Annualized Electricity Output
from Wind Power: REVEALED

As wind speed never remains constant throughout the year, a wind farm’s annualized electricity output seldom matches the generator nameplate rating multiplied by the total hours in a year. But that is not all. It also depends on several other factors like the site selection, the capacity factor, penetration limits, and others like this. For instance, a 1 MG wind turbine with a capacity factor of 35% will not be able to give an output of 1x24x365 or 8,760 megawatt-hours in an annualized version but will produce .35x24x365 or 3,066MWh, averaging to .35MW. However, data online is available for certain locations while capacity factor can be computed from the annualized output.

It may be of significance to know that unlike fossil fuel generated power plants, the capacity factor of wind is guided by the inherent properties of wind. In contrast, the CP of non-wind generated power plants are mostly based on cost of fuel plus some amount of downtime involving maintenance and allied operations. The picture however, with nuclear power plants is totally different where they are run at full output all the while, achieving 90% or more capacity factor. A Stanford University study report published in the Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology in 2007 suggested that “Interconnecting 10 or more wind farms can allow an average of 33% of the total energy produced may be taken as reliable… as long as the minimum criteria are met for wind speed and the turbine height.”

Wind power generated electricity can also prove substantially patchy or erratic at different timescales – from hour to hour, day to day and from season to season (however there is no real reason to worry about this as solutions to this problem is available for the person who wants to install a cheap wind power system at the home or the commercial establishment). Although annual variation do exist but it is considered not so significant since immediate generation and consumption ratio has to be maintained at a relevant level to keep up the grid stability.

Nevertheless, here is some indication of annualized electricity output from wind power, obtained from usually reliable sources.

Site Average Wind Speed                           m/s       4.0       5.0        6.0       7.0        8.0        9.0

                                                                           mph       9.0     11.2     13.4     15.7      20.2

However, it is necessary to know that these figures provide only an average annualized output from wind power as it is available in the United States which does not necessarily correspond to wind power generated elsewhere. For instance, in Spain and Germany where wind power generation has reached legendary proportion, the annualized electricity output may show a higher rate.

Research is going on full swing for development of more efficient home wind turbines that are absolutely soundless and can operate in bare minimum wind speed so that adding wind power can no more pose a problem to anyone. But currently too, the wind power systems that are available are efficient enough to give you great advantages.

Adding wind power makes a lot of sense due to a number of reasons. Firstly you will be able to save a lot of money on your power bills. Secondly, you can earn some money by selling your extra power if you are connected to the grid. And thirdly, being a safe and clean energy, you can contribute to clean up the environment. Given the many ecological and financial advantages of wind power, adding wind power makes perfect sense. But to get such a system working, you should know how to make it functional. You must also know where to buy cheap parts and replacement parts from, safety precautions, choosing the best location for the system and also how to complete the wiring.