Wind Power Today (May 2007)

摘要

Wind energy technology has come a long way over the past decade. In 1996, the average utility-scale wind turbine was almost as tall as a 12-story building and it produced enough electricity to power about 125 average American homes. At the time, these turbines were considered by some to be quite large, but by todays standards, they would be considered small for utility-scale production. The average turbine installed in 2006 (rated at 1.5 MW) was twice as tall as the 96 model. It is almost as tall as the Statue of Liberty and has a rotor large enough to sweep a football field. A 1.5-megawatt (MW) turbine produces enough electricity to power almost 500 homes, and again, that might be considered small when compared to the 3- to 5-MW machines being developed today that will generate enough power for more than 1,300 homes. A 3.6-MW machine has a rotor diameter large enough to park 24 cars in end to end, and a 5-MW machine is as tall as the Space Needle in Seattle, Washington. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has worked with industry for more than 25 years to bring the technology to where it is today, developing larger machines that are more efficient and that capture more energy from the wind. As the machines have increased in size and performance, the cost of producing energy has dropped, from $0.80 (current dollars) per kilowatt-hour (kWh) in 1980 to about $0.04/kWh today, so that in some areas of the Nation, utility-scale wind power is the most cost-effective form of new generation available. DOE has also been working to improve the performance and reduce the costs for small and distributed wind energy systems. These systems show great potential for engaging local populations in addressing Americas energy future. Advances in small wind technology have produced quieter and more reliable systems that are easier to install and cost less to operate. The wind energy industry has become the fastest growing utility-scale energy resource in the Nation, growing from 1,800-MW of capacity in 1996 to more than 11,600 MW in 2006. 2006 was a record-breaking year with new installations of more than 2,400 MW and a 27 percent annual growth rate. The new generating capacity installed in 2006 represents a capital investment of almost $4 billion, more than 10,000 new job-years nationwide (10,000 one-year jobs or 1,000 ten-year jobs), and more than $5 to $9 million in annual payments to landowners. The land payments and jobs provide a much needed economic boost to Americas struggling rural economies.