Wind

Diagram of a wind turbine
What is a wind turbine and how does it work?
How much energy is there in the wind?
Wind Energy in NSW
Wind Farms in NSW
NSW Wind Energy Handbook
|NSW Wind Atlas

Anyone who has struggled to stay upright in a strong gale is aware of the intrinsic power of the wind. Indeed wind energy has been harnessed by people for centuries.

The wind-mills with cloth sails used in many European countries are a good example, as are the multi-bladed windmills commonly seen on farms and in rural areas of Australia. The power of the wind is also used to propel sailing ships, cool homes on balmy NSW summer evenings, and fly kites.

Recent research and development in harnessing the wind means that we can now generate electricity using wind energy.

Modern machines that generate electricity from the wind work in much the same way as the more familiar European windmills of old. These modern machines are called wind turbines, as they produce electricity.

Diagram of a wind turbine

What is a wind turbine and how does it work?

A wind turbine is comprised of a tower, topped by an enclosure called a nacelle, and the rotor, which is the propeller-like structure connected to the nacelle. The nacelle houses an electrical generator, power control equipment and other mechanical equipment, which is connected to the rotor.

The rotor blades are made out of light composite materials such as fibreglass. They are well researched and shaped to maximise the energy harnessed. The wind strikes these blades, and due to their shape, the wind causes the rotor to spin. When the wind is strong enough, the rotational energy in the rotor is converted to electrical energy within the generator.

Towers are commonly made of steel tubes, although some earlier models used steel lattices. The height of the tower varies from turbine to turbine, and is determined by the length of the blades, size of the generator, and the need to access the smoother winds available further away from the ground. Wind turbines in Australia are commonly between 50 and 80 m tall.

How much energy is there in the wind?

Wind turbines can generate significant amounts of electricity. Wind electrical power is generally proportional to the speed of the wind cubed. This means that if the wind speed doubles, the power generated is multiplied by eight.

Apart from the actual wind speed at a site, the length of the blades on the rotor also determine the amount of power produced. The longer the blade, the more wind it can harness.

Wind turbines that are capable of generating 1 MW of electrical energy are now relatively common. A turbine this big could provide sufficient electricity to power approximately 300 NSW homes, and save over 2000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions per year.

Wind Energy in NSW

NSW has an excellent wind resource. Background wind speeds in NSW are comparable to northern Europe, where a large portion of international wind generation is currently installed.

NSW has an estimated potential for over 1000 MW of wind energy. Currently, 17 MW has been installed.

The NSW Wind Atlas provides a snapshot of the State’s wind resource. Many of the good sites in NSW are due to the hills and ridges of the Great Dividing Range interacting with the calmer background winds that blow from west to east across the vast NSW inland.

Contact Us to obtain a copy of the NSW Wind Atlas.

In addition to a good wind resource, NSW has an extensive electricity transmission network, providing easy access for new wind farms to the national electricity grid.

Wind Farms in NSW

NSW Wind Energy Handbook

Published in 2001, the NSW Wind Energy Handbook provides a comprehensive kit of up-to-date, accurate and impartial information on all aspects of wind energy development in NSW. It has material for all participants in commercial wind energy development, including decision makers, developers, investors, landholders and the local and wider community. The Handbook does not specifically cover small-scale wind energy technology.

The NSW Wind Energy Handbook costs $33 including GST. Simply complete and fax the Wind Energy Handbook Order Form to us on (02) 8281 7355.

NSW Wind Atlas

The NSW Wind Atlas is a poster that provides a snapshot of wind speed around the State of New South Wales, Australia. To obtain your (free) poster of the NSW Wind Atlas contact us.

NSW Wind Atlas