Wind Energy Glossary
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Wind Energy Glossary Accelerated Depreciation – With accelerated meet minimum demands based on reasonable depreciation, wind energy projects can reduce the expectations of customer requirements. Base load assessed value of their equipment on their financial values typically vary from hour to hour in most balance sheets over a shorter period of time. commercial and industrial areas. Also known as bas load demand. Access Roads – Roads that allow access to wind energy project sites and individual wind turbine Battery – For most wind energy projects, battery locations during the development, construction and systems are cost-prohibitive and not considered the operational phases of a project. Access roads are commercially viable to include as part of a constructed for long-term use and are built to commercial or utility-scale wind farm development accommodate heavy equipment and maintenance project for alternative energy; may also be called vehicles throughout the life of the project. galvanic battery or voltaic battery. Air Pollution – The addition of harmful chemicals to Beaufort Scale – A scale used to classify wind speeds, the atmosphere that often result from the burning of devised in 1805 by Admiral Francis Beaufort of the fossil fuels, especially in internal combustion engines. British Navy. Alternative Energy – Energy that is produced from Blades – The large “arms” of wind turbines that alternative energy sources such as solar, wind or extend from the hub of a generator. Most turbines nuclear energy that serves as alternative energy have either two or three blades. Wind blowing over forms that produce traditional fossil-fuel sources the blades causes the blades to “lift” and rotate. such as coal, oil and natural gas. Blades vary in length by turbine rating (MW) and manufacturer (i.e. GE, Siemens, Vestas etc.). The most American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) – common turbine blades in the US range between 116’ Formed in 1974, American Wind Energy Association and 164’ in length and are made of composite is a Washington DC based national trade association fiberglass or aluminum. Blades are designed to representing wind power project developers, maximize the efficiency of wind energy production equipment suppliers, service providers, parts from a wind turbine generator. manufacturers, utilities, researchers and others involved in the wind energy industry. Brake – Wind turbine generators contain a disc brake that can be applied mechanically, electrically or Anemometer – Instrument that measures the speed hydraulically to stop the rotor for maintenance, of wind. Meteorological towers used for wind repair and in emergency situations. assessment have anemometers attached to the end of booms that extend from the tower in different Braking System – Device to slow a wind turbine’s directions. The anemometer collects data including shaft speed down to a safe level electrically or wind speed and direction and transmits it to the mechanically. controller. Then that information can be used to determine the long-term alternative energy potential Carbon Dioxide (CO2) – Naturally occurring gas, and and seasonal attributes of the wind at a specific also a by-product of burning fossil fuels and biomass location. as well as land-use changes and other industrial processes. CO2 is the principal greenhouse gas that is Base Load Power – The minimum amount of power produced by human activity and influences climate that a utility or distribution company must make change. available to its customers. Base load power could also be described as the amount of power required to Carbon Monoxide (CO) – A colorless, odorless, to the grid, or certain planning conditions. highly poisonous gas, formed by the incomplete Curtailment is controlled by the regional combustion of carbon or a carbonaceous material transmission operator. such as gasoline. Cut-in Speed – Wind speed at which the turbine Circuit – The complete path of an electric current, blades begin to rotate and produce electricity, including the generating apparatus intervening typically around 10 mph. resistors, or capacitors; also known as an electric current. Cut-out Speed – Wind speed at which the turbine automatically stops the blades from turning and Climate – The meteorological conditions, including rotates out of the wind to avoid damage to the temperature, precipitation and wind that turbine, usually around 55 – 65 mph. characteristically prevail in a particular region. Deregulation – Process of changing policies and laws Climate Change – Changes in a climate system over of regulation in order to increase competition among decades or longer. The term often refers to changes suppliers of commodities and services. The Energy in climate that can be attributed directly or indirectly Policy Act initiated deregulation of the electric power to human activities that altered the composition of industry in 1992. the global atmosphere – changes that are beyond the natural climate variability observed over comparable Direct Current – Type of electricity transmission and time periods. distribution by which electricity flows in one direction through the conductor, usually relatively Conductor – The material through which electricity low-voltage and high-current. To be used for typical is transmitted. Wind turbine generators require 120 volt or 220 volt household appliances. DC must electric lines with a conductor material (that is almost be converted to alternating current its opposite. always an aluminum alloy) to transmit the wind energy produced to a location where the wind energy Distributed Energy Resources – Commonly can be consumed and used as alternative energy. referred to as “distributed generation”, and includes a variety of small, modular power-generating Controller – Wind turbine generators contain a technologies that are used to create alternative controller that starts up the machine at wind speeds energy and can be combined with wind energy of about 8 to 16 miles per hour (mph) and shuts off management and storage systems used to improve the machine at about 55-65 mph. Generally wind the operation of the electricity delivery system. turbine generators do not operate at wind speeds above 55 mph because they might be damaged by the Distributed Generation – Localized, on-site power, high winds. or “behind the meter” generation. Also known as distributed energy resources. Converter – Piece of equipment found within wind turbine generators that converts a direct current (dc) Distribution Electric Cooperatives – Service end- voltage to another dc voltage. users, such as residences and businesses that make up their membership and are often located in rural Coverage Ratio – Type of accounting ratio that helps areas. Distribution Electric Cooperatives commonly measure a company’s ability to meet its obligations purchase the majority of their power from Generation satisfactorily. A coverage ratio encompasses many and Transmission Cooperatives that typically different types of financial ratios. Typically, these purchase power centrally for multiple Distribution kinds of ratios involve a comparison of assets and Electric Cooperatives. They are also known as liabilities. The better the assets “cover” the liabilities, Distribution & transmission “D&T” Cooperatives. the better off the company is. Efficiency – The amount of active electrical power Curtailment – The forced shut-down of some or all of generated as a percentage of the wind power received the wind turbine generators within a wind farm to by the turbine. mitigate issues associated with turbine loading export Electric Cooperative – This is a type of electric utility generators. It also permitted non-generator- utility for alternative energy in which all users are owning municipalities to purchased wholesale shareholders. This is common in rural areas that are electricity to use as alternative energy. expensive to serve because of the long distances between users. Frequently, the government Energy Storage – Process of storing or converting contributes in various ways to rural cooperatives to energy from one form to another for later use. An reduce costs to individual owner/users. The two example of an energy storage device is a battery. types of electric cooperatives are Distribution and Environment – All the natural and living things Transmission “D&T” Cooperatives and Generation around us including the earth, air, weather, plants and Transmission “G&T” Cooperatives. and animals. Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) – Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) – Formed in 1970, one of eight independent System Environmental Impact Statements are required in Operators in North America, and the successors to the various parts of the U.S. as part of the permitting Texas Interconnected System (TIS). TIS originally stage of wind project development. EIS studies formed in 1941 when several power companies review proposed electric utility projects and the banded together to provide their excess generation potential for significant environmental impacts, capacity to serve industrial loads on the Gulf Coast including evaluation of alternatives and mitigation. supporting the U.S. World War II effort. ERCOT is one of nine regional electric reliability councils under Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) – North American Electric Reliability Corporation The Federal agency with jurisdiction over interstate (NERC) authority and the regional reliability councils electricity sales, whole electric rates, hydroelectric were formed following the