Alternative energy sources have been discussed for quite some time. Thermal and nuclear power plants are the largest air pollutants in the energy sector. Therefore, global environmental organizations and scientists from all over the world insist on reducing the operation of such facilities. Instead, they propose to generate energy from water, the sun and wind, i.e. to use renewable (natural) energy sources.
Wind energy is one of the leading alternative energy sources because it has a number of advantages. The advantages of wind power plants include
- they do not pollute the environment, do not emit harmful emissions into the atmosphere, i.e. they are environmentally safe;
- wind energy is inexhaustible and free, meaning that only the installation of the windmill needs to be financed;
- the possibility of installation in hard-to-reach areas;
- autonomy in functioning, i.e. does not depend on the operation of the power grid;
- no need for a large area to install wind turbines.
However, among the obvious advantages of wind power plants, there are also disadvantages, namely
- long payback period for the cost of installing wind turbines;
- although wind is an inexhaustible natural source of energy, it is characterized by the instability of the wind flow, so wind farms should be installed in places where the average annual wind speed exceeds 3 m/s;
- danger to birds and animals living underground;
- noise and vibration from the operation of wind turbines.
Wind power plants (WPPs), or as they are also called Wind Farms, are a complex of wind turbines or wind generators consisting of a charge controller, rotor, voltage inverter and batteries. The rotor consists of three blades, the length of which determines the capture of the wind flow. The rotor converts the energy of the incoming wind flow into mechanical energy of the turbine rotation and its further conversion into electricity. The wind turbine blades are covered with insulating material to protect against lightning.
“There are two types of wind turbines: with a horizontal and vertical axis. To date, 95% of wind energy is generated by horizontal wind turbines, as their productivity is three times higher than vertical ones. Wind power plants are controlled remotely through a control room: start/stop of wind turbines, analysis of each wind turbine and the entire station, monitoring of meteorological indicators, and generation of a report on wind turbine performance.
In order to determine the location of a wind farm, it is important to take into account the optimal meteorological conditions (wind potential of the area), the stability of the soil for installing wind turbines, and bird migration routes.
The EIA for a wind farm, as well as the development of a project for the establishment of a sanitary protection zone, including the necessary calculations and measurements, should be entrusted to experienced specialists in the field of environmental protection and environmental permitting. Our specialists are able to provide a high level of services for the operation of wind farms within the framework of environmental legislation. In addition, MCL’s specialists are competent in conducting social and environmental impact assessments at the international level. Choosing MCL, you will get a reliable business partner in the field of ecology, management and law!