A wind turbine is a device that converts energy from the wind into electricity.
It is mounted to a
tower or a pole, through their propeller-like motors—they capture wind energy. Since the blades are
connected to a rotor, when the wind blows it creates low-pressure air underneath the blades—called lift.
The lifting force is stronger than the wind force located at the blade's front side, called drag. The lift and
drag combination causes the rotor to rotate like a propeller. The rotating shaft is then connected to a
generator to convert mechanical energy to electrical energy (Fegade and Jethave, 2021). Although wind
turbines offer great pros when it comes to power generation, they also have significant cons. One to note
is it is expensive, from design up to installation; it also requires a lot of space for wind farms.
Additionally, it must be installed in a location that has strong wind power for it to function at its full
potential, and justify the cost of the device. It produces noise and destroys visual aesthetics and the local
wildlife (energy.gov, 2024). The mentioned disadvantages introduce the idea of offshore wind turbines,
according to Danao et al (2021), offshore wind turbines provide a more stable wind production, unlike
onshore wind turbines. Additionally, in the case of offshore wind turbines—wind energy can easily be
detected with a small margin of error.
Wind data and the wind turbine's power curve are used to calculate energy output and the
capacity factor, as wind turbine power curves are based on wind speeds at the turbine's hub height.
According to Libatique et al., wind data at a specific height is required to calculate wind power density
and energy output. The intensity of the wind varies by wind direction—wind coming from one direction
may have a higher wind speed than wind coming from the opposite direction.
Wind turbines come in different sizes, but can be classified into 2 types: Vertical-axis wind
turbines and Horizontal-axis wind turbines. Regardless of classification, the energy produced by the
turbine can used in a thermodynamic sense. A turbine drives an electrical generator whose output power
can be stored in batteries for backup power. It can produce clean fuels of oxygen, hydrogen, and other
applications. It is important to note that installing a wind turbine in a proper location will offer high
efficiency and reliable operation for all years (A.R. Jha, Ph.D, 2011).
Advantages and challenges of wind energy. (n.d.). Energy.gov.
https://www.energy.gov/eere/wind/advantages-and-challenges-wind-energy
DR. A.R.JHA, Ph.D. (2011). Wind turbine technology. CRC PRESS. https://books.google.com.ph/books?
id=yaP4E4od39UC&dq=wind+turbine&lr=&source=gbs_navlinks_s
Fegade, U., Jethave, G., & Interface Science and Technology. (2021)
Photocatalysis: Fundamental processes and applications. ScienceDirect. Retrieved October 12, 2024,
fhttps://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/physics-and-astronomy/wind-turbine
Maandal, G. L., Tamayao-Kieke, M.-A., & Danao, L. A. (2021). Techno-Economic Assessment of
Offshore Wind Energy in the Philippines. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering.
https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse9070758
Silang, A., Uy, S. N., Dado, J. M., Cruz, F. A., Narisma, G., Libatique, N., & Tangonan, G. (2014). Wind
Energy Projection for the Philippines based on Climate Change Modeling. ScienceDirect.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.egypro.2014.07.051
