Genel
Wind energy in the new world: Shifting to micro power plants
Comparisons between renewable energy and fossil sources can be made from a variety of perspectives like carbon emissions, water usage, operation & maintenance and investment costs but prevalence is not commonly considered as a parameter. We are facing an attack or war more often then before now and it makes the “security” is everything of life so; the security of energy supply also stays in the middle of our reality.
Coal, like other fossil fuels, is a highly localized source of energy, found underneath less than 5 percent of the world’s land area [1]. Wind, by contrast, is ubiquitous. With the exception of heavily forested areas of the Amazon, Congo, and southeast Asia, wind is available for conversion to useful energy in nearly every corner of the globe. Moreover, these wind resources are enormous, the estimated 250 trillion watts of global wind power is 20 times greater than total global power consumption [2].
Centralized, big power plants getting be a clear target and risky cracks than a solution due to the risks of terrorism, wars and economic crises for modern cities. It can be foreseen that new energy production trends will shifting to the micro power plants which can work as off-grid islands, located in the area of consumers to avoid any losses caused by energy transmission lines. In this utopia, centralized power plants supply energy for only public areas, besides the private areas are powered by small size, micro power plants. So, new-world-scenario includes no security risks and no energy losses by transmissions. Additionally, energy prices are not a considered point any more. It is only needed a renewable energy source which should be diffused on the all points of the world so; wind is the best solution again !
To what can we ascribe this dichotomy between the abundance of wind energy resources and the limited adoption of existing wind energy technologies? Many economic, infrastructural, regulatory, and cultural issues contribute. Regarding to Dabiri et al. a root cause is the extant paradigm of wind energy generation, one that relies on power generation by a few, increasingly large wind conversion machines [4]. This centralized approach to power generation arose following the Industrial Revolution [5]. Projection of these approach to the wind industry can be followed by the improvement of hub heights, blade lengths and more -empty- spaced wind farm sites. Spacing between turbines are increasing with increment of the turbine capacities for the minimizing aerodynamic interactions. To maintain 90% of the performance of isolated horizontal axis wind turbine, the turbines in a horizontal axis wind turbine farm must be spaced 3–5 turbine diameters apart in the cross-wind direction and 6–10 diameters apart in the downwind direction [6] [7]. The power density of such wind farms, defined as the power extracted per unit land area, is between 2 and 3 W/m2 [8].
Now, the question is: “Is it possible to get more than 2-3 W/m-2 from the wind farms?” To answer YES, it is needed to reconsider traditional ways to generate electricity from wind. Scientist from USA showed that it is possible to generate 3-4 times more energy from same area by using vertical axis wind turbines [5]. Vertical axis wind turbines don’t need any yaw mechanism and their mostly preferred type is straight bladed Darrieus wind turbines which are named by its investor Georges Jean Marie Derrieus who has the first known patent in 1931 [9].
Even if vertical axis wind turbine has more advantages then the horizontal ones, like freedom from the wind direction so no need to yaw mechanism, development works are focused mainly on horizontal axis wind turbines because of complex aerodynamic flows occurred in the vertical axis wind turbines. Limited knowledge of these complex flows inside of the vertical axis wind turbines can be accepted as one of the biggest obstacle for the commercial improvements.
Promising recent studies and all economic & politic issues mention in the beginning are highlight the importance of vertical axis wind turbines and seems that vertical axis wind turbines will be an essential part of both micro size power plants and new generation wind farms in the near future. As Assoc. Prof. Z. Haktan Karadeniz mentioned on his study, vertical axis wind turbine technology will be developed more rapidly as a result of the acceptance the concept of footprint power density. These improvements will might be a milestone for the paradigm shift in wind energy [11]. It is quite possible to see more micro power plants in the urban sites and use empty ares in wind farms in short / medium term by the improvement of vertical axis wind turbines.
REFERENCES
[1] World Energy Council, Survey of Energy Resource 2010 and Energy Information Administration
[2] Jacobson, M. Z., and Cristina L. A. “Saturation wind power potential and its implications for wind energy.” Proceedings of the
National Academy of Sciences 109.39 (2012): 15679-15684.
[3] http://www.vaisala.com/Vaisala%20Documents/Scientific%20papers/Vaisala_global_wind_map.pdf
[4] Dabiri, J. O., Greer, J. R., Koseff, J. R., Moin, P., & Peng, J. (2015). A new approach to wind energy: Opportunities and challenges.
In AIP Conference Proceedings (pp. 51–57). http://doi.org/10.1063/1.4916168
[5] Sulzberger, Carl. “Thomas Edison’s 1882 Pearl Street Generating Station”, IEEE)
[6] Hau E 2006 Wind Turbines 2nd ed (New York: Springer)
[7] Sørensen B 2004 Renewable Energy: Its Physics, Engineering, Use, Environmental Impacts, Economy, and Planning Aspects
(New York: Academic)
[8] D. J. C. MacKay, Sustainable Energy—Without the Hot Air (UIT Cambridge Ltd., Cambridge, UK, 2009).
[9] Darrieus, G. J. M. (1931). Patent-Turbine having its rotating shaft transverse to the flow of the current. USA.
[10] Howell, R., Qin, N., Edwards, J., & Durrani, N. (2010). Wind tunnel and numerical study of a small vertical axis wind turbine.
Renewable Energy, 35(2), 412–422. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2009.07.025
[11] Karadeniz Z.H., Düşey eksenli rüzgar türbini araştırmalarında son gelişmeler, 8. Yenilenebilir Enerji Kaynakları Sempozyumu,
151-155, Adana, 2015
Prepared: İskender KÖKEY
Kintech Engineering
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Doğuhan Enerji, which provides turnkey services in road, platform, and foundation construction, electrical and cabling works, substation installation, control building construction, and overhead line construction for wind energy projects, also strengthens the European renewable energy sector with Helios Energy, its Romania-based subsidiary established in early 2022.
Operating a consistently with precision and dedication across all project scales, ranging from 1 MW to over 100 MW, Doğuhan Enerji has grown by successfully delivering some of the market’s largest and most significant projects. With 28 years of industry presence and participation in over 200 projects, the company has completed the construction of more than 1,500 turbines, contributing to a total capacity exceeding 2,500 MW. Beyond its core expertise in wind energy projects, Doğuhan Enerji has been providing solutions for solar power plant projects globally for the past three years. Through its European subsidiary, Helios Energy, the company has undertaken the construction and installation of the 155 MW Ratești Project, the largest solar power plant in Eastern Europe, completing it within a record-breaking period of just eight months.
Helios Energy, which has achieved one of the fastest growth rates in the sector by reaching a 600 MW project portfolio within just three years, provides end-to-end turnkey solutions for solar energy projects, covering every stage from construction and foundation works to mechanical and electrical installations, as well as substation construction, SCADA integration, and commissioning processes. In addition to its operations in Romania, Helios Energy is also active in Germany, Hungary, and Italy. Globally, the company has already secured agreements for 210 MW of wind and solar power plant projects to be delivered by 2025.
Striving for 20% Growth
Building a project portfolio that surpasses 2,500 MW, Doğuhan Enerji continues to leave its mark wherever the wind blows, actively participating in project developments across almost every region of Türkiye. To further expand its operational capacity, the company has been investing in machinery and equipment and plans to continue these investments throughout 2025. With the initiatives launched in the last quarter of 2024, Doğuhan Enerji aims to grow its operations in Türkiye and international markets by 20% in 2025.
The global Wind Power Market size was valued at USD 95.16 billion in 2023 and is projected to grow from USD 106.42 billion in 2024 to USD 254.27 billion by 2031, exhibiting a CAGR of 13.25% during the forecast period. Growing adoption of offshore wind farms and surge in wind energy projects are augmenting market growth.
The growing adoption of offshore wind farms is a significant trend in the wind power market. Offshore wind farms are being increasingly developed due to their numerous advantages over onshore counterparts. They benefit from stronger and more consistent wind speeds prevalent over the ocean, leading to higher energy yields and improved efficiency.
Additionally, offshore wind farms reduce land use conflicts, as they are situated away from populated and agricultural areas. Government incentives and advancements in technology are key factors fueling this trend. Many countries are offering subsidies, tax incentives, and supportive policies to promote the development of offshore wind projects.
Technological advancements, such as the development of larger and more efficient turbines designed to withstand harsh marine environments, are making offshore wind farms more viable and cost-effective. This trend contributes to lowering carbon emissions and reducing reliance on fossil fuels, thereby playing a crucial role in meeting the increasing global demand for renewable energy sources.
Wind Power Market Trends
The integration of wind power with energy storage systems is an emerging trend that addresses its intermittency, which represents a significant limitation of wind energy. By pairing wind turbines with advanced storage solutions, such as lithium-ion batteries or pumped hydro storage, the energy generated during peak wind periods is stored and used during times of low wind activity or high demand. This trend is gaining significant traction due to advancements in energy storage technologies, which are enhancing efficiency and cost-effectiveness. The combination of wind power and storage systems enhances the reliability and stability of the electricity supply, making wind energy a more viable and consistent source of renewable energy.
Additionally, integrated storage systems help mitigates the impact of sudden fluctuations in wind power generation on the grid, thereby reducing the need for backup fossil fuel-based power plants. This trend is supported by government policies and incentives aimed at promoting the adoption of renewable energy and energy storage technologies.
Wind Power Market Regional Analysis
Based on region, the global market is classified into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, MEA, and Latin America. Asia-Pacific wind power market accounted for a significant share of 36.25% and was valued at USD 34.50 billion in 2023, reflecting the region’s significant commitment to renewable energy development. The rapid expansion of wind power in Asia-Pacific is reinforced by the growing energy needs of its populous nations, particularly China and India, which are making substantial investments in both onshore and offshore wind projects. China has emerged as major country in wind power capacity due to its aggressive renewable energy targets, extensive government support through subsidies, and favorable policies.
Moreover, India’s national wind-solar hybrid policy and other initiatives are bolstering wind energy deployment. The region’s abundant wind resources, coupled with technological advancements and decreasing costs of wind power generation, are propelling domestic market growth. Additionally, the increasing environmental awareness and the urgent need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions are prompting countries across Asia- Pacific to adopt wind energy as a key component of their energy strategies.
North America is set to grow at a robust CAGR of 13.35% in the forthcoming years, largely attributable to several factors such as ongoing technological advancements, supportive regulatory frameworks, and increasing investments in renewable energy. The incentives are prompting utilities and independent power producers to invest in new wind projects. Additionally, advancements in wind turbine technology, including the production of larger and more efficient turbines, are reducing the cost of wind energy, thereby enhancing its competitiveness compared to traditional energy sources.
For instance, in 2023, according to US Department of Energy, Wind energy in the United States contributed to the reduction of 336 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually, which is equivalent to the emissions generated by 73 million cars.
Canada is further supporting this growth with its favorable wind resources and supportive provincial policies aimed at expanding renewable energy capacity. The commitment to sustainability and reducing carbon emissions is leading to the widespread adoption of wind energy in North America.
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