All of the answers to questions about wind farming and all of the solutions to its problems can be made visible at your local library. Quality answers and solutions demand making time to look at and analyze information; only afterwards can knowledge come to mind.
The Wind Energy Manual was written by the Iowa Energy Center; its Table of Contents is linked to the Manual's 89 pages. This online manual is a publication of the Iowa Energy Center, © 2006.
The Wind Energy Manual was funded and compiled by the Iowa Energy Center. A portion of the contents were prepared by Bruce H. Bailey, AWS Truewind, LLC.
The Table of Contents is linked to various sections, such as
Wind Energy Overview
"Wind energy has become one of today's lower cost renewable energy technologies. Wind turbines are becoming a more common sight in Iowa, with a number of turbines and large wind farms in the northeast part of the state."
History of Wind Energy
"The first true windmill, a machine with vanes attached to an axis to produce circular motion, may have been built as early as 2000 B.C. in ancient Babylon. By the 10th century A.D., windmills with wind-catching surfaces as long as 16 feet and as high as 30 feet were grinding grain in the area now known as eastern Iran and Afghanistan. The western world discovered the windmill much later."
{At one time, wind turbines were "rocket science."}
Technology Overview
"This section defines some of the terms used to describe wind energy systems."
{Another thorough description is Wind Energy Technologies. How wind energy works and what to consider if you want to use wind power at home.}
{A third discussion is Wind Energy for Rural Economic Development, a 32-page presentation by NREL.}
Legal Issues
"Utility Interconnections {vary by state}, Zoning Ordinances, Building Codes and Land Use {vary by county and state}, and Liability and Insurance."
{Another thorough description is The Law of Wind.}
Appendix A has Conversion Tables for working meters per second (mps, m/s) as miles per hour (mph). {M/s is the typical unit used in the wind industry}.
A good online web calculator is the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Meteorological Calculators {the Feds do these kinds of numbers right}. Scroll down to "Wind Speed Conversion" and put in the value {e.g. 15}, select the units of that value {e.g. m/s}, and click on the "Convert" button. On the right side is mph {33.55} and other units.
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Similar knowledge can be made visible for all "Ten Steps to Wind Farming," at the top right of this blog. "Food for action," yes?
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A handful of South Dakota wind-
7 PM Jun 11, S at 23 mph
3 PM Jun 11, S at 22 mph
Noon Jun 11, S 17 mph
5 AM Jun 11, SSE at 15 mph
11 PM Jun 10, ESE at 7 mph.
Do contact me if you want to buy any of this blog's content or would like to have other specific wind power-related content uncovered.
'Til next time. Best Wind.
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
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