How Much Electricity A Windmill Makes Each Spin?

In recent years, if you drive in the wilderness of northwest China, you will probably see wind turbines that look like "big windmills" spinning slowly on the horizon.

This kind of big windmill doesn't feel so spectacular when you look at it from a distance. If you get close, you will find that it is terrifyingly big. Usually, the height is more than 60 or 70 meters, and the highest can even reach more than 200 meters, with at least a dozen layers. The building is so high, and a blade is at least thirty or forty meters long.

Seeing such a large object, some people must be wondering how expensive this one is? How much electricity can these "big windmills" generate in each spin and how long will it take to recover the cost?

With the rapid development of wind power generation, large windmills are becoming more and more common

China's traditional power generation method is dominated by thermal power. According to data from the National Bureau of Statistics, the national power generation from January to December 2021 will be 8,112.18 billion kWh, of which thermal power generation will be 5,770.27 billion kWh, accounting for about 71.13% of the total national power generation. 

It can be seen that thermal power still occupies a dominant position, but new power generation methods are also developing rapidly. In 2021, the national renewable energy power generation will reach 2,485.3 billion kWh, of which wind power generation will reach 655.6 billion kWh, a year-on-year increase of 40.5%, and the utilization hours will reach 2,246 hours.

In terms of installed capacity, the cumulative installed capacity of wind power in China in 2021 will reach 328.5GW, a year-on-year increase of 16.7%, and the growth rate is faster than that of the world. The cumulative installed capacity of wind power accounts for 39.2% of the world.

In 2016, the cumulative installed capacity of wind power in China was only 148.6GW, which doubled to 328.5GW in just five years.

It can be seen that the growth rate of wind power generation is very fast. Nowadays, more and more "big windmills" are standing in the mountains or plateaus. So how much does it cost to rely on "big windmills" to generate electricity?

The cost of generating electricity from a "big windmill"

Let's first take a look at the cost of a "big windmill". Wind turbines mainly include blades, hubs, nacelles and towers. Different wind turbines have different costs due to different technologies and blade diameters.

The current market price is about RMB 3,000-3,500 per kilowatt. According to this calculation, if it is a 2MW unit, the purchase price is about RMB 6 million-7 million. If it is a 3MW unit, then the purchase price is probably between RMB 9 million and 10.5 million.

It can be seen that only from the cost of the generator set, the cost of a piece of equipment needs to be millions or even tens of millions. However, in practical applications, there are many other potential costs that need to be considered in addition to equipment costs.

For example, during the use of wind turbines, there will be strong noise disturbance to the surrounding environment, so at the beginning of construction, nearby villages may be arranged to be relocated collectively, and the resulting land acquisition compensation fee is also not small. expenditure.

Secondly, if the wind turbine is scrapped due to some kind of failure, the cost of manpower and material resources generated in the demolition and destruction of this equipment are all scrapped costs.

Of course, the daily maintenance, maintenance, parts replacement and other operations of wind turbines require cost input.

If these potential costs are taken into account, then the funds needed to develop wind power generation will be added. A large windmill can run, and it will require an investment of about 10 million yuan.

Does the "big windmill" make money? How soon to recover the investment cost?

So how much electricity can these wind-powered "big windmills" generate in one revolution? The investment cost is tens of millions, and how long will it take to pay back?

Taking the most common wind energy generator in my country as the standard, its specification is 2MW. If the wind speed is 12 meters per second, the power generation per hour of a windmill is generally about 2000 Kwh, and the speed of the fan blades per hour is about 1000 revolutions. Thus,it can generate about 2 kWh of electricity with one rotation.

After the large windmill generates electricity, it needs to be connected to the power grid to obtain income. We assume that the price of feed to the grid is RMB 0.4 per kilowatt-hour, then conservatively estimate that the annual operating income of a set of wind power generation equipment will be about RMB 1.5 million.

However, it is necessary to consider a practical situation. Not all wind power generation equipment is running all the time, and the wind in nature does not always maintain the strength enough to push the fan blades to rotate. For example, in North China, due to the low temperature in winter, it is difficult for wind power to operate normally.

It can be seen that, limited by many conditions, the annual use time of wind power generation equipment is relatively limited, which also makes the front of the "big windmill" to return to its original length again.

As mentioned above, the cost of a wind power generation equipment is tens of millions. Therefore, it will take at least 10 years for this wind power generation equipment to recover the cost of the previous investment.

What are the advantages of wind power?

It can be seen that it is not easy for wind power to achieve return, but the field of wind power has continued to develop rapidly in recent years, so what are its advantages?

Nowadays, the theme of environmental protection and greenness has been deeply rooted in everyone's heart. Over the years, new energy has achieved remarkable development in the fields of automobiles and parts. In the electric power industry, the application of new energy also conforms to the goal of green and sustainable development.

First of all, compared with wind power generation, traditional thermal power generation needs to consume a lot of coal and other resources, and in the process of converting it into electricity, it will release a lot of harmful substances, such as dust, carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, etc., which will produce a greenhouse effect.

And wind power can avoid this problem. In the process of wind energy conversion, it can be said that there is no pollution. It is an excellent choice to replace thermal power with wind power.

In addition, oil and coal are non-renewable resources, and these resources will eventually face depletion one day, while wind is a costless energy source in nature and will not face the problem of depletion. Therefore, although the investment is relatively high, for the future of mankind, we still need to vigorously develop the wind power business. In the long run, it will be beneficial to mankind without any harm.

Future Wind Farms Be Taller and More Economical?

 Predicting key characteristics of wind power plants a decade or more in advance can inform investment, research and energy system planning decisions today. Researchers Philipp Beiter and Eric Lantz from the U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), along with collaborators from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the U.S. Department of Energy, solicited more than 140 world leaders about their expectations for future wind power plants Expert opinion on Design 2035.

In their new article, "Experts View Wind Power Plants of the Future," published in the journal Wind Energy, the researchers found that experts expect wind turbines to increase in height even greater than previously predicted, with power plants increasingly located in Fewer places. Favorable wind and siting area.

Taller turbines, and their accompanying larger rotor diameters, capture more energy. In the most likely scenario, experts predict that the hub height of newly installed onshore wind turbines will reach 130 meters in 2035, instead of the 115 meters forecast provided in the 2015 survey. (Each survey asked experts to look 15 years into the future, so the 2015 data provided projections for 2030).

Experts estimate a plant size of 1,100 megawatts (MW) for fixed bottom wind and 600 MW for floating offshore wind. These and many other design options discussed in this article could support average energy cost reductions of 27% (onshore) and 17%-35% (floating and fixed offshore) by 2035 compared to today. The new plant design could also enhance the grid services of wind energy, for example, through project mixes with battery and hydrogen production.

"Our research provides a much-needed benchmark for representing future wind technology in power industry models," Beiter said. "By explaining the economics behind wind energy design choices, this paper addresses a key research gap."

The authors identify economic mechanisms driving these design changes, including economies of scale for larger turbines, larger plant size, and greater flexibility in site selection. Essentially, these mechanisms drive design choices, as the value of reducing costs or increasing energy production outweighs the incremental cost of acquiring them.

"While well established in broader economic theory and often addressed individually, relatively few efforts have systematically investigated the exact mechanisms driving the design of wind power plants," Lantz said of the study's unique contribution.

A comprehensive global survey of experts was conducted through the International Research Partnership, supported by the International Energy Agency's Wind Energy Technical Cooperation Programme, which is mandated to advance wind energy research, development and deployment in its member countries.

China's offshore wind turbine market expands rapidly

 According to the "Nihon Keizai Shimbun" website reported on June 13, the offshore wind turbine market continues to expand. According to the Global Wind Energy Council, the amount of new (offshore wind power) installed in the world in 2021 will be about three times that of 2020. The engine that plays the role of this is China. In terms of new (offshore wind power installed capacity) in 2021, China alone accounts for about 80% of the world. The development momentum of China's offshore wind power is unabated, and it is changing the map of the world's wind power equipment manufacturers.

An offshore wind turbine provided by a China company,in the southern Italian port of Taranto.

The rapid expansion of the Chinese domestic market is particularly striking. In 2021, the new grid-connected capacity of offshore wind power across the country will be 16.9 million kilowatts, a year-on-year increase of more than four times. In the face of China's rapid growth, Europe, which has developed offshore wind power technology, is also eclipsed.

The report pointed out that there are two main reasons for the rapid growth of the Chinese market: one is the relevant fixed-price procurement system. The second reason is the active intervention of the government.

In the context of the rapidly expanding market, the presence of Chinese wind power equipment manufacturers is also increasing, the report said. Bloomberg New Energy Finance ranked manufacturers by offshore wind capacity in 2021, with Chinese companies taking the top four spots.

According to reports, Japan's offshore wind power market has not officially launched. But even in Japan, where there is only a potential market, there is a trend of using Chinese wind power equipment. VENTI JAPAN, a wind power company based in Akita City, Japan, will explore the use of Chinese-made equipment in a project off the coast of Toyama Prefecture. Compared with European and American products, the size of equipment manufactured by Chinese companies is more suitable, which is the decisive factor.

The report believes that with the support of huge domestic demand, Chinese companies have actively invested in mass production, accumulating technology and performance. Just as solar panels swept the global market in a similar fashion, Chinese (wind power equipment manufacturing) companies are also likely to break away from thriving mainly at home and keep pace with European companies in overseas markets .

The global offshore wind market is expected to continue its steady expansion in 2022, the report said. The growth momentum of the Chinese market may slow down, but it will continue to play a pulling role. Affected by the soaring energy prices and other factors, the cost of wind equipment made in Europe has risen, and the price competitiveness of Chinese companies that can supply a large amount of raw materials and fuels by themselves will be relatively enhanced.

China Accelerate Solar and Wind Energy Development

 During the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), China will continue to accelerate the development of solar and wind energy as part of a transition to green energy that is carbon neutral by 2060.

By 2030, the government will increase the total installed capacity of wind and solar power to more than 1.2 billion kilowatts. As part of a broader push for clean energy generation and storage, it will also cover 50 percent of the nation's rooftop solar-panel buildings, according to a joint statement from the National Development and Reform Commission and the National Energy Administration on Monday.

In recent years, China has made great achievements in the field of solar and wind energy. The installed capacity of solar and wind energy ranks among the highest in the world. According to the document, the share of solar and wind energy has been rising steadily and its cost has been gradually declining.

However, there are still problems with clean energy consumption and grid access, while land resources are also limiting the development of clean energy in the country, the report said.

In order to accelerate the construction of a clean, low-carbon and efficient energy system in China, as China strives to peak carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060, it is necessary to further develop solar and wind energy facilities to ensure this, the report said. Both sectors play a key role in ensuring the nation's energy security.

Luo Zuoxian, head of intelligence and research at the Sinopec Economics and Development Research Institute, said renewable energy will continue to play a role in helping Beijing achieve climate change as wind and solar power plants accounted for more than half of China's new electricity generation last year. play a key role in the goal.

Luo Zuoxian further stated that the layout of terminal consumption plays a key role in the construction of China's modern power system.

Along with supply-side reforms, it is necessary to study the demand-side response, which will ensure a smooth transition to green energy in the country, he said.

China added a record 549 gigawatts of solar power plants last year, up 14 percent from 2020, the National Energy Administration said earlier.

According to the statement, China will also speed up the construction of solar and wind power generation capacity in the Gobi Desert and other arid regions, and strive to increase renewable energy consumption to take advantage of the abundant solar and wind energy resources there.

It will also further develop the potential of rooftop solar power generation in rural areas, while encouraging distributed solar and wind energy projects in rural areas as well as industrial parks and buildings eligible for such projects.

The statement also called for further strengthening of the country's power system regulatory capacity and flexibility. It highlights support for grid companies so they can better cope with more new energy sources. It also encourages the construction of pumped-storage projects to ensure efficient power generation.

Pumped-storage hydropower is the most commonly used energy storage method today. It saves excess electricity by pumping water from a lower reservoir to a higher reservoir at night when electricity demand is low, and then releasing it to generate electricity during the day when electricity demand is high.

In order to achieve carbon emission reduction targets, China will also increase financial support for the development of wind and solar power generation, including enriching green financial products and services, and strengthening support for green bonds and green loans for new energy projects. The company will also further study the incorporation of new energy projects into real estate investment trusts or REITs, the statement revealed.

BP acquires Australian wind, solar and hydrogen mega projects

Global oil major BP PLC said it had agreed to buy a 40.5% stake and become the operator of a renewable energy project in Australia that could become one of the world's largest producers of green hydrogen, but did not disclose the amount it paid.

The Asian Renewable Energy Centre (AREH) in outback Western Australia will develop up to 26 gigawatts (GW) of wind and solar power capacity to produce 1.6 million tonnes of green hydrogen (hydrogen produced from renewable energy) or 9 million tons of ammonia a year.

The project's co-founders, privately owned Intercontinental Energy and CWP Global, are counting on BP to launch AREH, but the project has been thwarted by Australian government concerns over damage to local wetlands.

Anja-Isabel Dotzenrath, executive vice president of natural gas and low-carbon energy at BP, said the project was in line with BP's push to switch from fossil fuels to cleaner energy and could advance its goal of grabbing a 10 percent share of the global hydrogen market.

"AREH will be one of the world's largest centres for renewable and green hydrogen energy and can make a significant contribution to the energy transition in Australia and the wider Asia Pacific region," Dotzenrath said in a statement.

BP said it was too early to talk about the overall cost of the project, but said the capital investment to achieve the full scale of the project "could be in the tens of billions of dollars". It aims to start generating electricity at AREH by 2029.

InterContinental Energy and CWP Global have been working on the project since 2014. They and their other partners, divisions of the Macquarie Group, remain stakeholders.

One of AREH's original partners, Vestas, the world's top wind turbine manufacturer with a 2% stake, has pulled out of the project.

The Australian government fast-tracked approval in 2020 for AREH's plan to use 15 gigawatts of clean electricity to split water to produce green hydrogen and ammonia for export, but the project was shelved a year ago due to environmental concerns over AREH. Plans to expand to 26 GW.

The government said the expansion would have "unacceptable impacts" on internationally recognised wetlands and migratory bird species, an issue that has yet to be resolved.

Alex Hewitt, co-founder of CWP Global, said in emailed comments.

How dangerous is wind power equipment?

In the early 1970s, human beings encountered an oil crisis, and limited fossil energy could not gradually satisfy human development, so renewable and clean energy returned to human vision. Among them, wind power with the simplest working principle was favored by people, and China also Continue to spend to support the development of the wind power industry.

Wind power generation refers to converting the kinetic energy of wind into electric energy. Wind is a kind of energy without pollution. Using wind power to generate electricity is very environmentally friendly and can generate huge electric energy. Therefore, more and more countries pay more attention to wind power generation.

Wind power has huge reserves. The global wind energy is about 2.74×10^9MW, of which the available wind energy is 2×10^7MW, which is 10 times larger than the total amount of water energy that can be developed and utilized on the earth. Wind has been exploited for a long time - mainly through windmills to pump water, grind flour, etc., and now people are interested in how to use wind to generate electricity.

In the past, wind power was often praised by the public and experts as a new type of clean energy, but now European and American countries are dismantling their own wind turbines in large numbers and continuously. But compared to the large-scale demolition in Europe and the United States, China has been building it with all its strength in recent years? So how dangerous is wind power?

First: In the area of ​​wind power generation, the noise is relatively large, because the "power blades" used in wind power generation are very huge, and there will definitely be noise from the sound of rotation, so it is noise pollution.

Second: the impact on birds, large-scale annual migration of birds is not uncommon. The most typical example is the United States. After the establishment of wind power generation in the United States, the grouse in Kansas, the United States, has gradually disappeared, and is even on the verge of extinction.

Third: It has a certain degree of influence on the local climate. Researchers from Harvard University in the United States said that wind farms in the United States have affected the local climate. The rotation of wind farm fans has driven the replacement of high-temperature air in the upper layer and low-temperature air in the lower layer, and pointed out that the local temperature has increased by about 0.5 degrees Celsius, enhancing the Greenhouse effect.

So in some European and American countries, they began to dismantle wind power generation equipment. Will China's full-scale construction have an impact on local birds, climate and regions?

In fact, China has already considered many problems when building wind turbines. In order to deal with these problems, China has assessed the environment in the early stage of wind power construction, and started construction only when the environment is harmonious. It will be far away from factories in residential areas, etc., which fully meets the country's rigid requirements for safe distance and noise control of wind farms.

And for China's development, wind power is still one of the roads that China must take, so we don't have to worry about a series of impacts from wind power, our country has already controlled it to a minimum.