Wind Turbines: A Brief Overview
One may ask themselves; What exactly is a wind turbine and how does it work?
Well, to start off, a wind turbine is a device that is associated with the production of electricity and is often seen in, mostly rural areas.
They usually consist of a support system which firmly attaches the blades to the ground.
These turbine blades are attached to a rotor shaft and as wind moves past these turbines, they rotate, thus creating rotational energy (a lot like how an airplane wing works). Once this rotational energy has been created, it is passed down the generator shaft where magnets spin past coils of wire creating an electro-magnetic charge.
This charge is subsequently converted from AC voltage to DC voltage and finally enters a transformer where it is raised to around 20 kilovolts (kV). After this whole process, this power is ready to enter the power grid.
Turbine Construction
As for the construction of wind turbines, there are several main parts that make up a turbine; the generator (often referred to as the drive train), tower, nacelle, and rotor blades.
These parts all come together in order to create electricity from wind energy.
The generator is the power-producing portion of a wind turbine, converting the rotational energy created by the rotor blades into electricity.
Tower construction has two main parts to it; first being the foundation footing that is cast into the ground and then must be reinforced with steel or concrete piles. The second part of tower construction would be the tower shaft itself which begins right below the nacelle and extends into the ground.
Nacelles (or gearboxes) are placed in order to step up or down voltage and speed, then direct the power either to a high-voltage transmission line for medium-distance transport or to a low-voltage distribution line for local use.
Rotor blades are placed in order to capture the most amount of wind possible. They spin around the rotor shaft, converting kinetic energy into electrical energy that is then transmitted out of the turbine and into power lines near for local use.
Wind Power Facts
Did you know that wind power has expanded greatly in the past decade? Between 2003 and 2013, global wind energy generating capacity increased by more than seven times.
This increase is largely due to advancements made in turbines and there are now blades as long as soccer fields, towering over 200 feet high! And with cheaper and more efficient turbines, getting all of this energy has become easier than ever.
Are You Ready to Make the Switch?
With the rapid development of wind power occurring throughout the globe, more and more people are moving away from traditional non-renewable energy sources like coal and oil in order to adopt cleaner, greener forms of energy production. After all, why would you rather get your energy from a resource that cannot be renewed as opposed to a free and abundant supply?
And with wind turbine construction increasing throughout the years, wind power is set to only become more efficient in the future.
If you’re ready to make the switch, you can start by checking out
power to choose Texas and compare energy plans in Houston
Houston energy plans or Dallas
Dallas energy plans. Before you make a decision, read
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