Suiyu Column: Explains the characteristics of wind power generation. About advantages and disadvantages

Wind power generation, as the name suggests, uses the force of the wind to turn the blades of a windmill and converts the rotational energy into electrical energy using a generator. Along with solar power generation, it is a representative renewable energy, and its spread is progressing rapidly around the world.

It’s being widely introduced in Japan, so I’m sure many people have actually seen it before. You can feel the energy of nature close to you when you look at the windmills that are dynamically powered by the wind.

Wind power generation has become familiar to many people, but in this column, we will explain its characteristics, advantages and disadvantages.

Characteristics and trends of wind power generation

Wind power converts the kinetic energy of the wind into the rotation of windmills, turning generators and converting it into electrical energy, so there is no fuel cost and no risk of depletion. Recently, there has been progress in technology for increasing the size of wind turbines in order to increase the amount of power generated, and there is a tendency for the amount of power generated per unit to increase.

Since electric power can be obtained if installed in a place where wind power can be secured, in addition to wind power generation installed on land, offshore wind turbines installed offshore are also spreading. In addition, large-scale wind turbines called “wind farms” are being built, where many wind power generators are installed and the whole is operated as a single power plant.

In particular, wind power generation is gaining popularity in Europe, and some energy companies, such as Spain’s Iberdrola and Denmark’s ORSTED, have grown significantly through wind power generation.

In Japan, the cumulative installed capacity of wind power generation has reached 4,581,000 kW and 2,574 units (as of the end of 2021). In addition, since it is surrounded by the sea and has a long coastline and wide sea area, offshore wind power generation that makes use of it is also considered promising.

Advantages of wind power

Wind power generation has the above characteristics, but what are the advantages?

(1) Low environmental impact

The first advantage is the low environmental impact. As mentioned above, it uses rotational energy from wind power to generate electricity, so it does not emit CO2 during power generation.

② Can generate electricity all day long

Another great advantage is that it can supply electricity inexhaustibly as long as there is power from the wind.

In the case of solar power generation, which is the most popular renewable energy, power cannot be generated at night when there is no sunlight. Also, on days when the sunlight is weak, the power generation efficiency will decrease.

On the other hand, wind power generation can generate power all day long, day or night, as long as it is installed in a place where the amount of power generation can be secured. However, if the location is selected incorrectly, sufficient power generation cannot be obtained, so it is very important to carefully consider the installation location.

(3) High power generation efficiency and low power generation cost

Wind power generation has high power generation efficiency and is said to have the lowest power generation cost among renewable energies.

The energy conversion efficiency to electric power is about 30% to 40%, which is the second highest among renewable energies after hydroelectric power generation. Power generation efficiency depends on the frequency of occurrence of wind speed and the output characteristics of the wind turbine. Since wind energy increases in proportion to the cube of wind speed, it is expected that more efficient power generation can be achieved depending on the combination of installation location and technology.

In addition, if efforts are made to reduce wind turbine downtime and improve facility utilization, combined with high power generation efficiency, power generation costs can be expected to be significantly lower than other renewable energy sources.

Disadvantages of wind power generation

So far, we have discussed the advantages of wind power generation, but of course there are also disadvantages.

①Even if maintenance is costly

Due to the passage of low pressure systems, typhoons, gusts of wind, lightning strikes, etc., power generators and power transmission mechanisms may suddenly fail. In other countries, there have been reports of blackouts in which all power supplies are lost, and considering the maintenance and backup to deal with that, it can cost a lot.

If installed in coastal areas or on the ocean, problems may occur due to salt damage, rust, and wear fatigue. There is also a report that about half of wind turbine troubles in wind power generation are caused by lightning strikes and wear fatigue.

(2) Impact on noise and scenery

The damage caused by noise has been pointed out in various fields, and similar cases have been reported in wind power generation due to the low-frequency sound and wind noise of wind turbines when they are driven.

In addition, depending on the installation location, landscape problems may occur, and there are frequent protests by local residents.

(3) Environmental impact

Wind power generation has a low environmental impact in that it does not emit CO2, but installation may have an impact on the environment.

For example, when installing in a forest area, it may be necessary to amplify the road for transporting construction materials, or civil engineering work such as large-scale cutting and reclamation may be required. This may affect the habitat environment of animals and plants inhabiting forests.

To solve the disadvantages of wind power generation

In order to solve the above disadvantages, the selection of the installation location is the most important.

At Suiyu Co., Ltd., we consistently respond from site selection to provision of safe and secure facilities through accurate research and accumulation of know-how. In particular, we have recorded the highest level of power generation in the small wind power plants that we have installed in the past.

For inquiries about the wind power generation business, please contact us using our form.