Today's wind energy industry is at a crossroads. Global economic instability has threatened or eliminated many financial incentives that have been important to the development of specific markets. Now more than ever, this essential element of the world energy mosaic will require innovative research and strategic collaborations to bolster the industry as it moves forward. This text details topics fundamental to the efficient operation of modern commercial farms and highlights advanced research that will enable next-generation wind energy technologies. The book is organized into three sections, Inflow and Wake Influences on Turbine Performance, Turbine Structural Response, and Power Conversion, Control and Integration. In addition to fundamental concepts, the reader will be exposed to comprehensive treatments of topics like wake dynamics, analysis of complex turbine blades, and power electronics in small-scale wind turbine systems.

With an annual growth rate of over 35%, wind is the fastest growing energy source in the world today. As a result of intensive research and developmental efforts, the technology of generating energy from wind has significantly changed during the past five years. The book brings together all the latest aspects of wind energy conversion technology - right from the wind resource analysis to grid integration of the wind generated electricity. The chapters are contributed by academic and industrial experts having vast experience in these areas. Each chapter begins with an introduction explaining the current status of the technology and proceeds further to the advanced lever to cater for the needs of readers from different subject backgrounds. Extensive bibliography/references appended to each chapter give further guidance to the interested readers.

Wind energy is gaining critical ground in the area of renewable energy, with wind energy being predicted to provide up to 8% of the world’s consumption of electricity by 2021. Advances in wind turbine blade design and materials reviews the design and functionality of wind turbine rotor blades as well as the requirements and challenges for composite materials used in both current and future designs of wind turbine blades. Part one outlines the challenges and developments in wind turbine blade design, including aerodynamic and aeroelastic design features, fatigue loads on wind turbine blades, and characteristics of wind turbine blade airfoils. Part two discusses the fatigue behavior of composite wind turbine blades, including the micromechanical modelling and fatigue life prediction of wind turbine blade composite materials, and the effects of resin and reinforcement variations on the fatigue resistance of wind turbine blades. The final part of the book describes advances in wind turbine blade materials, development and testing, including biobased composites, surface protection and coatings, structural performance testing and the design, manufacture and testing of small wind turbine blades. Advances in wind turbine blade design and materials offers a comprehensive review of the recent advances and challenges encountered in wind turbine blade materials and design, and will provide an invaluable reference for researchers and innovators in the field of wind energy production, including materials scientists and engineers, wind turbine blade manufacturers and maintenance technicians, scientists, researchers and academics. Reviews the design and functionality of wind turbine rotor blades Examines the requirements and challenges for composite materials used in both current and future designs of wind turbine blades Provides an invaluable reference for researchers and innovators in the field of wind energy production

This book introduces the current challenges in modern wind turbine analysis, design and development, and provides a comprehensive examination of state-of-the-art technologies from both academia and industry. The twelve information-rich chapters cover a wide range of topics including reliability-based design, computational fluid dynamics, gearbox and bearing analyses, lightning analysis, structural dynamics, health condition monitoring, advanced techniques for field repair, offshore floating wind turbines, advanced turbine control and grid integration, and other emerging technologies. Each chapter begins with the current status of technology in a lucid, is easy-to-follow treatment, then elaborates on the corresponding advanced technology using detailed methodologies, graphs, mathematical models, computational simulations, and experimental instrumentation. Relevant to a broad audience from students and faculty to researchers, manufacturers, and wind energy engineers and designers, the book is ideal for both educational and research needs. Presents the latest developments in reliability-based design optimization, CFD of wind turbines, structural dynamics for wind turbine blades, off-shore floating wind turbines, advanced wind turbine control, and wind power and ramp forecasting for grid integration; Includes techniques for wind turbine gearboxes and bearings, evaluation of lightning strike damage, health condition monitoring and reparation techniques; Illustrates theories and operational considerations using graphics, tables, computational algorithms, simulation models, and experimental instrumentation; Examines unique, innovative technologies for wind energy.

This unique volume on wind energy features contributions from the world’s leading research and development pioneers in the field of renewable energy. It discusses advances in offshore wind technology, grid-connected systems, grid stabilization and wind turbine design and highlights. Written from an international perspective, chapters focus on the status of wind energy in various regions and countries across the globe, outlining the positive impact its implementation has had on delaying the catastrophic effects of climate change.

The purpose of this book is to provide engineers and researchers in both the wind power industry and energy research community with comprehensive, up-to-date, and advanced design techniques and practical approaches. The topics addressed in this book involve the major concerns in the wind power generation and wind turbine design.

This study presents options to speed up the deployment of wind power, both onshore and offshore, until 2050. It builds on IRENA’s global roadmap to scale up renewables and meet climate goals.