WIND’S GROWTH DRIVEN BY INNOVATION

Technology Gains are Powering Wind Energy (Op-Ed)

Brad Gammons and Rolf Gibbels, October 17, 2013 (LiveScience)

“…One of the reasons [for wind’s growth] is better technology…In the United States, design advances — such as switching to concrete from steel— have made it possible to erect towers as tall as 100 meters (328 feet), or nearly 30 stories…[A]s a rule of thumb, the stretch can boost output by up to 14 percent compared with one of today's 80-meter (263 foot) towers…As the towers get taller, the turbine blades get longer…[B]y stepping up to a diameter of 120 m (394 feet), from 103 m (338 feet), a recent turbine design can deliver up to a 15 percent boost in output. Longer blades are in the works…Today's turbines are loaded with sensors and precision controllers, which constantly tweak the blade assembly's position in order to optimize the use of the wind energy and provide information to advance operations…IBM believes advanced analytics software will play the most critical role in sustaining wind's tenuous, but rapid growth...” click here for more

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