Where are the winds?

KidWind Project | www.kidwind.org

Where is the Wind?

Wind speed in Maryland

Wind Rose

Wind Varies Annually Average annual wind speeds may vary as much as 25% from year to year

Wind Varies Seasonally

Wind Varies Instantaneously

Why do windmills need to be high in the sky?? The higher we get the more faster and cleaner the wind are. As you move closer to the earth the friction with the surface of the earth causes the wind to slow down and to become more turbulent…bad things if you want to generate energy from the wind. The nacelle of most commercial wind turbines is around 100 meters.

Turbulent wind is bad wind “Micro-Siting” refers to how a wind turbine is placed on a given property. Trees and buildings are significant obstacles to the wind. We can’t see it, but the region of disturbed flow downwind of an obstacle is twice the height of that obstacle and quite long. For example, a 30-ft tall house creates a region of turbulence that is 60 ft high and 600 ft long (2 football fields!). This turbulence reduces power output from a wind turbine, and increases the stress and wear on that turbine. THE SOLUTION  Place the turbine upwind of obstacles (in the prevailing wind direction), or use a tower twice the height of the obstacles, or both.

Turbulence Top View Side View

Work with a partner on this exercise Work with a partner on this exercise. Please write on bottom of your drill – letter each answer Where would you place a wind farm in Maryland? Why? Describe conditions necessary for a good wind farm.

Homework Complete Recommendation Essay.