Software Takes the Uncertainty Out of Wind Farm Performance

wind farms can reduce power production by 10 percent. A new open-source software platform built by the US Department of Energy (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) may be able to cut those losses in half. The Simulator for Wind Farm Applications (SOWFA) is designed to improve the performance of not just one wind turbine, but the entire wind farm.

SOWFA was created to model all the variables at a wind farm—the topography, the air, surface and air temperatures, and the effects of the turbines themselves. Using SOWFA to simulate and design the coordinated control of individual turbines, for example, a wind farmer can adjust the rotors of one turbine to redirect wakes away from downwind turbines to improve power capture. If, however, conditions at the turbine are such that adjusting the rotors would be unsafe, the turbine can override the command.

The software also has the capacity to incorporate the heat on the earth’s surface into its calculations.

SOWFA’s improved look at physics will help the wind-energy community better understand the uncertainty gap between the average energy production and the worst-case energy production, which, in turn, should lower the interest rates for financing a wind farm.

Researchers can use SOWFA to study how new control schemes can increase power production and reduce fatigue from wake effects, and developers can use SOWFA to move turbines like chessmen on a chess board to maximize output—all before construction begins.

The software platform is available for free to academics, investors, wind developers and manufacturers. Users can discuss problems and solutions with other SOWFA users through an online forum.

Funding for the SOWFA project was provided by the DOE.

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India's 1st renewable energy investors meet to be held in Feb

EWith an aim to attract large- scale investment in the country's renewable sector, India will host its first Renewable Energy Global Investors Meet and Expo - 'RE-INVEST' - from February 15 to 17 next year.

To be organised by Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) in New Delhi, the investors' meet will be a follow up to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Make in India' initiative.

Officials said it will be the first major platform for investment promotion in the renewable energy sector to signal India's commitment to its development and upscaling for meeting the energy requirement in a sustainable manner.

"It is the first follow up on 'Make in India' initiative. We will repeat it every year until we achieve 1,00,000 MW generation in Renewable Energy in next 4-5 years," MNRE Secretary Upendra Tripathy told reporters here.

He said for this India needs around 35 billion dollars of investment every year and this global investors meet will help in achieving that.

"We currently get around 6 billion dollars," he said.

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Wind power generation from moving train-India concept

The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has sent the Railways Ministry into a tizzy over an idea it received from an 81-year-old resident of Gujarat —  that windmills be installed along railway tracks to produce electricity, utilising the wind generated by fast moving trains.
Vipin Trivedi of Ahmedabad, a former employee of Bank of Baroda’s Agriculture and Rural Development wing who retired in 1991, sent the idea by post to the PMO. The PMO, in turn, forwarded it to the Railways Ministry, asking it to explore the “techno-economic” feasibility of the idea, and sought regular updates.

Since the idea came from the PMO, Rail Bhawan officials started serious communication with Trivedi, but also politely told him that it did not sound doable. As per documents accessed by The Indian Express, Railways said Trivedi could be called in the future to give more technical details about his idea. Trivedi is waiting.

“One day, I was travelling by train and the idea just struck me. So I discussed it with my gurubhai (disciples of a godman) who knew a man who had worked closely with Narendrabhai (Modi) in overhauling Gujarat’s power sector. That man is now posted as the Additional Principal Secretary to the PM in Delhi. So I sent the idea to him by post,” Trivedi told The Indian Express from the Nandigram Ashram in Bharuch last week, where he was attending a course on “spiritual wellbeing”. “If they call me to Delhi, they should be willing to seriously discuss the idea,” he said.

Although nobody in the ministry was convinced about Trivedi’s idea, top Rail Bhawan officials have been applying their time and energy, keeping the Chairman, Railway Board, informed as well.

“A train will pass the windmill in less than 20 seconds. Even if there is a train every 15 minutes, a windmill can operate for only 25 minutes per day. This will not be viable economically. Further, the energy produced by the windmills would have to come from the trains only, which will consume extra energy,” said a mail Trivedi received from the ministry on September 1.

The email exchange has been regular. Another email sent a few days before that said, “We will, however, like to have some more technical details with regard to your suggestion, which may be sent to us for further detailed examination.”

Rail Bhawan officials told The Indian Express that the idea was not workable and they would communicate this to the PMO. “There is nothing wrong with anyone in the country coming up with any new idea. It is our job to take them seriously and see if they can be executed,” said a senior ministry official.

- See more at: http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/can-wind-from-moving-train-generate-power-pmos-curious-query-to-railways/#sthash.pvNxXmjn.dpuf

Honda Wind Turbines Blowing Away Expectations

months following the installation of two power-producing wind turbines at Honda Transmission Manufacturing of America, the turbines are producing more renewable, electricity than was anticipated.

The wind turbines have exceeded the projected power output figures by 6.3 percent. The two turbines, standing 260 feet tall with 160-foot blades, were initially projected to produce upwards of 10,000 MWh of electricity per year, accounting for about 10 percent of the plant’s annual power needs. The turbines have outperformed company projections in four of the six months since operations began. The turbines produced their highest output in April, providing 16.26 percent of the plant’s power requirements for the month.

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Indian Coal Producer to Invest $80 Million in Solar, Wind Energy Projects

Indian Coal Producer to Invest $80 Million in Solar, Wind Energy Projects

Government-owned companies in India are responding to the calls by the government to boost investment in renewable energy projects.
Neyveli Lignite Corporation (NLC), a big coal producer and power generator located in Southern India, has announced that it will invest Rs500 crore (US$82 million) to set up 25 MW solar photovoltaic and 55 MW wind power capacity.
The company has given the order for installation of 10 MW solar PV project to another public sector company, Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL). The push for renewable energy projects has increased among Indian companies over the last few years as the government made mandatory that a part of the profits be invested for fulfilling corporate social responsibility.

Source: http://cleantechnica.com/2014/09/10/indian-coal-producer-invest-80-million-solar-wind-energy-projects/

Do we need vertical-axis turbines?

The ETI has looked into vertical axis turbines in order to try and get to the bottom of whether they have any potential as a form of offshore generation. And it's a very sensible question to ask, as they do have some advantages that might be very useful when you go offshore.

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