permaculture

[David Neeley <dbneeley@gmail.com>]

The windspeed to reach rated power can vary greatly depending upon the
design. Engineers I have spoken with have told me that it depends upon
the various normal windspeeds for a given location, as well as the
size and design of the generator.

The large, German one is rated at 5MW @14.5 mph, or so the article I
read about it said.Of course, its blades are 126 meters in swept
diameter and weigh many tons each, so that may have a part in it as
well...plus it is built in a land-based site, so the average windspeed
may be a significant factor in its design.

As an aside, I lived for some years in Corpus Christi, Texas, on the
coast of the Gulf of Mexico. I hope there will be a windfarm developed
down there--for Corpus Christi is the city of highest windspeed in the
U.S. There, a ten mile per hour breeze is usually unnoticed by the
residents because it is so much gentler than the frequently
faster-blowing gusts. If I were to find suitable employment down
there, I would be shopping for a personal-sized wind turbine very soon
thereafter...

David


On Fri, 29 Oct 2004 22:49:35 -0400 (EDT), dwoodard@becon.org
<dwoodard@becon.org> wrote:
> Rated power of wind turbines is usually obtained at around 27-35 mph,
> depending on the design. The largest turbines are usually intended for
> offshore use and the higher windspeeds.
> 
> Power varies as the cube of the windspeed.
> 
> Doug Woodard
> St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada