Larger Turbines and the Future Cost of Wind Energy (Poster)
Abstract
The move to larger turbines has been observed in the United States and around the world. Turbine scaling increases energy capture while reducing general project infrastructure costs and landscape impacts, each of which of can reduce the cost of wind energy. However, scaling in the absence of innovation, can increase turbine costs. The ability of turbine designers and manufacturers to continue toscale turbines, while simultaneously reducing costs, is an important factor in long-term viability of the industry. This research seeks to better understand how technology innovation can allow the continued development of larger turbines on taller towers while also achieving lower cost of energy. Modeling incremental technology improvements identified over the past decade demonstrates that costreductions on the order of 10%, and capacity factor improvements on the order of 5% (for sites with annual mean wind speed of 7.25 m/s at 50m), are achievable for turbines up to 3.5 MW. However, to achieve a 10% cost reduction and a 10% capacity factor improvement for turbines up to 5 MW, additional technology innovations must be developed and implemented.
- Authors:
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1009292
- Report Number(s):
- NREL/PO-6A20-50835
TRN: US201106%%508
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC36-08GO28308
- Resource Type:
- Conference
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Presented at the European Wind Energy Association Annual Event, 14-17 March 2011, Brussels, Belgium; Related Information: NREL (National Renewable Energy Laboratory)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 17 WIND ENERGY; CAPACITY; MANUFACTURERS; SIMULATION; TURBINES; VELOCITY; VIABILITY; wind turbines; scaling; turbine scaling; energy capture; cost reductions for wind turbines
Citation Formats
Lantz, E, and Hand, M. Larger Turbines and the Future Cost of Wind Energy (Poster). United States: N. p., 2011.
Web.
Lantz, E, & Hand, M. Larger Turbines and the Future Cost of Wind Energy (Poster). United States.
Lantz, E, and Hand, M. 2011.
"Larger Turbines and the Future Cost of Wind Energy (Poster)". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1009292.
@article{osti_1009292,
title = {Larger Turbines and the Future Cost of Wind Energy (Poster)},
author = {Lantz, E and Hand, M},
abstractNote = {The move to larger turbines has been observed in the United States and around the world. Turbine scaling increases energy capture while reducing general project infrastructure costs and landscape impacts, each of which of can reduce the cost of wind energy. However, scaling in the absence of innovation, can increase turbine costs. The ability of turbine designers and manufacturers to continue toscale turbines, while simultaneously reducing costs, is an important factor in long-term viability of the industry. This research seeks to better understand how technology innovation can allow the continued development of larger turbines on taller towers while also achieving lower cost of energy. Modeling incremental technology improvements identified over the past decade demonstrates that costreductions on the order of 10%, and capacity factor improvements on the order of 5% (for sites with annual mean wind speed of 7.25 m/s at 50m), are achievable for turbines up to 3.5 MW. However, to achieve a 10% cost reduction and a 10% capacity factor improvement for turbines up to 5 MW, additional technology innovations must be developed and implemented.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1009292},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 2011},
month = {Tue Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 2011}
}