3035 kWh / yr

¿$0.123/kWh

Example 6.19 Price of Electricity from a Wind Farm. A wind farm project has 40 1500-kW
turbines with 64-m blades. Capital costs are $60 million and the levelized O&M cost is $1.8
million/yr. The project will be financed with a $45 million, 20-yr loan at 7% plus an equity
investment of $15 million that needs a 15% return. Turbines are exposed to Rayleigh winds
averaging 8.5 m/s. What levelized price would the electricity have to sell for to make the project
viable?
Solution

PR
CF ¿ 0.087V - 2
D

1500
¿ 0.087×8.5- 2
64

¿ 0.373

Annual energy ¿ 40 turbines × 1500kW×8760h/yr×0.373

¿ 196×106kWh/yr

[ ]
n
i ( 1+i )
A ¿ P.
( 1+i )n−1

[ ]
20
0.07 (1+ 0.07 )
¿ $45000000 ×
( 1+ 0.07 )20−1

¿ $4.25×106/yr

Equity ¿0.15/yr×$15000000

¿$2.25×106/yr

Annual cost ¿$ (4.25+2.25+1.8)×106

¿$8.3×106/yr
6
$ 8.3 × 10 / yr
Selling price¿ 6
196 ×10 kWh / yr

¿$0.0423/kWh

¿4.23¢/kWh