Presentation on:

Wind Energy & Power From Wind

Participants

 Mr Awais Khan
 Mr Junaid Iqbal
 Mr Hassan Khalid
 Mr Nouman Mehmood
 Miss Sania Azam
 Miss Huma Yunus
 Miss Warda Imtiaz
 Renewable energy:

• Renewable energy is energy generated from natural

resources—such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides and
geothermal heat—which are renewable . In 2006,
about 18% of global final energy consumption came
from renewables, with 13% coming from traditional
biomass, such as wood-burning. Hydroelectricity was
the next largest renewable source, providing 3%
(15% of global electricity generation), Modern
technologies, such as geothermal energy, wind
power, solar power, and ocean energy together
provided some 0.8% of final energy consumption.
• Wind power is growing at the rate of 30 percent
annually, with a worldwide installed capacity of over
100 GW.
 Wind Power:
• Wind power is the conversion of wind energy into a useful form, such
as electricity, using wind turbines. At the end of 2008, worldwide
nameplate capacity of wind-powered generators was 120.8 gigawatts.
Although wind produces only about 1.5% of worldwide electricity use,
it is growing rapidly, having doubled in the three years between 2005
and 2008. In several countries it has achieved relatively high levels of
penetration, accounting for approximately 19% of electricity
production in Denmark, 10% in Spain and Portugal, and 7% in
Germany and the Republic of Ireland in 2008.
• Wind energy has historically been used directly to propel sailing ships
or converted into mechanical energy for pumping water or grinding
grain, but the principal application of wind power today is the
generation of electricity. Large scale wind farms are typically
connected to the local electric power transmission network, with
smaller turbines being used to provide electricity to isolated
locations.. Wind energy as a power source is favoured by many
environmentalists as an alternative to fossil fuels, as it is plentiful,
renewable, widely distributed, clean, and produces lower greenhouse
gas emissions, although the construction of wind farms is not
universally welcomed due to their visual impact and other effects on
the environment.
This three-bladed wind turbine is the most common modern
design..
 History:

 Humans have been using wind power for at least 5,500 years to
propel sailboats and sailing ships, and architects have used
wind-driven natural ventilation in buildings since similarly ancient
times. The use of wind to provide mechanical power came
somewhat later in antiquity.
 The Babylonian emperor Hammurabi planned to use wind power
for his ambitious irrigation project in the 17th century BC. The
ancient Sinhalese utilized the monsoon winds to power furnaces
as early as 300 BC . The first practical windmills were later built
in Sistan, Afghanistan, from the 7th century. These were vertical-
axle windmills, which had long vertical driveshafts with rectangle
shaped blades. Made of six to twelve sails covered in reed
matting or cloth material, these windmills were used to grind corn
and draw up water, and were used in the gristmilling and
sugarcane industries.
A Sail Boat uses wind energy for its motion
Wind Energy:
 The Earth is unevenly heated by the sun resulting in the
poles receiving less energy from the sun than the
equator does. Also, the dry land heats up (and cools
down) more quickly than the seas do. The differential
heating drives a global atmospheric convection system
reaching from the Earth's surface to the stratosphere
which acts as a virtual ceiling. Most of the energy stored
in these wind movements can be found at high altitudes
where continuous wind speeds of over 160 km/h (100
mph) occur. Eventually, the wind energy is converted
through friction into diffuse heat throughout the Earth's
surface and the atmosphere.
 Distribution of wind
speed
• The strength of wind varies, and an average value for a
given location does not alone indicate the amount of
energy a wind turbine could produce there. To assess the
frequency of wind speeds at a particular location, a
probability distribution function is often fit to the observed
data. Different locations will have different wind speed
distributions.
• Because so much power is generated by higher windspeed,
much of the energy comes in short bursts. The 2002 Lee
Ranch sample is telling half of the energy available arrived
in just 15% of the operating time. The consequence is that
wind energy from a particular turbine or wind farm does
not have as consistent an output as fuel-fired power plants
A wind turbine usually needs wind speeds of around 10 miles an hour
(16kmh) to start generating electricity and optimum wind speed for
large turbines is approximately 30 miles per hour
Wind Turbine:
• A wind turbine is a rotating machine which
converts the kinetic energy in wind into mechanical
energy. If the mechanical energy is used directly
by machinery, such as a pump or grinding stones,
the machine is usually called a windmill. If the
mechanical energy is then converted to electricity,
the machine is called a wind generator, wind
turbine, wind power unit (WPU), wind energy
converter (WEC), or aerogenerator.
• Windmill discusses machines used for grain-
grinding, water pumping, etc.
A wind Turbine farm in California
Wind Turbine History:
 Wind machines were used in Persia as early as
200 B.C. This type of machine was introduced
into the Roman Empire by 250 A.D. However,
the first practical windmills were built in Sistan,
Iran, from the 7th century. These were vertical
axle windmills, which had long vertical
driveshafts with rectangle shaped blades. Made
of six to twelve sails covered in reed matting or
cloth material, these windmills were used to
grind corn and draw up water, and were used in
the gristmilling and sugarcane industries.
 The world's first automatically operated wind turbine was built in 1888 by
Charles F. Brush. It was 60 feet tall, 80,000 pounds and had a 12kW dynamo.
 Types of wind turbines

• Wind turbines can be separated into

two types based by the axis in which
the turbine rotates. Turbines that
rotate around a horizontal axis are
more common. Vertical-axis turbines
are less frequently used
 Horizontal axis

• Horizontal-axis wind turbines (HAWT) have the main

rotor shaft and electrical generator at the top of a tower,
and must be pointed into the wind. Small turbines are
pointed by a simple wind vane, while large turbines
generally use a wind sensor coupled with a servo motor.
Most have a gearbox, which turns the slow rotation of
the blades into a quicker rotation that is more suitable to
drive an electrical generator.
• Since a tower produces turbulence behind it, the turbine
is usually pointed upwind of the tower. Turbine blades
are made stiff to prevent the blades from being pushed
into the tower by high winds. Additionally, the blades are
placed a considerable distance in front of the tower and
are sometimes tilted up a small amount.
A Horizontal Axis wind Turbine
HAWT advantages

 Variable blade pitch, which gives the turbine blades the

optimum angle of attack. Allowing the angle of attack to be
remotely adjusted gives greater control, so the turbine collects
the maximum amount of wind energy for the time of day and
season.
 The tall tower base allows access to stronger wind in sites
with wind shear. In some wind shear sites, every ten meters up,
the wind speed can increase by 20% and the power output by
34%.
 High efficiency, since the blades always move
perpendicularly to the wind, receiving power through the whole
rotation. In contrast, all vertical axis wind turbines, and most
proposed airborne wind turbine designs, involve various types
of reciprocating actions, requiring airfoil surfaces to backtrack
against the wind for part of the cycle. Backtracking against the
wind leads to inherently lower efficiency.
HAWT disadvantages

 The tall towers and blades up to 90 meters long are difficult to

transport. Transportation can now cost 20% of equipment costs.
 Tall HAWTs are difficult to install, needing very tall and expensive
cranes and skilled operators.
 Massive tower construction is required to support the heavy blades,
gearbox, and generator.
 Reflections from tall HAWTs may affect side lobes of radar
installations creating signal clutter, although filtering can suppress
it.
 Their height makes them obtrusively visible across large areas,
disrupting the appearance of the landscape and sometimes
creating local opposition.
 HAWTs require an additional yaw control mechanism to turn the
blades toward the wind.
 Vertical axis
WindTurbine:
 Vertical-axis wind turbines (or VAWTs) have the main rotor
shaft arranged vertically. Key advantages of this
arrangement are that the turbine does not need to be
pointed into the wind to be effective. This is an advantage
on sites where the wind direction is highly variable. VAWTs
can utilize winds from varying directions.
 With a vertical axis, the generator and gearbox can be
placed near the ground, so the tower doesn't need to
support it, and it is more accessible for maintenance.
Drawbacks are that some designs produce pulsating torque.
Drag may be created when the blade rotates into the wind.
 . The wind speed is slower at a lower altitude, so less wind
energy is available for a given size turbine. Air flow near the
ground and other objects can create turbulent flow, which
can introduce issues of vibration, including noise and
bearing wear which may increase the maintenance or
shorten the service life.
Vertical Axis wind turbines
 VAWT advantages:

 A massive tower structure is less frequently used, as

VAWTs are more frequently mounted with the lower bearing
mounted near the ground.
 Designs without yaw mechanisms are possible with fixed
pitch rotor designs.
 A VAWT can be located nearer the ground, making it
easier to maintain the moving parts.
 VAWTs have lower wind startup speeds than HAWTs.
Typically, they start creating electricity at 6 m.p.h. (10 km/h).
 VAWTs may be built at locations where taller structures
are prohibited.
 VAWTs situated close to the ground can take advantage
of locations where mesas, hilltops, ridgelines, and passes
funnel the wind and increase wind velocity.
 VAWTs may have a lower noise signature.
 VAWT disadvantages

 Most VAWTs produce energy at only 50% of the efficiency

of HAWTs in large part because of the additional drag that
they have as their blades rotate into the wind..
 A VAWT that uses guy-wires to hold it in place puts stress
on the bottom bearing as all the weight of the rotor is on the
bearing. Guy wires attached to the top bearing increase
downward thrust in wind gusts. Solving this problem requires
a superstructure to hold a top bearing in place to eliminate
the downward thrusts of gust events in guy wired models.
 While VAWTs' parts are located on the ground, they are
also located under the weight of the structure above it, which
can make changing out parts nearly impossible without
dismantling the structure if not designed properly.
 VAWT subtypes

 Darrieus wind turbine 

 "Eggbeater" turbines. They have good efficiency, but
produce large torque ripple and cyclic stress on the
tower, which contributes to poor reliability. Also, they
generally require some external power source, or an
additional Savonius rotor, to start turning, because the
starting torque is very low. The torque ripple is reduced
by using three or more blades which results in a higher
solidity for the rotor
30 m Darrieus wind turbine in the Magdalen Islands
 Savonius wind turbine
 These are drag-type devices with two
(or more) scoops that are used in
anemometers, Flettner vents
(commonly seen on bus and van
roofs), and in some high-reliability
low-efficiency power turbines. They
are always self-starting if there are at
least three scoops. .
12 m Windmill with rotational sails in Osijek, Croatia
Savonius wind turbine
 Different Types Of Sails:
 Windmills are powered by their sails.
These sails are found in different
designs, from the primitive common
sails to the advanced patent sails.
 Jib sails :
 The jib sail is found in Mediterranean
countries, consisting of a simple
triangle of cloth wound around a
spar. The mill needs to be stopped in
order to adjust the reefing of the sail.
Although rare in the UK, at least one
windmill is known to have had jib
sails .
Jib Sail Wind Mill:
 Common sails:

 The simplest form of sail. In medieval

mills the sailcloth was wound in and out
of a ladder type arrangement of sails.
Medieval sails could be with or without
outer sailbars. Post-medieval mill sails
have a lattice framework that the
sailcloth is spread over. There are
various "reefs" for the different spread of
sails.
 Spring sails:
 Spring sails were invented by the Scottish
millwright Andrew Meikle in 1772. The sail is
divided into a number of bays with each bay
having a number of shutters in it. All of the
shutters are joined together by the shutter bar,
and the force required for the wind to open the
shutters is adjusted by a separate spring on
each individual sail. Although automatic in
operation, the mill needs to be stopped in order
to adjust the reefing of the sail
 Berton sails

 In France some mills have a system

with longitudinal shutters running the
length of the sail. These sails can be
adjusted without stopping the mill.
The system is called Ailes Berton,
which translates as Berton sails.
Turbine Power Control:
 Stall :
 Stalling works by increasing the angle at which
the relative wind strikes the blades (angle of
attack), and it reduces the induced drag (drag
associated with lift). Stalling is simple because it
can be made to happen passively (it increases
automatically when the winds speed up), but it
increases the cross-section of the blade face-on
to the wind, and thus the ordinary drag. A fully
stalled turbine blade, when stopped, has the flat
side of the blade facing directly into the wind.
 Yawing:

 Modern large wind turbines are typically actively

controlled to face the wind direction measured by
a wind vane situated on the back of the nacelle.
By minimizing the yaw angle (the misalignment
between wind and turbine pointing direction), the
power output is maximized and non-symmetrical
loads minimized. However, since the wind
direction varies quickly the turbine will not strictly
follow the direction and will have a small yaw
angle on average
 Electrical braking :
 Braking of a small wind turbine can also be done by dumping
energy from the generator into a resistor bank, converting the
kinetic energy of the turbine rotation into heat. This method is
useful if the kinetic load on the generator is suddenly reduced
or is too small to keep the turbine speed within its allowed limit.
 Cyclically braking causes the blades to slow down, which
increases the stalling effect, reducing the efficiency of the
blades. This way, the turbine's rotation can be kept at a safe
speed in faster winds while maintaining (nominal) power
output. This method is usually not applied on large grid-
connected wind turbines.
Dynamic braking resistor for wind
turbine
 Mechanical braking :
 A mechanical drum brake or disk brake is
used to hold the turbine at rest for
maintenance. Such brakes are usually
applied only after blade furling and
electromagnetic braking have reduced
the turbine speed, as the mechanical
brakes would wear quickly if used to stop
the turbine from full speed.
Mechanical brake used in wind
turbine
 Turbine placement:
 Good selection of a wind turbine site is critical to
economic development of wind power. Aside from the
availability of wind itself, other factors include the
availability of transmission lines, value of energy to be
produced, cost of land acquisition, land use
considerations, and environmental impact of
construction and operations. Off-shore locations may
offset their higher construction cost with higher annual
load factors, thereby reducing cost of energy produced.
Wind farm designers use specialized
wind energy software applications to evaluate the
impact of these issues on a given wind farm design.
 Studies in the UK have shown that if onshore turbines
are placed in a straight line then an increased risk of
aerodynamic modulation can occur which can result in
noise nuisance to nearby residents.
Offshore wind farms :
 As of 2008, Europe leads the world in development of
offshore wind power, due to strong wind resources
and shallow water in the North Sea and the Baltic
Sea, and limitations on suitable locations on land due
to dense populations and existing developments.
Denmark installed the first offshore wind farms, and
for years was the world leader in offshore wind power
until the United Kingdom gained the lead in October,
2008 with 590 MW of nameplate capacity installed
Off Shore wind Farm:
Electricity Generation
 Electricity Generation
 Electricity generated by a wind farm is normally fed into the
national electric power transmission network. Individual turbines
are interconnected with a medium voltage (usually 34.5 kV) power
collection system and communications network. At a substation,
this medium-voltage electrical current is increased in voltage with
a transformer for connection to the high voltage transmission
system. The surplus power produced by domestic microgenerators
can, in some jurisdictions, be fed back into the network and sold
back to the utility company, producing a retail credit for the
consumer to offset their energy costs.
 Induction generators, often used for wind power projects, require
reactive power for excitation so substations used in wind-power
collection systems include substantial capacitor banks for power
factor correction. Different types of wind turbine generators
behave differently during transmission grid disturbances, so
extensive modelling of the dynamic electromechanical
characteristics of a new wind farm is required by transmission
system operators to ensure predictable stable behaviour during
system faults
 Typical components of a wind turbine
(gearbox, rotor shaft and brake assembly)
being lifted into position
Turbine Design and
Construction
 Small scale wind power

 Small scale wind power is the name given to

wind generation systems with the capacity to
produce 50 kW or less of electrical power.
Isolated communities, that otherwise rely on
diesel generators, may use wind turbines to
displace diesel fuel consumption. Individuals
may purchase these systems to reduce or
eliminate their dependence on grid electricity
for economic or other reasons. Wind turbines
have been used for household electricity
generation in conjunction with battery storage
over many decades in remote areas.
This wind turbine charges a 12 volt battery to run
12 volt appliances
ECONOMIC EFFECT
 Wind and hydroelectric power generation
have negligible fuel costs and relatively
low maintenance costs; in economic
terms, wind power has a low marginal cost
and a high proportion of capital cost. The
estimated average cost per unit
incorporates the cost of construction of
the turbine and transmission facilities,
borrowed funds, return to investors
(including cost of risk), estimated annual
production, and other components,
averaged over the projected useful life of
the equipment, which may be in excess of
twenty years. Energy cost estimates are
highly dependent on these assumptions so
published cost figures can differ
substantially
 A British Wind Energy Association report
gives an average generation cost of
onshore wind power of around 3.2 pence
per kilowatt hour (2005).Cost per unit of
energy produced was estimated in 2006 to
be comparable to the cost of new
generating capacity in the United States
for coal and natural gas: wind cost was
estimated at $55.80 per MWh, coal at
$53.10/MWh and natural gas at $52.50
 Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) figures show
that 2007 recorded an increase of installed
capacity of 20 GW, taking the total installed wind
energy capacity to 94 GW, up from 74 GW in
2006. Despite constraints facing supply chains for
wind turbines, the annual market for wind
continued to increase at an estimated rate of 31%
following 32% growth in 2006. In terms of
economic value, the wind energy sector has
become one of the important players in the
energy markets, with the total value of new
generating equipment installed in 2007 reaching
€25 billion, or US$36 billion
 Existing generation capacity represents
sunk costs, and the decision to continue
production will depend on marginal costs
going forward, not estimated average
costs at project inception. For example,
the estimated cost of new wind power
capacity may be lower than that for "new
coal" (estimated average costs for new
generation capacity) but higher than for
"old coal" (marginal cost of production for
existing capacity). Therefore, the choice to
increase wind capacity will depend on
factors including the profile of existing
generation capacity.
 Direct Cost:
 Many potential sites for wind farms are far from demand
centres, requiring substantially more money to construct
new transmission lines and substations. In some regions
this is partly because frequent strong winds themselves
have discouraged dense human settlement in especially
windy areas. The wind which was historically a nuisance is
now becoming a valuable resource, but it may be far from
large populations which developed in areas more sheltered
from wind.
 Since the primary cost of producing wind energy is
construction and there are no fuel costs, the average cost
of wind energy per unit of production depends on a few key
assumptions, such as the cost of capital and years of
assumed service. The marginal cost of wind energy once a
plant is constructed is usually less than 1 cent per kilowatt-
hour. Since the cost of capital plays a large part in projected
cost, risk (as perceived by investors) will affect projected
costs per unit of electricity.
 The commercial viability of wind power also depends on the pricing
regime for power producers. Electricity prices are highly regulated
worldwide, and in many locations may not reflect the full cost of
production, let alone indirect subsidies or negative externalities.
Customers may enter into long-term pricing contracts for wind to
reduce the risk of future pricing changes, thereby ensuring more
stable returns for projects at the development stage. These may
take the form of standard offer contracts, whereby the system
operator undertakes to purchase power from wind at a fixed price
for a certain period (perhaps up to a limit); these prices may be
different than purchase prices from other sources, and even
incorporate an implicit subsidy.
 In jurisdictions where the price for electricity is based on market
mechanisms, revenue for all producers per unit is higher when their
production coincides with periods of higher prices. The profitability
of wind farms will therefore be higher if their production schedule
coincides with these periods. If wind represents a significant portion
of supply, average revenue per unit of production may be lower as
more expensive and less-efficient forms of generation, which
typically set revenue levels, are displaced from economic dispatch.
This may be of particular concern if the output of many wind plants
in a market have strong temporal correlation. In economic terms,
the marginal revenue of the wind sector as penetration increases
may diminish.
Environmental effects
 Wind power consumes no fuel for continuing operation, and
has no emissions directly related to electricity production.
Operation does not produce carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide,
mercury, particulates, or any other type of air pollution, as
fossil fuel power sources do. Wind power plants consume
resources in manufacturing and construction. During
manufacture of the wind turbine, steel, concrete, aluminum
and other materials will have to be made and transported
using energy-intensive processes, generally using fossil
energy sources. The initial carbon dioxide emissions "pay
back" is claimed by one company to be within about 9
months of operation for their offshore turbines and the
British Wind Energy Association claim the average wind
farm will pay back the energy used in its manufacture
within 3 to 5 months of operation.However, a report to the
British House of Lords in 2004 suggested a payback time of
1.1 years, taking into account factors such as plant
construction and decommissioning. A shorter period for
offshore facilities was given, as the higher capacity factors
would more than offset the added energy costs of
installation.
 Dangerous for birds:
 Danger to birds is often the main complaint
against the installation of a wind turbine.
However, studies show that the number of birds
killed by wind turbines is negligible compared to
the number that die as a result of other human
activities such as traffic, hunting, power lines and
high-rise buildings and especially the
environmental impacts of using non-clean power
sources. For example, in the UK, where there are
several hundred turbines, about one bird is killed
per turbine per year; 10 million per year are killed
by cars alone. The Audubon Society have also
come out in support of wind energy generation,
claiming that birds are over 10,000 times more
likely to be killed by other human-related causes
than by a wind turbine
 Migratory bat species appear to be particularly at risk,
especially during key movement periods (spring and more
importantly in fall). Lasiurines such as the hoary bat, red
bat, and the silver-haired bat appear to be most vulnerable
at North American sites. Almost nothing is known about
current populations of these species and the impact on bat
numbers as a result of mortality at windpower locations.
Offshore wind sites 10 km or more from shore do not
interact with bat populations.
 Noise:
 The noise created by wind turbines is often cited as an
issue, although the noise of large turbines is far less than of
smaller turbines.
 Aesthetics:
 Aesthetics have also been a concern. The Massachusetts
Cape Wind project was delayed for years mainly because of
aesthetic concerns.
Wind turbine often cause optical illusion.
 Utilization of wind power

 # Nation 2005 2006 2007 2008

 1 United States
 9,14 11,60 16,818 25,170
 2 Germany
 18,415 20,622 22,247 23,903
 3 Spain
 10,028 11,615 15,145 16,754
 4 China
 1,260 2,604 6,050 12,210
 5 India
 4,430 6,270 8,000 9,645
 6 Italy
 1,718 2,123 2,726 3,736
 7 France
 757 1,567 2,454 3,404
 8 United Kingdom
 1,332 1,963 2,389 3,241
 9 Denmark
 (& Faeroe Islands)
 3,136 3,140 3,129 3,180
 10 Portugal
 1,022 1,716 2,150 2,862
 25 Brazil
 29 237 247 341
 26 New Zealand
 169 171 322 326
 27 South Korea
 98 173 191 236
 28 Bulgaria
 6 36 70 158
 29 Czech Republic
 28 50 116 150
 30 Finland
 82 86 110 143
 31 Morocco
 64 124 114 134
 32 Hungary
 18 61 65 127
 33 Ukraine
 77 86 89 90
 34 Mexico
 3 88 87 85
 35 Iran
 23 48 66 85
 36 Costa Rica
 71 74 74 70
 Rest of Europe 129 163
 Rest of Americas 109 109
 Rest of Asia 38 38
 Rest of Africa
 & Middle East 31 31
 Rest of Oceania 12 12
 World total (MW) 59,091 74,223 93,849 120,791
 The modern wind power industry began in 1979 with the
serial production of wind turbines by Danish manufacturers
Kuriant, Vestas, Nordtank, and Bonus. These early turbines
were small by today's standards, with capacities of 20 to 30
kW each. Since then, they have increased greatly in size,
while wind turbine production has expanded to many
countries all over the world.
 There are now many thousands of wind turbines operating,
with a total nameplate capacity of 120,791 MW of which
wind power in Europe accounts for 55% (2008). Wind power
is the fastest growing energy source. World wind generation
capacity more than quadrupled between 2000 and 2006
 Wind power in Pakistan
 Pakistan is building wind power plants
Gharo, Keti Bandar and Bin Qasim in
Sindh. The government of Pakistan
decided to develop wind power energy
sources due to problems supplying
energy to the southern coastal regions of
Sindh and Balochistan, the project was
undertaken with assistance from the
government of China
Some Interesting
Informations
 Some of the over 6,000 wind turbines
at Altamont Pass, in California.
Developed during a period of tax
incentives in the 1980s, this wind
farm has more turbines than any
other in the United States.
 BEHRIN World Trade Center
 Three bridges connect the towers; each holding one large
wind turbine with a nameplate capacity of 225kW each,
totalling to 675kW of wind energy production. These
turbines, each measuring 29 m (32 yd) in diameter, face
north, which is the direction from which air from the Persian
Gulf blows in. The sail-shaped buildings on either side are
designed to funnel wind through the gap to provide the
maximum amount of wind passing through the turbines.
 wind turbines are expected to provide 11% to 15% of the
towers' total power consumption, or approximately 1.1 to
1.3 GWh a year. This is equivalent to providing the lighting
for about 300 homes annually
Airborne wind turbine
 An airborne wind turbine is a design concept for a
wind turbine that is supported in the air without a
tower. A tether would be used to transmit energy to
the ground, either mechanically or through electrical
conductors. These systems would have the advantage
of tapping an almost constant wind and doing so
without a set of slip rings or yaw mechanism, without
the expense of tower construction. The main
disadvantage is that kites and 'helicopters' come
down when there is insufficient wind. Also, bad
weather such as lightning or thunderstorms, could
temporarily suspend use of the machines, probably
requiring them to be brought back down to the
ground and covered. These schemes require a long
power cable and, if the turbine is high enough, an
aircraft exclusion zone. As of 2008, no commercial
airborne wind turbines are in regular operation
Article from DAWN 1 March, 2009.
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