This document discusses wind power as a renewable energy source. It describes how wind turbines convert kinetic wind energy into electricity, and how windmills convert it into mechanical power for uses like pumping water. Worldwide wind power capacity has grown significantly in recent decades, with the top countries for new installations being the US, Germany, Spain, China, and India. The placement of wind turbines is important for economic factors like available transmission lines and wind resources. Costs include the turbine generators themselves as well as land acquisition and ongoing maintenance.

1. Renewable energy
WIND POWER

2. RENEWABLE
POWER
LOCATION
PRODUCTION
COSTS

3. 1. Motivation
 We need to find
alternative sources of
energy, that don’t
aggravate the pollution
of our planet;
 We can rely on the
renewable energy, that
uses the wind, the sun or
the water in creating
unpolluted sources of
energy. And it works!!

4. 2. The wind energy
 Wind power produces
no greenhouse gases
during operation, such as
carbon dioxide and
methane;
 Wind power means
conversion of wind
energy into a useful form
of energy, such as using
wind turbines to make
electricity;

5. World wind generation
capacity
 At the moment, there are many thousands of wind turbines operating,
with a total capacity of 157,899 MW of which wind power in Europe
accounts for 48% (2009).
 World wind generation capacity more than quadrupled between 2000
and 2006, doubling about every three years.
 81% of wind power installations are in the US and Europe.
 The share of the top five countries in terms of new installations fell from
71% in 2004 to 62% in 2006, but climbed to 73% by 2008 as those
countries—the United States, Germany, Spain, China, and India—have
seen substantial capacity growth in the past two years (see chart).
 By 2010, the World Wind Energy Association expects 160 GW of
capacity to be installed worldwide, up from 73.9 GW at the end of 2006,
implying an anticipated net growth rate of more than 21% per year.

6. Usage of wind energy
 Wind turbines
produce electricity;
 Wind mills
produce
mechanical power;
 Wind pumps used
for pumping water
or drainage;

7. Wind turbines
 A wind turbine is
a rotating machine
that converts the
kinetic energy of
wind into
mechanical energy;
 A group of wind
turbines in the
same location used
for production of
electric power
create a wind
farm.

8. Wind mills
• Wind mills are
machines that
use mechanical
energy to pump
water, cut
lumber or grind
stones;

9. Wind pumps
• Wind pumps are used for
pumping water, either as a
source of fresh water from
wells, or for draining low-lying
areas of land;
• Wind pumps were common
fixture on farms in semi-arid
areas;
• These days, they are still
used where electric power is
not available or too
expensive.

10. 3. Turbine placement
 A good selection of a wind turbine site is critical to
economic development of wind power and has to take in
consideration a number of factors:
 availability of wind itself
 availability of transmission lines
 value of energy to be produced
 cost of land acquisition
 land use considerations
 environmental impact of construction and operations
 Off-shore locations may offset their higher construction
cost with higher annual load factors, thereby reducing
cost of energy produced.

11. 4. Wind energy capacity in our
countries (2008)
 4.1. Greece 985 MW
 4.2. Lithuania 54 MW
 4.3. Poland 472 MW
 4.4. Portugal 2862 MW
 4.5. Romania 10 MW
 4.6. Spain 16740 MW

12. 5. Costs
 Direct costs
 Generator’s price;
 Land acquisition;
 New transmission
lines and substations;
 Maintenance
 Environment;
 Technology
development;
 Scale enlargement;

13. Thank you for

Your attention!
Remember that
renewable energy
helps create a
better, cleaner
world!!!