Overview
FrançaisABSTRACT
This article discusses the current implementation of wind energy for injecting electricity into electricity grids. It focuses on the technologies implemented for the study and construction of wind power plants, together with the compatibility of the intermittent supply of wind-generated electricity with the normal operation of the grids.
Read this article from a comprehensive knowledge base, updated and supplemented with articles reviewed by scientific committees.
Read the articleAUTHORS
-
Denis LEFEBVRE: SUPÉLEC engineer - Director of Foresight and Network, Quadran
-
Jean-Marc NOËL: Engineer from the Naval School
INTRODUCTION
Ever since the first oil crisis in 1973, OECD countries (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, rich, developed countries) have been interested in wind power as a means of feeding electricity into distribution grids. As oil crises followed one another, this interest persisted and grew, enabling the wind energy sector to expand. This development in wealthy countries has been made possible by the obligation placed on electricity distributors to buy wind-generated electricity at prices that are remunerative for developers, well above average market prices. The difference between the purchase price from developers and the average market price is ultimately borne by the consumer.
In recent years, the premonition of a climate crisis resulting from the release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, produced in part by the generation of electricity from fossil fuels, has heightened interest in wind-generated electricity, which is carbon-free.
What's more, the falling cost of wind power has led to this technology taking off in the countries of the South, where electricity production costs are often high.
Worldwide installed wind power capacity has risen from 10 GW in 1998 to 432 GW at the end of 2015, including 12 GW offshore. For several years now, wind power has been the fastest-growing technology worldwide, followed by solar power. 43.7% of installed capacity in Europe in 2014 was wind-powered (source: EWEA).
This lightning development has totally overshadowed the maintenance of ancillary activities in the field of mechanical wind pumping and autonomous wind power supplies (for isolated houses and boats).
This article deals only with the current implementation of wind-generated electricity for injection into distribution networks.
This is not, therefore, an exhaustive review of wind energy applications and technologies, but an analysis focused on the technologies implemented to :
build wind turbines supplying electricity to the grid;
prepare the installation of these wind turbines in wind farms;
make the discontinuous and highly variable supply of wind-generated electricity compatible with normal grid operation.
Exclusive to subscribers. 97% yet to be discovered!
You do not have access to this resource.
Click here to request your free trial access!
Already subscribed? Log in!
The Ultimate Scientific and Technical Reference
KEYWORDS
wind energy | wind turbine | wind resource
CAN BE ALSO FOUND IN:
This article is included in
Energy resources and storage
This offer includes:
Knowledge Base
Updated and enriched with articles validated by our scientific committees
Services
A set of exclusive tools to complement the resources
Practical Path
Operational and didactic, to guarantee the acquisition of transversal skills
Doc & Quiz
Interactive articles with quizzes, for constructive reading
Grid-connected wind farms
Bibliography
La bibliographie récente relative à l'électricité éolienne est à la fois pauvre et surabondante. Pauvre, parce que la technologie, le marché et le futur de l'électricité éolienne évoluent tellement rapidement que le temps nécessaire à la rédaction d'un ouvrage le rend caduc avant sa parution. Surabondante, parce que le nombre des articles de toutes sortes décrivant un des éléments de l'énorme...Websites
1. Official websites
1.1. France
The development of wind power in France is organized by the Ministry of the Environment, Energy and the Sea, in conjunction with the Ministry of the Economy, Finance and Industry.
Among the organizations most involved in this development are :
ADEME, the French Environment and Energy Management Agency...
Standards and norms
International standards
The standards to which wind turbines must conform are drawn up and constantly updated by the IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission). http://www.iec.ch/
All standards relating to wind turbines are classified under IEC 61400. http://www.iec.ch/
...Exclusive to subscribers. 97% yet to be discovered!
You do not have access to this resource.
Click here to request your free trial access!
Already subscribed? Log in!
The Ultimate Scientific and Technical Reference