UK Wind-Generated Electricity on a fairly windy night

[JohnD]

No, when it gets really cold, the air tends to also be quite calm. Calm air is advantageous so far as the energy required is concerned, as there is less cooling of the home, but bad in that there is little to generate wind power.

round here, I've noticed that when they turn the big fans on, it gets windy.

the faster they run the fans, the windier it gets.

 

[JohnW2]

I don't know the answer to that - what little I do know is that some local ones are stopped/ not rotating, when the winds get high.

Yes, from what I've heard, it sounds as if they stop them rotating at all if the wind gets too high. As I implied, that surprises me, since I would have expected them to be able to partially feather them and hence get 'optimum electricity output' from them, without damage. Feathering is, after all, surely not just a binary 'on/off', is it?

Kind Regards, John

 

[Alec_t]

it sounds as if they stop them rotating at all if the wind gets too high.

Maybe because wildly changing wind direction would be problematic for the limited slew rate of the auto-steering mechanism?

 

[JohnW2]

Maybe because wildly changing wind direction would be problematic for the limited slew rate of the auto-steering mechanism?

Well, yes, if there is a "wildly changing wind direction" then I imagine that would be a good reason for stopping them completely - but what if it is a very strong wind coming essentially from a constant direction?

Kind Regards, John

 

[EFLImpudence]

round here, I've noticed that when they turn the big fans on, it gets windy.
the faster they run the fans, the windier it gets.

Of course, after all they are wind generators are they not?

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Yes, from what I've heard, it sounds as if they stop them rotating at all if the wind gets too high. As I implied, that surprises me, since I would have expected them to be able to partially feather them and hence get 'optimum electricity output' from them, without damage. Feathering is, after all, surely not just a binary 'on/off', is it?

No, but with high winds come a lot of gusting - which is what does the damage.

 

[JohnW2]

No, but with high winds come a lot of gusting - which is what does the damage.

Maybe. I really don't know.

Kind Regards, John

 

[JohnW2]

Turning to the lowest demand period of the day, and accepting that there is probably appreciably above-average wind today, I was quite impressed to see this recently (about 3.30 am) ...

I continue to be fairly 'impressed'. Now at roughly the peak demand time of day (6pm, total demand = 36.5 GW), wind generation is still slightly ahead of gas ..

Kind Regards, John

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

I continue to be fairly 'impressed'. Now at roughly the peak demand time of day (6pm, total demand = 36.5 GW), wind generation is still slightly ahead of gas ..

We have a steady 'blow' at the moment throughout the UK, strong wind, but not too strong, so pretty well ideal conditions - yet we are still having to call up gas generation. I am not as impressed. Now if the deficit were made up by nuclear, I really would be impressed.

 

[john4703]

I continue to be fairly 'impressed'. Now at roughly the peak demand time of day (6pm, total demand = 36.5 GW), wind generation is still slightly ahead of gas ..

View attachment 248569

Kind Regards, John

Thanks for this JohnW2. It is really interesting to see actual figures. I hope that if tidal, or wave power, comes on stream in a meaningful quantity we will use even less gas.

 

[Jackrae]

From the meter displays it's evident that the 'constant' is the nuclear supply at 5GW. The data table suggests a nominal system demand (supply) of >20GW. It would therefore make sense if the system supply base demand was met by an increase in capacity of the nuclear system to somewhere around 15GW. Problem there is that we have moved, since the early 60s, from one of the most capable nuclear industries to one of the least capable.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Thanks for this JohnW2. It is really interesting to see actual figures. I hope that if tidal, or wave power, comes on stream in a meaningful quantity we will use even less gas.

Full set of the data here, from NP - http://www.gridwatch.templar.co.uk/

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

From the meter displays it's evident that the 'constant' is the nuclear supply at 5GW. The data table suggests a nominal system demand (supply) of >20GW. It would therefore make sense if the system supply base demand was met by an increase in capacity of the nuclear system to somewhere around 15GW. Problem there is that we have moved, since the early 60s, from one of the most capable nuclear industries to one of the least capable.

Exactly, and importing extra from the countries around us to help with the energy shortfall.

 

[JohnW2]

Thanks for this JohnW2. It is really interesting to see actual figures.

You're welcome, but you can easily look yourself (click here) .

Kind Regards, John

 

[JohnW2]

We have a steady 'blow' at the moment throughout the UK, strong wind, but not too strong, so pretty well ideal conditions - yet we are still having to call up gas generation. I am not as impressed.

I've repeatedly acknowledged that what I've been prsenting relates to fairly 'ideal' wind conditions, but I'm nevertheless quite impressed - I didn't realise that we had enough wind generation capacity to achieve what we're seeing even when the wind was ideal.

Now if the deficit were made up by nuclear, I really would be impressed.

So would I. However, our current nuclear capability is essentially running 'flat out', continuously (i.e,. 24/7, every day) - and it seems that increasing that capacity takes many years and lots of discussion/enquiries/protests/politics/whatever.

Kind Regards, John