Implementation Of Wind Energy Research Articles

Renewable Wind Energy Implementation in South America: A Comprehensive Review and Sustainable Prospects

South America is a region that stands out worldwide for its biodiversity of ecosystems, cultural heritage, and potential considering natural resources linked to renewable energies. In the global crisis due to climate change, South American countries have implemented actions to carry out a progressive energy transition from fossil energies to renewable energies and contribute to the planet’s sustainability. In this context, South American countries are implementing green strategies and investment projects linked to wind farms to move towards achieving the sustainable development goals for the year 2030 of the UN agenda and achieving low-carbon economies for the year 2050. This article studies the advances in wind energy implementation in South America, highlighting progress and experiences in these issues through a review of the scientific literature considering the year 2023. The methodology applied in this article was carried out through the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and the generation of scientific maps. As a result, this article presents the main developments, lessons learned/gaps, and future sustainable prospects on the road to 2050. According to the results, renewable wind energy infrastructure was applied in South America during the global climate change crisis era. Different levels of development in on-shore wind farms have been reached in each country. Also, a promising future exists for off-shore wind energy considering the highest potential. Finally, this article concludes that implementing emerging technologies like the production of green hydrogen and synthetic e-fuels looks like a synergetic clean energy solution combined with wind energy, which may transform the region into a world-class sustainable territory.

Decarbonising mining of Australia's critical mineral deposits: Opportunities for sustainable mining through solar photovoltaics and wind energy integration

Critical minerals are essential in numerous industrial applications, particularly those related to green energy production. Nonetheless, the mining and processing of these minerals are severely energy-intensive, relying predominantly on diesel, coal, and gas as sources of power in Australia. Consequently, the use of diesel, coal, and gas as power sources results in a substantial carbon footprint. An important research gap that remains to be explored in the Australian mining sector is investigating the potential for decarbonising the mining of critical minerals through the implementation of renewable energy to attain sustainable mining. This study examines the potential of using solar photovoltaics (PV) and wind energy towards the decarbonisation of critical mineral deposits, taking into account both the intrinsic mineral characteristics such as ore grade, ore depth, and co-existing mineral clusters, as well as external factors such as the capacity factor (CF) and the periods of low energy generation (lull times) of solar PV and wind, which are crucial in assessing the availability of the renewable energy sources explored. The results from this study indicate that a considerable number of critical mineral deposits in Australia are remotely located from the existing national transmission line infrastructure. These deposits often form geographical clusters and typically have favourable conditions for solar PV and wind energy implementation, characterised by high capacity factors and minimal lull times in solar PV/wind. This clustering presents a promising opportunity for powering mining activities with solar PV and wind energy, thus facilitating the decarbonisation of mining operations in Australia through the utilisation of shared renewable energy infrastructures. Moreover, the study identifies specific mineral deposits that are most suitable for decarbonisation with solar PV and wind energy integration. The research method used in this study proposes an evaluative framework that correlates the capacity factor of solar PV and wind with lull times from these sources, as well as with mineral intrinsic characteristics within deposits. This framework enables a comparative analysis of different deposits, assessing their relative suitability for the integration of solar PV and wind energy technologies. This framework is versatile and can be employed to assess different renewable energy sources, making it applicable to various global contexts. The findings from this study underscore the transformative potential of renewable energy sources, indicating that solar PV and wind energy offer new opportunities for attaining decarbonised and sustainable mining in Australia.

Onshore wind in Portugal: History, supporting policies, economic viability and future perspectives

Onshore wind energy is currently playing a crucial role in Europe’s decarbonization efforts. Among other European countries, Portugal is recognized as a successful example of large-scale wind energy implementation thanks to its supportive policies in the 00 s. However, the government's financial support for onshore wind technologies has faced criticism, with accusations that feed-in tariffs were set too high and that farm owners were overpaid for their energy production. As the end of feed-in tariff regimes approaches for onshore wind farms in Portugal, it is unclear whether farm owners will choose to pursue repowering and life extension strategies, or opt to shut down operations. The present paper provides a techno-economic assessment to onshore wind farms in Portugal to assess their historical financial performance based on power production estimates and applicable feed-in tariff legal regimes. Based on the estimated investment costs, farm yield and established feed-in tariffs, the results suggest that there is no evidence of exceptional profits in onshore wind projects in Portugal. The results also suggest significant economic benefits for Portugal in prioritizing future investments in onshore wind, by pointing towards a strategic focus on life extension and repowering strategies as key components of this forward-looking approach.

Modelling the wind potential energy for metallurgical sector in Albania

The metallurgical industry, in the context of the global energy crisis and the new European green deal, needs urgent investments on energy and resource efficiency. The metallurgical sector, which includes the production of different metals is an energy-intensive industry that requires large amounts of energy for various processes such as smelting, refining, and casting. One of the largest consumptions of energy in Albania comes from the metallurgical sector during the production of iron, steel, chromium and aluminum which corresponds respectively to three private companies called “Kurum International Ltd”, “AlbChorme Ltd” and “Everest Ltd”. During the last three years, these companies have temporary interrupted the production process due to the higher electricity price that come from imports. Based on it, our research work presents the energy efficiency analysis in the Albanian metallurgical sector by focusing on the implementation of wind energy in the above mentioned private metallurgical companies, because adding new generation capacity from Renewable Energy Sources in a context of industrial energy communities, will contribute to improve the security of supply for this industry. The Wind Balkan Atlas, New European Wind Atlas, and Wind Atlas Analysis and Application Program (WAsP) has been used to select the appropriate areas and to develop the wind potential distribution maps, as well as to select the most suitable type of wind turbine based on capacity factors. Two areas were selected close to the metallurgical sectors in the regions of “Vajkal” in Bulqizë and “Selitë e Malit” in Tirana. It has been installed the power of 9 MW for each wind farm, with a capacity factor of 40% and 36.6% respectively, and with a total annual energy production of about 60 GWh/year, these wind farms will cover about 26% of the total annual consumption of companies. Clean Energy Management Software (RETScreen Expert) was used for the detailed economic analysis and environmental impact of proposed wind farms. The economic sensitivity analysis of the proposed wind farms showed that even for the highest installation cost value of 1350 €/kW, for discount rates 5, 7, and 11%, the LCoE values are within the statistically established range for wind farms in Europe.

Whispers in the Wind: Ethical dimensions of social conflict in offshore wind

The current European energy crisis in combination with the international climate agreements dictate the need for strong investment in green energy. Among others, offshore wind is widely considered an efficient low-impact low-carbon technology. Despite the positive institutional landscape for the adoption of this form of energy generation, European nations witness societal resistance to its deployment. This paper explores the critical ethical dimensions of offshore wind fuelling relevant societal controversies surrounding its deployment and governance. I argue that at the core of most societal disputes lay normative issues shaping and contributing to the polarisation of the discourses and affecting the viability of initiatives. The method applied to characterise the social controversies is ethical analysis. Using the conceptualisation of the three tenets of energy justice-distributive, procedural, and recognition - I uncover the prevailing justice dimensions present in thematic literature and specific European offshore wind initiatives (Taggen park and Utsira Nord). I also use ethical analysis to characterise further normative implications of offshore wind. At the end, I offer normative insights on how project developers and policymakers can lower the barriers to offshore wind energy implementation and improve governance mechanisms.

The curse of coal or peripherality? Energy transitions and the socioeconomic transformation of Czech coal mining and post-mining regions

Abstract New empirical evidence regarding theories of the resource curse and regional resilience in the context of energy transitions is presented in this article. Our analysis aimed to answer the questions of what the principal differences are between coal mining and other regions in the Czech Republic, and what are the determinants of population decline, unemployment and populism as some of the key indicators of socioeconomic transformation. Unlike most current European studies focusing on NUTS2 or NUTS3 regions, we deal with data for districts (LAU1). The analysis revealed that (in aggregate) coal mining and post-mining districts are worse off in terms of air quality, population vitality, labour market and social capital indicators. It would be problematic for policy implications to consider coal mining and post-mining districts as homogenous categories, however, since there are significant inter-group and intra-group differences in most indicators. Coal mining itself and its decline did not prove to be a direct determinant of population loss, unemployment, and support for populism. The factors significantly affecting these phenomena are geographical (peripherality, urbanisation, population density) and socioeconomic (education level, business activity). In this respect, a provocative question is offered: to what extent is it effective and sustainable to economically support coal mining regions in their existing industrial production structures and population scales, and whether the current processes of reterritorialisation and depopulation can be considered a natural process. The fact that coal mining districts are at the forefront in the implementation of wind energy may be seen as positive, but it raises questions about spatial concentration, and the environmental justice of renewable energy development.

Trade-offs in German wind energy expansion: building bridges between different interests, values and priorities

BackgroundTo achieve climate targets, a transition to low-carbon energy production is necessary. However, conflicts between different interests, values and priorities, particularly at the community level, can constrain this transition. This paper aims to analyze lines of conflict and opportunities to build bridges between conflicting interests in the expansion of wind energy in Germany at the local level, to achieve successful implementation of wind energy projects.ResultsOur analysis of four cases of local-level wind energy projects in Germany shows that limited local options for action reinforce the need for local actors to maximize the benefits of energy transition projects. In addition to the conflict over scarce space, the lines of conflict at the local level run primarily along the dimensions of costs and benefits, winners and losers. Real or perceived procedural and distributive injustices had the potential to fuel resistance to wind energy projects in the analyzed cases. However, wind energy projects were successfully implemented despite the presence of local opposition.ConclusionsThe results show that, by integrating procedural and distributive justice into the project planning and implementation and offering tailored solutions, community support for expansion of renewable energy projects can be enhanced. The paper advances the concept of societal ownership (“gesellschaftliche Trägerschaft”), which suggests the willingness of members of a community to tolerate decisions even when some conflicts related to the decision remain unresolved. Societal ownership is presented as an alternative to the concept of simple acceptance; it implies a more positive, more supportive community attitude, where members aim to address conflict as a normal aspect of decision making. Rather than sweeping alternative opinions aside, the community addresses alternative viewpoints, seeking to achieve greater procedural and distributive justice. In this way, a sense of societal ownership of a project can develop, enhancing its likelihood of success.

Meeting the Challenges of Safety Management in Wind Energy Industry

Abstract: Countries promoting renewable energies encounter a variety of phenomena that can challenge the implementation of further onshore wind energy development. Those challenges can be observed in many multi-level governance systems, as exhibited in the U.S., Germany, and Mexico, where various regulatory and institutional levels must agree on goals and responsibilities. (1) Political and market phenomena, (2) siting issues, (3) the green vs. green dilemma, and (4) social acceptance are selected challenges within the different levels of decision-making processes in wind energy implementation. In this paper these challenges can enhance outlooks in policy and planning, posing solutions to wind energy challenges even in sensitive environments and triggering innovations such as adaptive management. Keywords: Governance, Renewable Energies, Wind Energy, Triggering.4

Investigation of Energy, Water, and Electromobility Through the Development of a Hybrid Renewable Energy System on the Island of Kos

The lack of fresh water and energy independence in remote islands leads to the investigation of Hybrid Systems (HS). In this paper, the implementation of wind energy for meeting energy, water, and electromobility demands on a Greek island is examined. The stochastic nature of wind potential leads to the introduction of energy storage units. Energy storage can be achieved through the HS, which utilizes the rich wind potential of the island of Kos, stores excess energy through pumping to an upper reservoir, and produces hydropower in order to cover the energy deficit. The HS in this study consists of a wind farm with a total capacity of 9.4 MW, which is composed of 4 wind turbines of 2.35 MW, two desalination units with a total capacity of 2275 m3/day a 10 kW power pump for pumping the desalinated water to the drinking water reservoir with a capacity of 180000 m3. It also consists of a hydro turbine of 5 m3/s and an upper reservoir with a capacity of 400000 m3 at a height of 176 m above the hydroelectric station. The first operated scenario aims to meet the energy and water needs of Pyli (3500 inhabitants). The second scenario aims to cover the electromobility and water needs of 20000 inhabitants, which is equivalent to the entire city of Kos. The simulation models operate with hourly meteorological and demand data for the period 2016-2020, results about CO2 emissions, before and after the integration of the HS are presented, and a cost-benefit analysis is performed for the first scenario.

WIND CHARACTERISTICS ANALYSIS IN FOUR POTENTIAL TOWNSHIPS IN MYANMAR

Myanmar has set renewable energy aspirations in the energy mix of the country to meet growing energy demand and to increase clean access to electricity as indicated in Myanmar’s Intended Nationally Determined Contribution. Among renewable energy resources, solar and wind energy are expected to contribute to 9% of total energy mix. Although there have been initiatives on the implementation of solar photovoltaic in Myanmar, implementation of wind energy has not been reported. Few studies on wind energy in Myanmar focused on resource assessment investigating the spatial variation of wind speed and power density. Little has been studied on the seasonal nature and persistence of wind in Myanmar from the perspective of energy generation. This study aims at generating wind speed and power density maps of Myanmar using most recent wind data from 2010 to 2017 to identify potential townships with favourable wind conditions. Prominent wind direction, seasonal variations and wind speed persistence were analyzed for four townships with favourable wind conditions. Weibull parameters suggest that frequency of wind is also favourable for wind energy generation. Hence, this study has identified Chauk, Kyaukpadaung, Meiktila and Natogyi townships as potential regions for wind energy development with estimated power producing time of 53.17% and 65.91% of a year at average wind speed of 4 m/s above. This study serves as a basis for further resource assessment for micrositing of wind turbines to identify feasible sites for wind energy generation in Myanmar.

The evolution, consolidation and future challenges of wind energy in Uruguay

Within a 20-year timeframe, Uruguay transitioned from being a hydro and thermal energy-dependent country to one of the world's leaders in wind energy, including a vast surplus capacity enabling energy exports to its neighbors. Even though the country presents one of the best examples of a successful implementation of clear and sound energy policy, it is still little known overseas. Therefore, the objective of this paper is to describe the evolution and consolidation of wind energy in the country, but also to point out the key future challenges the country will face. For such, we rely on data collected from interviews with experts and relevant policy actors in Uruguay, which had direct exposure to the wind energy policy. We made use of qualitative coding, topic modeling, and sentiment analysis as methodological approaches. Our results point to four key aspects that led to the success of the implementation of wind energy: public policies, market and actors, development and mechanisms, and niche-to-regime growth. Uruguay's main future challenges relate to how to keep up with new investments, mostly in other renewable technologies, while simultaneously keeping up with the know-how developed in the wind sector. The paper ends with some key lessons for public policy makers.

Projected Avoided Costs of Conventional Power Plants in Libya Using Wind Energy

This paper investigates the costs that can be avoided by using wind energy in the central coastal area of Libya. The investigation of the capacity credit was performed in a previous work. The analysis included Fuel saving, capacity saving and emission reduction (NO, SO2 and CO2) to the atmosphere. The avoided costs were translated into equivalent energy costs of wind energy systems. The evaluation was conducted using the reliability (LOLP) analysis and the contribution of wind system during peak demand to the utility total electricity generation system. The calculations were carried out using WASP (Wien Automatic System Planning Package) for the proposed period of 2009-2019 where wind power installation would increase from 100 MW in 2009 to 500 MW in 2019. The results showed that the avoided costs of wind energy will increase from 2.4 c/kWh in 2009 to 8.6 c/kWh in 2019. The mean value of the avoided costs of wend energy over the 10-year period is 6 c/kWh, which would make wind power economically competitive with conventional power plants in Libya. Further investigations of detailed external costs of all energy systems in the national energy mix, as well as the feed in tariff, are recommended and should be introduced to the national energy sectors in order to promote implementation of wind energy and other renewable energy technologies.

Wind Energy Implementation to Mitigate Wildfire Risk and Preemptive Blackouts

Damages caused by wildfires in California due to transmission line failures have increased significantly in recent years. Curtailment of electric service in areas under fire threat has been implemented to avoid these wildfires. Results from this research indicated that 24% of California’s cities are at risk of wildfire, while 52% are at risk of blackout. These blackouts have resulted in significant financial losses and risk to life and health. Undergrounding current transmission lines has been proposed as a long-term solution. However, undergrounding lines would take decades to complete and increase average monthly electric bills from $80 to $260. This research investigated shortening the length of the electricity supply chain, supplying affected communities with onshore and offshore wind energy. Results showed good wind energy potential in locations near affected cities. Distance analyses revealed that more than two hundred cities (population 5.5 million) can be served by existing wind farms located at less than 50 km. Future offshore wind turbines could generate high power output (capacity factor >50% for significant periods). An analysis of diverse locations along California’s coast indicated that just one offshore wind farm could serve more than a hundred cities with cumulative population larger than one million.

Current state and prospects of wind energy development in Ukraine

The analysis of the development of alternative energy sources in the developed countries of the world was carried out, as well as the strategy of the implementation of wind energy in Ukraine was considered. The emphasis was on the design and operation of wind power units and the investment of investment funds in modernizing existing wind power plants and building new ones. The most attractive regions for wind power use in Ukraine was presented. The advantages and disadvantages of using nontraditional energy sources and the features of operation of wind power plants were substantiated.

Harvesting wind energy: A hybridized design of pinwheel by coupling triboelectrification and electromagnetic induction effects

Wind power is one of the most attractive frontrunners of the technological breakthroughs that might lead to more efficient energy production. However, the implementation of wind energy is seriously delayed due to the lack of technological advancements that can solve the costs and regional deployment issues. Here, a hybridized design of pinwheel with coupled triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) and electromagnetic generator (EMG) that can harvest wind energy even in a light breeze is reported. For example, at 1.7 m/s wind speed, the Isc and Voc of the TENG part can reach 1.8 μA and 24 V, while the electric signals of the EMG are 3.8 mA and 0.95 V. Specially, the pinwheel with sole TENG can produce an output of 1.3 μA and 20 V at 1.3 m/s. At 6 m/s wind speed, the TENG part provides a maximum output power density of 0.12 mW/g and the EMG part gives a peak output power density of 0.26 mW/g. Furthermore, the pinwheel can not only charge capacitors but also power mobile phones, hygrometers and some other low-power portable electronic devices, which makes perfect sense in situations even with a very low annual average wind speed.

A novel systemic approach for analysing offshore wind energy implementation

Offshore wind energy cumulative installed capacity has been increasing sharply in northern Europe since the early 2000s. This renewable energy could make easier the diversification of the energy mix or the mitigation of global warming. Likewise, its deployment might trigger some positive economic effects, such as job creation, GDP contribution or industrial diversification. For these reasons, it could be advisable to shed light on the main drivers that foster the diffusion of the capacity to generate energy from offshore wind.The main aim of this paper is to propose a comprehensive analytical framework of the main drivers behind the deployment of this renewable energy in the leading global markets. The methodological approach consists of descriptive studies and the proposal of a regression specification (country fixed-effect panel model) with a list of factors relating to offshore wind industry classified into three relevant groups.This proposed analysis represents a step ahead from traditional approaches, because it facilitates a systemic analysis of the main policy and market factors, as well as technological and natural drivers behind the deployment of this renewable energy. In addition, as another novelty, the analytical framework takes into account the specific sectoral stage of development and country heterogeneity.

Entrepreneurial activities in policy implementation: Sweden\u2019s national wind coordinators

A growing body of literature focuses on how the context in which policy entrepreneurs operate shapes their actions. This study contributes to this perspective by focusing on the regional implementation of wind turbines for increasing renewable energy levels in Sweden. Sweden introduced national wind coordinators for facilitating wind energy implementation. In this capacity, the coordinators carry out entrepreneurial strategies in form of moving the policy through the administrative agenda at local level and pursuing the implementation process together with municipal stakeholders. The study shows that over time, wind coordinators were able to move beyond the government-defined activities and widen the scope of their actions. The analysis offers insights into the temporal dimension of regional entrepreneurial activities by mapping activities from 2006 to 2016. The case reveals that a flexible policy framework and more in-depth knowledge into regional struggles through mediating and networking enable the identification of potential local bottlenecks and lobbying for legal changes by entrepreneurs.

The rise of Renewable Energy implementation in South Africa

As the seventh coal producer in the world, around 77% of South Africa’s electricity is generated from coal resulting in a high level of environmental degradation. South Africa’s per capita greenhouse emissions are the highest in Africa. Besides, centrally generated power is not able to reach the remote areas because of the lack of distribution infrastructure. South Africa has a large potential for both, solar and wind power generation, with smaller potential for biomass, landfill gas and hydropower. Our focus in this paper is the solar and wind energy implementation in South Africa. With an average of 2,500 hours of sunshine per year, and 4.5 to 6.6 kWh/ m2 of radiation level, South Africa is among the top three in the world. The total wind power potential of South Africa is estimated to be 6,7000 GW, and is found to be competitive with the solar potential. The Government of South Africa, Department of Energy, and the National Energy Regulator of South Africa have developed policies and projects for the procurement and implementation of renewable energy to supplement its fossil fuel based production for greater sustainability and diversification in energy sourcing. In turn the provincial and municipal leadership have produced their own strategies to instigate sustainable energy usage. The Renewable Energy Independent Power Producers Procurement Program (REIPPPP) has allocated to over 92 Power Producers to injecting over 6,300MW of power into the power grid, mainly from solar and wind generation. The embracing of green energy has led to reduction in energy production costs, job creation, foreign investment and buy-in from local stakeholders. These projects are often located in rural areas, impacting local communities through job creation, development and improved quality of life. However, a number of impediments still need to be addressed as South Africa assimilates this new industry.

Knowledge, Use and Effectiveness of Social Acceptance Measures for Wind Projects

Wind energy is one of the key technologies to become independent of fossil fuels. Implementation of wind energy on a local level, however, has sometimes proved to be challenging and dealing with local acceptance of onshore wind turbines has become troublesome for some projects. Communication and public involvement are seen as strategies to prevent or respond to local opposition. This paper analyses the views of a variety of experts in wind energy on this matter. It focuses on eliciting their experiences with public participation measures. Furthermore, the perceived effectiveness of the measures for the social acceptance of wind energy projects is analysed. To do so, this paper draws on an expert survey among 207 individuals across Europe linked to wind energy projects. The analysis shows that negative reactions to wind farms are reported more frequently than positive reactions. In nearly 40% of cases, projects experience negative consequences on project development due to a lack of social acceptance, ranging from delays to changes in project plans and even termination. The vast majority of wind project developers respond to this by carrying out public participation activity at least sometimes. However, a much lower share does this systematically and the level of activity is low in early project phases. With regard to the relationship between project activities and project success, there is some support for the assumption that early and systematic involvement of the public and stakeholders is likely to reduce negative reactions.

Wind resource assessment over Al Duqm industrial area in Oman

Al Duqm is an emerging industrial city in the southeastern coast of Oman. Due to its geographical location, wind energy can play an important role to energise the city and its surrounding area. Wind resource mapping is the first step to identify the wind energy potential of the city. In this paper, wind data of Al Duqm weather station was collected and analysed for the period of 2000 to 2012. Wind power density and other important indices were calculated to determine the suitability of Al Duqm for wind energy implementation. Then, the Wind Atlas Analysis and Application Program (WAsP) was used to simulate the annual energy production (AEP) for 1-MW wind turbine over selected region of Al Duqm. WAsP simulation showed that the AEP of the region is about 3.3 GWh at 80 m above the ground.