Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
In 99 a new approval and certification system was introduced for the purpose of im-
proving the overall quality of Danish wind turbines [Nielsen 993]. It specifies very com-
prehensive requirements for documentation of all design criteria ( e.g. , load cases and loads),
fatigue evaluation, safety levels, power curves, and noise emissions, plus quality procedures
for manufacturing, transporting, installing, and subsequently servicing the turbine. Many of
these design standards are the basis for the International Electrotechnical Standards adopted
in the late 990s and now in use worldwide.
Status of Wind Energy Development in Denmark
By 200, the total number of grid-connected wind turbines in Denmark peaked at about
8,000, with a total rated capacity of almost 3,000 MW. Energy production from wind tur-
bines that year approached 5,000 GWh, which was 4 percent of the national electricity
consumption. Private ownership accounted for 86 percent of the turbines, 76 percent of the
installed power, and 79 percent of the energy production. The remainder came from util-
ity-owned wind turbines. Some older machines have now been taken off-line and replaced,
so the installed capacity at the end of 2007 was up slightly to 3,2 MW. That year, wind
turbines produced 7,38 GWh, or 9.7 percent of electricity consumed in Denmark. Since
200 most of the new plants, totaling 423 MW by 2007, have been offshore. More offshore
wind power stations are planned, and the better winds offshore have helped increase station
capacity factors.
Wind Turbines on Isolated or Utility Mini-Grids
The application of wind power to isolated- or mini-grids is a growing and important
market for wind turbines. There are unique issues and constraints with isolated or small util-
ity grids that depend on the conventional generators, the size of the network and the physical
setting. There are a variety of grid applications that can be classified as isolated or small.
For example,
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islands that have no cable connection to mainland grid or where the island loads
have exceeded cable capacity
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isolated mainland communities
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mainland communities that are not isolated, but choose to generate their own elec-
tricity
Island Applications
Some island communities use fossil-fuel thermal power plants to produce electricity
that is distributed through an extensive grid network ( e.g ., Tasmania in Australia and the
Hawaiian Islands). Others employ continuous-duty diesel-electric generators, typically one
to five units, to meet the electrical load. On some Caribbean islands, diesel generators are
run intermittently to charge battery banks used for lighting and refrigeration. In all of these
applications, wind power can supplement power production and save fuel.
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