Energy & Environmental Engineering | Environmental Science | HOTS Questions | Important Questions
Q. Discuss present status as well as future prospects along with merits and demerits of wind power in India. (R.GP.V., June 2009)
Ans. Wind, which is air in motion is caused by two main factors
(i) Heating and cooling of the atmosphere which generates convection currents. Heating is caused by the absorption of solar energy on the earth's surface and in the atmosphere.
(ii) The rotation of earth with respect to atmosphere and its motion around the sun. Due to virtue of motion, wind possesses kinetic energy, which is called as wind energy.
Wind energy is a very potential source of energy. It has been estimated that about 2% of solar radiation falling on earth's surface is converted into kinetic of the atmosphere and nearly 30% of this kinetic energy energy occurs in the lowest 1000 m of elevation. If we can utilise this energy, it can satisfy several times the energy requirement of a country.
The wind energy can be utilized to run wind mill which in turn drive a generator and produce electricity. Wind mills can also be used for water pumping
Wind energy is the renewable source of energy. Wind energy power systems are non-polluting, because it has no adverse effect on the environment. Wind energy systems avoid fuel provision and transport. But there are some sort of drawbacks of wind energy. Wind energy systems produces noise. Wind energy available is dilute and fluctuating in nature. There is a need of some storage means because of wind's irregularity.
In India, the interest in the wind mills is less because the wind velocities here are relatively low. In India, wind speed value lies between 5 km/hr to 20 km/hr. These low and seasonal wind velocities impart high cost of wind energy. However in coastal areas of Saurashtra, Western Rajasthan and some parts of Central India have high speeds of winds. In these areas medium and large sized wind mills can be installed for electricity generation.
Advantages of Wind Energy - The advantages of wind energy are as follows -
(i) Wind energy is a clean and pollution free source of energy. (ii) It is an important renewable and inexhaustible source of energy, available at free of cost.
(iii) The power generated by wind energy is cheaper when produced at small scale.
(iv) There is no need of any kind of fuel.
(v) The generation period is low and power generation starts from commissioning.
(vi) It can be made available in many off-shore, on-shore and remote areas, thus helpful in supplying electrical power to remote and rural areas.
Disadvantages of Wind Energy - Following are the disadvantages of wind energy-
(i) Wind energy is variable, unsteady, irregular, intermittent, erratic and sometimes dangerous too.
(ii) Due to widely varying atmospheric conditions of operations it is quite complex to design, manufacture and install wind turbines.
(iii) Due to its fluctuating nature, they need some sort of storage devices like batteries, or alternative source of energy, in case of non-availability of winds.
(ii) The rotation of earth with respect to atmosphere and its motion around the sun. Due to virtue of motion, wind possesses kinetic energy, which is called as wind energy.
Wind energy is a very potential source of energy. It has been estimated that about 2% of solar radiation falling on earth's surface is converted into kinetic of the atmosphere and nearly 30% of this kinetic energy energy occurs in the lowest 1000 m of elevation. If we can utilise this energy, it can satisfy several times the energy requirement of a country.
The wind energy can be utilized to run wind mill which in turn drive a generator and produce electricity. Wind mills can also be used for water pumping
Wind energy is the renewable source of energy. Wind energy power systems are non-polluting, because it has no adverse effect on the environment. Wind energy systems avoid fuel provision and transport. But there are some sort of drawbacks of wind energy. Wind energy systems produces noise. Wind energy available is dilute and fluctuating in nature. There is a need of some storage means because of wind's irregularity.
In India, the interest in the wind mills is less because the wind velocities here are relatively low. In India, wind speed value lies between 5 km/hr to 20 km/hr. These low and seasonal wind velocities impart high cost of wind energy. However in coastal areas of Saurashtra, Western Rajasthan and some parts of Central India have high speeds of winds. In these areas medium and large sized wind mills can be installed for electricity generation.
Advantages of Wind Energy - The advantages of wind energy are as follows -
(i) Wind energy is a clean and pollution free source of energy. (ii) It is an important renewable and inexhaustible source of energy, available at free of cost.
(iii) The power generated by wind energy is cheaper when produced at small scale.
(iv) There is no need of any kind of fuel.
(v) The generation period is low and power generation starts from commissioning.
(vi) It can be made available in many off-shore, on-shore and remote areas, thus helpful in supplying electrical power to remote and rural areas.
Disadvantages of Wind Energy - Following are the disadvantages of wind energy-
(i) Wind energy is variable, unsteady, irregular, intermittent, erratic and sometimes dangerous too.
(ii) Due to widely varying atmospheric conditions of operations it is quite complex to design, manufacture and install wind turbines.
(iii) Due to its fluctuating nature, they need some sort of storage devices like batteries, or alternative source of energy, in case of non-availability of winds.
(iv) Large wind energy power generating system cause considerable amount of noise pollution.
(v) Selection of suitable site is quite difficult.
(vi) Wind farms can be located only in vast open areas in locations of favourable winds. Generally, such areas are far away from the load centres.
(vi) Wind farms can be located only in vast open areas in locations of favourable winds. Generally, such areas are far away from the load centres.
No comments:
Post a Comment
ask for any query/give your suggestion