That picture, which was commented on, is actually a picture of the type of turbine they have at Fowler Ridge which is copyright free.
I have another image here that is actually Fowler Ridge. I guess I need to start crediting photos!
There are more turbines coming, and when the Farm is finished it will generate about 1100 MW. I am not sure how many that is, but its got to be a lot. The wife says she can (and will) figure out how many homes that is.
Here is a link to an article that a reader sent me. Thanks!
photo by HuwmanBeing from WikiCommons
1100 MW is large for a wind farm. That refers to the "nameplate capacity" or the maximum possible output when the wind is strong. Most of the time the wind farm will produce at less than maximum output. The "capacity factor" is the amount of energy the wind farm actually generates in a year divided by the maximum amount it could generate if it ran at full output. Typically that is around 30% for wind farms in the U.S.
ReplyDeleteA large nuclear power plant has a similar nameplate capacity, around 1000 MW, but a much higher capacity factor, as high as 90% because it runs more or less continuously. Thus to equate the annual output of a wind farm to the annual output of a nuclear power plant, divide the wind farm's nameplate capacity by about a third. That makes Fowler Ridge equivalent to about one third of a large nuclear power plant, which is impressive.
dmocsyn,
ReplyDeleteThe 1100 NW that you stated the Fowler Ridge Farm will generate is impressive, but unfortunely will not benefit any households in Fowler nor in Benton County. NIPSCO (NiSource) the energy provider for this area has NOT purchased wind energy from any wind farm in this area.
Doesn't it benefit the households through lease payments and property taxes?
ReplyDelete"When in full operation, the Fowler Ridge Wind Farm will generate enough
ReplyDeletecarbon-free electricity to power more than 200,000 average American
homes."
www.bp.com/liveassets/bp.../fowler_ridge_fact_sheet.pdf
The first comment was for phase 1. The second phase of the Fowler Ridge Wind Farm is capable of powering up to 50,000 homes.
ReplyDelete