Close to the wind

摘要

IN the last 20 years, the wind turbine generator (WTG) has grown from something nailed to the roof of an organic commune to a major component in the world energy supply system and an equally major presence in our landscape. The new wind farms being installed both onshore and far offshore are some of the biggest civil engineering projects the UK has seen since the coming of the railways, and make oil and gas platforms look like small beer. A 200 megawatt (MW) offshore site with perhaps 15 turbines can employ more than 1000 people during construction, and need more than 100 specialist vessels to get everything out there and keep it running. And we are going to have hundreds of these sites (see box opposite).