Why aren't wind turbines installed in large quantities?

Wind power generation, as a clean and renewable form of energy, has received widespread attention worldwide. However, despite its many advantages, wind turbines have not been widely installed. This phenomenon involves various reasons such as site selection and installation restrictions, high costs and maintenance challenges, technical difficulties in grid access, environmental and safety factors, wind speed instability, and infrastructure construction challenges.
1、 Site selection and installation restrictions
The installation of wind turbines has strict geographical requirements. The ideal installation location should be chosen in areas without high-rise buildings, low mountains and hills, and open plains or seas are the best choices. This is because wind turbines require sufficient and stable wind resources to ensure power generation efficiency. However, such geographical locations are not readily available, limiting their installation range.
In the process of site selection, many factors need to be considered. The height of the tower, the distance between the battery pack, local planning requirements, and obstacles such as buildings and trees can all affect the normal operation of wind turbines. For example, if there are obstacles within the working range of a wind turbine, it will interfere with the normal flow of airflow, causing the wind turbine to be unable to fully capture wind energy, thereby reducing power generation efficiency. In some surrounding areas of cities, due to the density of buildings, it is difficult to find suitable installation sites, which greatly limits the large-scale installation of wind turbines.
2、 High cost and maintenance challenges
The maintenance and overhaul of wind power generation equipment is a long-term and complex task that requires a significant amount of manpower, material resources, and financial resources. Wind turbines are composed of numerous precision components, such as wind turbines, generators, towers, etc. These components may malfunction due to wear, fatigue, and other reasons during long-term operation. Regular maintenance and overhaul are essential, including inspection and repair of blades, lubrication and replacement of gearboxes, inspection of electrical systems, etc. Each task requires professional technical personnel and corresponding equipment support, which is costly.
The lifting and infrastructure construction of large equipment are also important factors contributing to cost increase. Taking the 280MW wind power project in Caiyuyutai County, Shandong Province, developed and constructed by China Construction Eighth Engineering Division Corporation as an example, the first wind turbine was hoisted using advanced domestic hoisting equipment. Prior to construction, experts were organized multiple times to discuss the installation and dismantling plans for large equipment, as well as the hoisting plans for wind turbines. This is because the components of wind turbines are bulky and heavy, with engine compartments weighing over 200 tons and blade lengths exceeding 70 meters. The lifting process is complex and high-risk, requiring professional lifting equipment and skilled operators, which undoubtedly increases installation costs. At the same time, the infrastructure construction period is long and the construction environment is complex. If foundation construction is carried out on weak foundations and complex strata, special foundation treatment techniques are required, which further increases the construction cost and time cost.
3、 Difficulties in grid access technology
There are differences in the technical requirements for grid access in different regions, which poses many challenges for the grid access of wind power generation. The capacity of the power grid is a key factor. If the local power grid capacity is limited and the power generation of wind farms is large, it may lead to the inability of the power grid to absorb excess electricity, resulting in energy waste. For example, in some remote areas, the power grid infrastructure is weak, the power grid capacity is small, and it is difficult to meet the demand for large-scale wind power generation access.
The requirements of power grid regulations must also be considered. Different regions have different regulatory requirements for power quality, frequency, voltage, and other aspects. Wind power plants need to meet these requirements in order to smoothly connect to the grid. This requires wind power generation equipment to have corresponding regulation and control capabilities, which increases the technical complexity and cost of the equipment. In addition, grid access also needs to address issues such as power dispatch and protection configuration to ensure the stable operation of wind power generation and the grid. These technical challenges limit the large-scale installation of wind turbines.
4、 Environmental and safety factors
Flying bird collisions are a potential environmental issue faced by wind power generation. Setting up large wind power generation equipment on bird migration routes can easily cause collisions between birds and turbine blades. Birds may not be able to avoid rapidly rotating blades in a timely manner during flight, resulting in injury or death. This not only affects bird populations, but may also raise public concerns about the environmental friendliness of wind power generation. For example, building wind farms on important bird migration routes may disrupt the normal migration of birds and affect ecological balance.
The noise generated by wind turbines is also an issue that cannot be ignored. During the operation of wind turbines, noise is generated by blade rotation, mechanical transmission, etc., which may have an impact on the surrounding environment and human health. Long term exposure to high-intensity noise environments may lead to problems such as hearing loss and poor sleep quality for residents, affecting their normal lives. Therefore, when selecting a location for a wind power plant, it is necessary to fully consider the impact of noise on surrounding residents and take corresponding noise reduction measures, which also increases the construction cost and difficulty of wind power generation.
5、 Wind speed instability
Wind speed is the most important factor affecting wind power generation. The working principle of wind turbines determines that their power generation is closely related to wind speed. Typically, wind power generation is highest when the wind speed is between 4 meters per second and 25 meters per second. When the wind speed is below 4 meters per second, the wind turbine cannot start; When the wind speed exceeds 25 meters per second, the wind turbine will automatically shut down to avoid damage. This is because when the wind speed is too slow, the impeller cannot rotate to the optimal speed and cannot generate enough electrical energy; When the wind speed is too fast, strong winds may cause damage to the structure of the wind turbine.
The stability of wind speed can also have an impact on wind power generation. If the wind speed is unstable, it will cause the speed of the wind turbine to be unstable, thereby affecting the power generation. For example, in some areas, wind speed changes frequently, sometimes with gentle breezes brushing the face and sometimes with strong winds, which makes it difficult for wind turbines to maintain a stable power generation state and reduces power generation efficiency. Therefore, wind power plants usually choose the installation location and direction of wind turbines based on local wind speed conditions to maximize the benefits of wind power generation. However, even so, the instability of wind speed is still an important factor restricting the large-scale installation of wind turbines.
6、 Infrastructure challenges
Wind turbines need to be installed in areas with a height of 12 meters or more, usually requiring the establishment of reinforced concrete foundations. This requirement increases the difficulty and cost of infrastructure construction. Taking the 200 MW wind power project in Quguogam, Sini District, undertaken by the 14th Bureau of Hydropower, as an example, the first wind turbine is located at an altitude of 4700 meters. The unit consists of five steel tower sections, with a maximum diameter of 5.1 meters in the bottom section. The generator weighs 110 tons, with a hub center height of 118 meters and an impeller diameter of 195 meters. Infrastructure construction in high-altitude areas faces many difficulties, such as complex and variable climate, year-round strong winds, and harsh construction conditions.
Special foundation treatment techniques are required for foundation construction on weak foundations and complex geological formations. For example, it may be necessary to carry out pile foundation construction, foundation reinforcement, etc. to ensure the stability and bearing capacity of the foundation. These special foundation treatment techniques not only increase construction difficulty, but also raise construction costs. In addition, the long construction period of infrastructure requires a large amount of manpower and material resources, which further limits the large-scale installation of wind turbines.
In summary, due to various reasons such as site selection and installation restrictions, high costs and maintenance challenges, technical difficulties in grid access, environmental and safety factors, unstable wind speeds, and infrastructure challenges, wind turbines have not been installed in large quantities. However, with the continuous advancement of technology and increased policy support, these issues may gradually be resolved in the future. For example, developing more efficient wind power generation equipment, improving grid access technology, and strengthening environmental protection measures are all expected to promote the wider application of wind power generation and enable it to play a greater role in the energy sector.