Grid proposed for offshore wind turbines
Apr 08 - United Press International
U.S. scientists are proposing creation of a grid project to allow
offshore wind turbines to generate steady power despite changes in wind
speed and direction.
The researchers from the University of Delaware and Stony Brook
University said offshore wind power resources are abundant, but wind
turbines are currently unable to provide steady power due to natural
fluctuations in wind direction and strength. The researchers, however,
have determined the power output can be made more consistent by choosing
project development locations that take advantage of regional weather
patterns and by connecting wind power generators with a shared power
line.
"Making wind-generated electricity more steady will enable wind power to
become a much larger fraction of our electric sources," said University
of Delaware Professor Willett Kempton, the study's lead author.
Reducing the severity of wind power fluctuations would allow sufficient
time for power suppliers to ramp up or down power production from other
energy sources as needed, the scientists said. Solutions that reduce
power fluctuations also are important if wind is to displace significant
amounts of carbon-emitting energy sources, the researchers said.
The study that included University of Delaware researcher Dana Veron
and Stony Brook University Associate Professor Brian Colle is reported
in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
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