Wind Energy in Sweden Breaks Records in 2010

The year 2010 saw Sweden break previous records despite a global investment slump in wind power. The Swedish Wind Energy Association (SWEA) revealed that the country witnessed an addition of 557-MW wind installation during 2010, amounting to a 36 per cent increase in comparison with 2009. The government is now looking to increase its present renewable energy output of 20 per cent to about 50 per cent of the nation’s energy needs by the year 2020. Accordingly, it has presented a proposal to the Parliament for increasing the wind power capacity by 10 tWh. To achieve the same, the country plans to install 2,000 new wind turbines in the next 10 years: The increase is equivalent to about half of the power generated by the country’s nuclear reactors in 2009, which currently accounts for about 50 per cent of its electricity production.

Gothia Vind, a wind power operator based in Gothenburg, has already revealed plans to construct 100 wind novel power stations in the Southern region of Sweden, with an overall 200-300 MW capacity.

Sweden’s first vertical-axis wind turbine operational

On April 14 Vertical Wind‘s first 200 kW wind turbine went on line and started to deliver energy to the power grid. This is the first full-scale vertical-axis wind turbine in Sweden. It is placed in Falkenberg, where it will soon be joined by three more turbines from Vertical Wind. The systems are ordered by E.ON and Falkenberg Energy and the park project is also supported by the Swedish Energy Authority.

“-We are currently going through the initial test program, and everything is working according to plan” says Vertical Wind’s CEO Björn Hellström.
Vertical Wind’s innovative concept with vertical-axis wind turbines where the generator is direct-driven and placed at ground level provides excellent cost efficiency, as the design involves few moving parts and lacks a gearbox. The 200kW system is designed for low noise emissions, low service need and with outstanding turbulent air handling properties. This makes it an ideal choice for local energy production and aerodynamically difficult but windy sites as ports, urban areas and commercial centers.

Text and picture from http://www.verticalwind.se/EN/index.html

Wind Power – Development and Use

A REPORT on “Wind Power Development and Use”

THE WINDS OF CHANGE: Getting to know the resource

By Anagha Bhambri

Mankind’s tryst with wind power began with the use of sailboats, which had an important role to play in the development of water pumping wind mills as well as those used for grinding grain. Countries like Argentina and Australia still operate wind mills for water pumping. Interestingly, these were all vertical-axis wind mills. But that was then. Wind mills have now grown in size and structure to deliver power at competitive rates in comparison to fossil fuel-based power plants.

In a bid to now further popularise the concept of wind energy, especially in developing countries, LIFE Academy held the second phase of its SIDA-sponsored programme on