Wind Turbine Placement
It is important for economic viability to select a good wind turbine. Other factors for wind power viability is availability of transmission lines, energy value, land cost, use of land, and environmental impact of construction and operations. High construction cost for off-shore locations can be offset by high energy production rate at reduced cost. There are specialized wind energy software that evaluate impact of above issues ind design a wind farm.
The effective power of the wind at particular location is wind power density. In US, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory introduces a top level wind power density measurement by region in the US. The classes are introduced in ascending power density. Use this map to indetify possible locations for installing wind farms. Classes that are suitable for wind power generation are classes 3 (300–400 W/m2 at 50 m altitude) to 7 (800–2000 W/m2 at 50 m altitude).
In lower 48 states and Alaska, there are 625,000 km2 area that has class 3 or higher wind resources and are within 10 km from electric transmission lines. A average continous power rate of 734 GW can be produced which far exceeding 474 GW US annual electric consumption in 2007. It is beyond our comprehension why considerable sum of money not have not been invested in such a renewable and clean enegy source that can generate thousands of jobs instead of waging wars.
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