Wind Energy Science and Engineering John Galisky Space, Technology and Robotic Systems Academy Lompoc High School Lompoc, CA

Introductions What is your name? Where do you work? Why are you here? or What are your expectations?

Useful websites KidWind (curriculum & materials) – American Wind Energy Association – U.S. Department of Energy – National Renewable Energy Laboratory – KidWind Project |

Agenda Why Teach Wind? History of Wind Power Wind Turbine Technology Wind Resources Some Issues Wind Energy in the Classroom

KidWind Project | What is KidWind? The KidWind Project is a team of teachers, students, engineers and practitioners exploring the science behind wind energy in classrooms around the US. Our goal is to introduce as many people as possible to the elegance of wind power through hands-on science activities which are challenging, engaging and teach basic science principles.

Why Wind Education in K-12 ? Students learn science/math standards – Lessons are completely scalable from elementary through college level Addresses myths regarding wind energy – Improves the local understanding of wind energy – Provides a bulwark against misunderstandings and fictional problems with wind energy Encourages higher interest in Science and Math – Science/Math activities with “larger social purpose” Students learn about jobs/careers in wind industry, as well as opportunities for further training

Typical Wind Lessons - Not Technical Beaufort Scale Pinwheels Student Reports Demonstrations Discussion Activity All very interesting but very little of the science and technology related to the current wind industry is presented. In fact, most textbooks are pretty negative about the future of wind and misrepresent the technology miserably.

This is strange because… Wind Energy is the Fastest Growing Energy Source in the World!! US installed capacity grew 45% in 2007 and 50% in 2008!!!

KidWind Project | National Renewable Energy Laboratory

2008: 8,358 megawatts (MW) of new wind energy capacity installed 50% growth rate! Brings US total installed wind energy capacity to 25,170 MW At ~3.5 kW per house this is enough electricity to power close to 7 million homes! 2009 was a slower year due to the economy

KidWind Project |

Why such growth?…costs! 1979: 40 cents/kWh Increased Turbine Size R&D Advances Manufacturing Improvements NSP 107 MW Lake Benton wind farm 4 cents/kWh (unsubsidized) 2004: 3 – 4.5 cents/kWh 2000: cents/kWh

U.S. Department of Energy

Other Reason to teach… Elegant Power Source

Need to Change Perceptions…

KidWind Project | Wind Power - History - Technology - The Wind Resource - Wind in the Classroom

Early “Windmill” in Afghanistan (900AD)

Jacobs Turbine – WinCharger – 1930s – 40s

Smith-Putnam Turbine Vermont, 1940's

Modern Windmills

Orientation Turbines can be categorized into two overarching classes based on the orientation of the rotor Vertical AxisHorizontal Axis

Vertical Axis Turbines Advantages Omnidirectional – Accepts wind from any angle Components can be mounted at ground level – Ease of service – Lighter weight towers Can theoretically use less materials to capture the same amount of wind Disadvantages Rotors generally near ground where wind poorer Centrifugal force stresses blades Poor self-starting capabilities Requires support at top of turbine rotor Requires entire rotor to be removed to replace bearings Overall poor performance and reliability Have never been commercially successful (large scale)

Horizontal Axis Wind Turbines Rotors are usually Up-wind of tower Some machines have down-wind rotors, but only commercially available ones are small turbines Proven, viable technology

Modern Small Wind Turbines: High Tech, High Reliability, Low Maintenance Technically Advanced Only 2-3 Moving Parts Very Low Maintenance Requirements Proven: ~ 5,000 On-Grid American Companies are the Market and Technology Leaders 10 kW 50 kW 400 W 900 W (Not to scale)

Yawing – Facing the Wind Active Yaw (all medium & large turbines produced today & some small turbines from Europe) Anemometer on nacelle tells controller which way to point rotor into the wind Yaw drive turns gears to point rotor into wind Passive Yaw (Most small turbines) Wind forces alone direct rotor Tail vanes Downwind turbines

Wacky Designs out there…

Large Wind Turbines 450’ base to blade Each blade 112’ Span greater than tons total Foundation 20+ feet deep Rated at 1.5 – 5 megawatt Supply at least 350 homes

Wind Turbine Perspective Nacelle 56 tons Tower 3 sections Workers Blade 112’ long

KidWind Project |

Maintenance KidWind Project |

Wind Farms

Off-Shore Wind Farms

Middelgrunden

THE WIND RESOURCE

Why do windmills need to be high in the sky??

Turbulent wind is bad wind

Calculation of Wind Power Power in the wind Power in the wind – Effect of swept area, A – Effect of wind speed, v – Effect of air density,  Swept Area: A = πr 2 Area of the circle swept by the rotor (m 2 ). Power in the Wind = ½ρAv 3 r

Importance of Wind Speed No other factor is more important to the amount of power available in the wind than the speed of the wind Power is a cubic function of wind speed – V X V X V 20% increase in wind speed means 73% more power Doubling wind speed means 8 times more power

KidWind Project |

Key Issues facing Wind Power

Wildlife Impacts

1980’s California Wind Farm Older Technology + Higher RPMs + Lower Towers + Lattice Towers + Poorly Sited = Bad News!

In the November-December Audubon Magazine, John Flicker, President of National Audubon Society, wrote a column stating that Audubon "strongly supports wind power as a clean alternative energy source," pointing to the link between global warming and the birds and other wildlife that scientist say it will kill.

Impacts of Wind Power: Noise Modern turbines are relatively quiet Rule of thumb – stay about 3x hub-height away from houses

Where is the wind? Where are the population centers? Where are the wind farms? How do we get wind energy from the wind farms to the population centers? Transmission Problems

Siting and NIMBY

Wind Energy in the Classroom

Standards/Skills Scientific Processes (Collecting & Presenting Data, Performing Experiments, Repeating Trials, Using Models) Use of Simple Tools & Equipment Forces Cause Change Energy Transformations (Forms of Energy) Circuits/Electricity/Magnetism Weather Patterns Renewable – Non Renewable Energy

Elementary Engineering is Elementary Wind Chimes Wind Art Building simple blades

Middle Building Wind Turbines Assessing Wind Resource Mathematics balloon streamers Kite or balloon string ~3m

Secondary Advanced Blade Design School Siting Projects Data Analysis Advanced Math

KidWind Project |

WindWise 1.How is Energy Converted to Electricity? 2.What is the Cost of Inefficiency? 3.What Causes Wind? 4.Where Is It Windy? 5.Can Wind Power Your Classroom? 6.How Does a Windmill Work? 7.How Does a Generator Work? 8.Which Blades are Best? 9.How Can I Design A Better Blade? 10.How Does Energy Affect Wildlife? 11.Wind's Risk To Birds 12.Can We Reduce Risk To Bats? 13.How Do People Feel About Wind? 14.Siting A Wind Farm 15.Is Wind A Good Investment? Energy Wind Turbines Wind & Wildlife Siting Wind Turbines

KidWind Project | Circuits, Wind Farms, Battery Charging, and Hybrid Systems

Useful websites KidWind (curriculum & materials) – American Wind Energy Association – U.S. Department of Energy – National Renewable Energy Laboratory – KidWind Project |

The KidWind Project Questions???