Global Wind Report 2021 stated that the world needs to install wind power three times faster in the coming decade as this is the only way to meet its target of net-zero emissions. Further, it could also help to avoid the worst impact of climate change.
Reports suggest that Modern Wind Farms are the best way to produce free energy efficiently. However, they have one flaw that is hard to overcome. That is, when the wind approaches the front row of turbines, turbulence gets generated downstream. This turbulence brings a major setback to the performance of the following rows.
New research might be able to solve this problem as it shows that vertical turbine design can potentially be more efficient than conventional turbines used in large-scale farms today. Further, the study suggests, vertical turbines can increase each other's performance by 15% (approx.), if they are set in pairs. This would be a significant contribution to the Vertical Axis Wind Turbines Market as it demonstrates the possibility of industrial-scale VAWTs (Vertical Axis Wind Turbines) to exceed HAWTs (Horizontal Axis Wind Turbines) wind farm turbines at a realistic scale.
The team undertook an in-depth study and took up more than 11,500 hours of computer simulation to demonstrate that wind farms might have a chance to do better if the traditional propeller-type HAWTs are substituted with compact VAWTs. This is because VAWTs spin around an axis vertical to the ground and display an opposite behavior to HAWTs. In addition, the study revealed that VAWTs help each other to augment their performance when placed in a grid formation. Thus, the proper position of wind turbines is crucial for wind farms and can lead to an increase in outputs.
Researchers brought forth that if wind farms are designed to stand close to each other, it will increase efficiency while reducing electricity prices. Thus, in the long run, VAWTs might help in accelerating the green transition of energy systems so that more amount of clean and sustainable energy comes from renewable sources.
The novel aspect of the study is that it is a comprehensive analysis of wind turbine performance, including several rotors, array angle, and turbine spacing. It is also the first research in which researchers investigated three VAWT turbines' performance set in a series. These findings make a huge stepping stone for the development of efficient wind farms. In addition, it might help in understanding the large-scale wind energy harvesting techniques as well.