AT A GLANCEMaximum outputEach turbine can generate 660 kilowatts at wind speeds of 34 mph Expected life 20 years Manufacturer Vestas American Wind Technology Project cost $1.6 million To see animation of how a wind turbine works, visit the U.S. Department of Energy Wind Technologies Program |
The Byron wind project is located 9 miles south of Fond du Lac along highway 41 in the Town of Byron. Two Danish-designed, Vestas model V47-660 wind turbines stand 290 feet tall from ground to blade tip. The blades are 75 feet long. The height of the equipment platform inside the nacelle is 215 feet and is accessed by a ladder inside the tower.
Each turbine is capable of generating 660 kilowatts of electricity, when the wind speed reaches 34 mph at the site. The turbines sense wind speed and direction, rotate themselves and trim their blades to extract the maximum energy from the wind.
When wind reaches a sustained 4 mph, the blades turn. A minimum sustained wind speed of 9 mph is required to operate the generators and make electricity. The turbines shut down when wind exceeds 56 mph, and the towers are designed to withstand 134 mph winds. The generators operate at 690 volts and feed into the 24.9 kilovolt distribution system in the area.
The units were constructed in 1999 at a cost of $1.6 million and contribute electricity to the We Energies Energy for Tomorrow® program. Participating customers pay a small premium on their electric bill so that some or all of the power they use is generated by renewable energy sources.
As of October 2007, the turbines have operated at about a 26 percent capacity factor, and generated a total of 25,200 megawatt-hours of electricity.
Renewable energy is energy from natural resources, such as wind and solar that replenish themselves naturally. Fossil fuels, such as coal and natural gas are nonrenewable resources, meaning they are of finite supply. Renewable energy, on the other hand, won't run out - the wind keeps blowing, the sun keeps shining, the water keeps flowing and plants keep growing. The most common types of renewable energy used to make electricity in the United States today are:
- Solar energy: makes electricity using the sun's light.
- Wind energy: makes electricity using moving air.
- Hydroelectric energy: makes electricity using falling water.
- Biomass energy: makes electricity using plants and waste like manure.
Components
There are three main components to these wind turbines: the tower, the turbine blades and the nacelle, which is on top of the tower.
The nacelle contains the generator, which turns wind energy into electricity, and other equipment like the gear box and yaw motor.
The nacelle is 20 tons, and 2 people can stand inside of it. There is a wind vane or anemometer located on top of the nacelle to determine wind speed.
Positioning
The turbines are spaced far enough apart to limit one from "shadowing," or blocking the wind stream from the other.
They are also out of flight paths of airplanes and birds, which is important for the Fond du Lac airport and migratory birds.
