What are the reasons why some wind turbines do not generate electricity?
Due to its resemblance to a windmill in appearance, many people vividly refer to wind turbines as "windmills".
Wind power generation is a clean energy source. When wind turbines operate, they convert wind energy into electrical energy, which is then boosted and connected to the power grid. After further voltage reduction, it is delivered to thousands of households. According to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics, wind power generation ranked third in 2021, behind thermal and hydroelectric power generation, but higher than nuclear and photovoltaic power generation. Although it ranks third in terms of power generation, its proportion is very small, accounting for only 6.99% of the country's total power generation. Thermal power generation is far ahead with a proportion of 71.13%, while hydroelectric power generation accounts for 14.6%.
Due to policy support from the government, the electricity price for wind power is much higher than that for thermal power, with one kilowatt hour being about 20 cents higher. Various construction units are competing to invest in projects, which has promoted the rapid development of wind power generation in China. Whether you are sitting on a high-speed railway, driving on a highway, or looking up at nearby mountaintops, wind turbines can be seen everywhere. Although it cannot be described as numerous, at least they are blooming everywhere.
Meanwhile, observant friends have also noticed a strange phenomenon. Since wind power generation is supported by national policies, environmentally friendly, and does not consume limited energy, why do many wind turbines not generate electricity? Isn't it a waste of resources for wind turbines to remain stationary despite the hard won construction of wind farms? Below, the editor will explain to dispel any doubts in everyone's minds. There are four main reasons:
1、 In order to ensure the safety of the power grid, wind power generation will be restricted.
In theory, as long as the wind speed reaches a level of 3 seconds per meter, that is, under light wind conditions, wind turbines can be connected to the grid to generate electricity. However, in reality, many turbines remain "motionless" even when the wind speed meets the requirements, and in some cases, dozens of wind turbines in a wind farm do not operate. This situation occurs not because the wind farm is unwilling to generate electricity, but because the power dispatch does not allow it to generate electricity. This is mainly due to the safety of the power grid. At some point, if the proportion of wind power generation is too large, it will pose a hidden danger to the safe operation of the power grid.
Why is there a hidden danger in the power grid when there is too much wind power generation? We know that wind power generation is greatly affected by wind power, resulting in large fluctuations in power generation capacity, making it difficult to output stable electricity. At the same time, electricity cannot be stored. The power plant generates as much electricity as the user uses it. When the user's electricity consumption fluctuates greatly, the power plant needs to adjust its output in a timely manner. Currently, this work is mainly completed by thermal power plants, which cannot be achieved by wind power generation. So in order to ensure the safety of the power grid, the power dispatch department will control the amount of wind power generation.
2、 The wind speed does not meet the requirements.
Without wind, wind turbines cannot work. The minimum requirement for wind speed for wind turbines is 3 meters per second, and even lower is not enough. At the same time, excessive wind speed is not a good thing. That is to say, the operation of wind turbines not only has a minimum wind speed requirement, but also a maximum wind speed requirement. The minimum wind speed requirement is to ensure that the wind turbine can rotate, and the maximum wind speed requirement is to ensure the safety of the wind turbine. When the maximum allowable speed of the wind turbine is reached, it must stop running, lock the blades, and reduce the damage and wear caused by its own inertia. Otherwise, it may cause serious accidents such as wind turbine poles and blades breaking and generator burning.
3、 The wind turbine has not been finally completed yet.
Many times, from a distance, rows of wind turbines seem to have been built, but in reality, they are not yet completed, so there is no way to generate electricity. On the surface, the wind turbine has already been erected, but there are still many follow-up tasks to be completed, which cannot meet the conditions for grid connected power generation.
4、 The wind turbine is under maintenance.
What we see more often is that some wind turbines in a wind farm rotate to generate electricity, while others do not. In addition to the reasons for the lack of power generation mentioned above, there is also a possibility that the units are in a maintenance state. Although wind turbines are energy-saving and environmentally friendly, they cannot always be connected to the grid for power generation. Wind turbines also experience wear and tear during operation and require regular maintenance, just like our car maintenance. If there is a sudden malfunction during the operation of the wind turbine, it also needs to be stopped urgently for repair.
In summary, although wind turbines are low-carbon and environmentally friendly, they are constrained by multiple factors and need to be shut down. Even if the wind turbine is in good condition, it should follow the dispatch instructions and be on standby. The decision to generate electricity does not lie with the wind farm.
