Global potential for wind-generated electricity
Xi Lua, Michael B. McElroya,b,1, and Juha Kiviluomac
aSchool of Engineering and Applied Science, Cruft Lab 211, and bDepartment of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Harvard University, 100E Peirce Hall, 29
Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138; and cVTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, P. O. Box 1000, 02044 VTT, Finland
Communicated by James G. Anderson, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, April 29, 2009 (received for review November 6, 2008)
The potential of wind power as a global source of electricity is
assessed by using winds derived through assimilation of data from a
variety of meteorological sources. The analysis indicates that a network
of land-based 2.5-megawatt (MW) turbines restricted to nonforested,
ice-free, nonurban areas operating at as little as20%of their
rated capacity could supply >40 times current worldwide consumption
of electricity, >5 times total global use of energy in all forms.
Resources in the contiguous United States, specifically in the central
plain states, could accommodate as much as 16 times total current
demand for electricity in the United States. Estimates are given also
for quantities of electricity that could be obtained by using a network
of 3.6-MW turbines deployed in ocean waters with depths <200 m
within 50 nautical miles (92.6 km) of closest coastlines.
by
klaus
2009-06-24 04:56
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