How much energy does a wind turbine generate?
Large, tall wind turbines in particular provide electricity that is profitable despite high investments. The amount of energy a wind turbine can generate depends on the one hand on the size of the wind turbine and on the other hand on its efficiency. The latter indicates what percentage of the incoming wind energy can be converted into rotational energy and then into electricity.
For many years, huge wind turbines and entire wind farms were seen as the alternative to environmentally friendly electricity generation in the future. Now several hundred meters high wind turbines are very controversial.
Generate environmentally friendly energy with a wind turbine
The size of wind turbines ranges from small wind turbines to large systems.
- A very small system only produces a few kilowatts of power. With small wind turbines, yields are around 50 kilowatts. A rotor blade has a diameter of around 16 meters.
- How much a wind turbine does energy can produce depends on the size and the rotor diameter. In systems with a capacity of several megawatts, this reaches up to 100 meters. Even larger diameters are envisaged. (Status May 2013)
- A modern wind turbine generates four to seven megawatt hours current per year. The energy ultimately generated by the system depends on many factors. Parameters such as rotor diameter, hub height, wind speed and topography must be taken into account. A distinction is made between strong and weak wind locations (coast / inland).
Wind energy is considered environmentally friendly. But when wind turbines are gigantic ...
How much electricity does wind power bring?
How many houses can a wind turbine supply with an output of one megawatt? If that concerns a constant power supply, then not a single one. The question contains unknown quantities. What is meant by a house? How suitable are the wind conditions at the location?
- With a good wind location, for example, one reckons with 2,000 hours of electricity generation. The full load hours are not indefinitely acceptable. Every wind turbine only brings full load under optimal wind conditions. The wind is not too weak and not too strong. During calm and storms, the wind turbine stands still or only runs in partial load operation. The annual production of a wind turbine with one megawatt brings it to two million kilowatt hours at 2,000 full load hours.
- In Germany, an average household (three people) uses around 3,500 kilowatt hours of electricity. Theoretically, around 570 households could be supplied. Consumers can live in very different houses (single-family, multi-family houses) and in different numbers.
- The disadvantage of the wind turbine is crucial. It doesn't always produce electricity when it's needed. Like electricity, wind is unpredictable. If there is no wind, the power supply fails completely.
Nuclear, coal and gas power plants have to step in. At best, wind turbines contribute temporarily to the energy supply, depending on the amount of wind available.
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