Comments on: Tear down or leave up all the old wind turbines? https://energytransition.org/2017/11/tear-down-or-leave-up-all-the-old-wind-turbines/ The Global Energiewende Wed, 29 Nov 2017 17:12:22 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.1.1 By: Hans https://energytransition.org/2017/11/tear-down-or-leave-up-all-the-old-wind-turbines/#comment-6134 Wed, 29 Nov 2017 17:12:22 +0000 https://energytransition.org/?p=16080#comment-6134 Addition: in some locations new turbines will not get a permit, so repowering is not possible, in such cases it might be a good option to keep the old turbines turning.

]]> By: Energy And Environmental Newsletter – November 27th 2017 | PA Pundits - International https://energytransition.org/2017/11/tear-down-or-leave-up-all-the-old-wind-turbines/#comment-6125 Tue, 28 Nov 2017 05:03:07 +0000 https://energytransition.org/?p=16080#comment-6125 […] Tear down or leave up all the old wind turbines? […]

]]> By: Energy & Environmental Newsletter: November 27, 2017 - Master Resource https://energytransition.org/2017/11/tear-down-or-leave-up-all-the-old-wind-turbines/#comment-6118 Mon, 27 Nov 2017 07:01:58 +0000 https://energytransition.org/?p=16080#comment-6118 […] Tear down or leave up all the old wind turbines? […]

]]> By: S. Herb https://energytransition.org/2017/11/tear-down-or-leave-up-all-the-old-wind-turbines/#comment-6087 Fri, 17 Nov 2017 20:35:34 +0000 https://energytransition.org/?p=16080#comment-6087 If the old turbines are removed what happens to the concrete support pads? Does someone pay for their demolition and removal or do they dot the countryside like old war bunkers? I suppose that they are smaller for the old turbines; nonetheless … .

]]> By: Hans https://energytransition.org/2017/11/tear-down-or-leave-up-all-the-old-wind-turbines/#comment-6085 Fri, 17 Nov 2017 08:42:17 +0000 https://energytransition.org/?p=16080#comment-6085 Some advantages of repowering are overlooked here:

Imagine a 20 year old wind park with ten 500 kW wind turbines. You could easily fit two 3MW turbines in the same place. This would increase the nominal power of the park with 20%, but increase the output even more, because modern wind turbines are more efficient and, because of their greater height, can tap into a better wind resource. This also reduces the variability of the output.

The repowered park would also look more pleasant. The angular rotor speed is smaller for larger turbines, giving a “quieter” look. Design has also improved over the years, modern turbines look much more sleek than the seacontainer-on-a-stick look of early wind turbines.

Speaking about quiet, the acoustics of wind turbines have also been improved the last 20 years.

]]> By: James Wimberley https://energytransition.org/2017/11/tear-down-or-leave-up-all-the-old-wind-turbines/#comment-6084 Thu, 16 Nov 2017 17:31:55 +0000 https://energytransition.org/?p=16080#comment-6084 You also need to take into account that typical wind turbines in 2002 were much smaller than today’s, and lower. This plus poor choices of siting, and designs far less efficient and reliable than today’s, have generated remarkably low onshore capacity factors in Germany by European standards. This problematic legacy militates for re-powering over just carrying on. Things will be different in 20 years’ time: there is much less scope looking forward for equal improvements.

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