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| Cost issues | ||
| Today's best HAWTs and
VAWTs can convert about 40% of the wind's energy to mechanical energy.
With a typical generator efficiency of 85%, today's machines can achieve
a maximum overall efficiency of 35%. This conversion efficiency exceeds
that of many other renewable energy technologies - including photovoltaics,
where typical commercial modules have efficiencies of less than 15%
- and also compares favorably with 30% to 40% thermal efficiency of
some conventional power plants. With wind as a largely available resource,
wind power has proven itself to be a realistic energy supply alternative. In 1991, for example, California's wind power plants offset the emission of more than 2.8 billion pounds of carbon dioxide, even assuming they replaced relatively clean-burning gas-fired power plants. These same wind plants offset 16 million points of nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide and particulates. |
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