The Problem with Wind Energy

Summary

This script explores the potential and challenges of wind energy, focusing on Ireland's unique position as a 'wind energy paradise.' It delves into the engineering marvels of wind turbines, the logistical hurdles of integrating wind power into the grid, and the innovative solutions Ireland is implementing to overcome these challenges. From gearbox issues to the need for grid frequency stabilization, the script highlights the complexities and the country's ambitious plans for a green hydrogen economy, aiming for energy security and economic growth.

Takeaways

• 🌐 The United States' middle plains have the highest concentration of wind turbines due to abundant wind resources.
• 🏝️ Ireland is a wind energy paradise, with average wind speeds high enough to power the entire country during storms and on many regular days.
• 🔧 The logistics of increasing wind energy on a power grid are complex, especially for small, isolated island grids like Ireland's.
• 🛠️ Inside wind turbines, gearboxes are an engineering marvel that converts low-speed, high-torque rotation into faster rotations needed for electricity generation.
• 🔄 Gearboxes are a significant source of maintenance issues, often failing before their designed 20-year lifespan due to harsh conditions.
• 💡 An alternative to gearboxes is direct drive systems, which connect the rotors directly to a generator requiring a different kind of generator with a larger diameter and more poles.
• 🌀 The frequency of electricity generated by wind turbines must match the grid frequency, which is a challenge due to the variable speed of wind.
• ⚙️ Variable speed wind turbines require inverters to convert their variable frequency output to match the grid's constant frequency.
• 🔋 Ireland is testing large flywheels as a solution for grid frequency regulation, providing the inertia needed to stabilize the grid.
• 🔌 Ireland's plan for a hydrogen fuel economy aims to use excess wind energy for hydrogen production, which can be used for energy storage and export.
• 💼 The transition to renewable energy involves new job opportunities in programming, data analytics, and algorithm development, as seen in the emerging private battery storage unit market.

Q & A

Why does the middle Plains of America have the highest concentration of wind turbines?

The middle Plains of America have the highest concentration of wind turbines due to the presence of more wind, which translates to more power generation potential.

What makes Ireland a wind energy paradise?

Ireland is considered a wind energy paradise because it has exceptionally high average wind speeds, and it's not uncommon for wind to provide the majority of the country's power on any single day.

What are some logistical problems associated with increasing wind energy on an energy grid?

Logistical problems with increasing wind energy on an energy grid include power storage, grid frequency stabilization, and the risk of destabilizing the power grid due to mismanaged wind turbines.

How do wind turbines convert low-speed rotation into useful electricity?

Wind turbines use a gearbox to convert the low-speed, high-torque rotation of the rotors into faster rotations needed for the generator to work effectively, typically around 1,800 RPM.

Why are gearboxes a source of frustration for power companies?

Gearboxes are a source of frustration because, despite being designed for a 20-year lifespan, most only last about 7 years without extensive maintenance, and replacing them is costly and logistically challenging.

What is a direct drive system in wind turbines?

A direct drive system in wind turbines is a method where the blades are connected directly to the generator without a gearbox, requiring a different kind of generator with a large diameter and more magnetic poles to match the grid frequency.

Why are rare earth metals like neodium and dysprosium important for direct drive wind turbines?

Rare earth metals like neodium and dysprosium are important for direct drive wind turbines because they are used in the permanent magnets of the large diameter generators, and fluctuations in their supply and cost can add risk and complexity to the turbines.

How does the frequency of electricity generated by wind turbines match the grid frequency?

The frequency of electricity generated by wind turbines must match the grid frequency, which is achieved by designing the rotor and generator to rotate at specific speeds that correspond to the grid's frequency, or by using inverters to convert variable frequency AC to the correct grid frequency.

What is the issue with nonsynchronous wind turbines on the grid?

Nonsynchronous wind turbines, which are variable speed turbines connected through inverters, do not contribute to the grid's inertia, which is important for stabilizing the grid frequency and handling sudden changes in load.

How did Ireland address the problem of grid stability with increasing wind energy?

Ireland addressed the problem of grid stability by installing the world's largest flywheel, which provides the necessary inertia for grid frequency regulation, and by planning additional interconnections with other energy grids for better energy trading and stability.

What is Ireland's plan for long-term energy storage and export?

Ireland's plan for long-term energy storage and export involves developing a hydrogen fuel economy, using electrolysis to generate hydrogen from excess wind energy, and eventually tapping into offshore wind potential for large-scale hydrogen production.

Outlines

00:00

🌬 Wind Energy and Engineering Challenges

This paragraph delves into the global landscape of wind energy, highlighting the United States' Midwest Plains as a hotspot for wind turbines due to high wind concentrations. It underscores Ireland's remarkable wind energy potential, which has powered the entire country during storms. However, the paragraph also discusses the logistical challenges of integrating wind energy into power grids, especially for small, isolated island grids. The engineering marvel of wind turbines is explored, explaining the gearbox's role in converting low-speed rotation into usable electricity. The paragraph touches on the gearbox's maintenance issues, the high costs of wind turbine upkeep, and the innovative direct drive system that bypasses the gearbox, using large diameter generators with more magnetic poles to match grid frequency.

05:01

🔄 Grid Frequency Management and Renewable Energy Integration

The second paragraph focuses on the intricacies of maintaining grid frequency stability, especially with the variable nature of wind energy. It explains how permanent magnet generators produce electricity at a frequency that matches the wind speed, and the necessity of grid frequency precision to avoid system collapse. The UK's experience with grid frequency management during a popular TV show is cited as an example of the grid's sensitivity to demand fluctuations. The paragraph also discusses the role of wind turbines' inertia in grid stability and the challenges posed by variable speed turbines, which require inverters to synchronize with the grid. It mentions Ireland's innovative use of a large flywheel to provide the necessary inertia for grid frequency regulation, highlighting the need for additional infrastructure as renewable energy sources increase on the grid.

10:02

🏞 Ireland's Energy Transition and Infrastructure Development

This paragraph discusses Ireland's unique energy situation as an isolated island with limited interconnections to other energy grids. It addresses the need for redundancy in the grid, such as natural gas power, to compensate for wind energy fluctuations. The planned interconnection with France is highlighted as a significant step towards grid stability and energy trade. The paragraph also outlines Ireland's strategy for long-term energy storage, focusing on the development of a hydrogen fuel economy. It discusses the government's plans for green hydrogen production, the advantages of Ireland's location and fresh water resources, and the potential for Ireland to become a major energy commodity trader in the renewable energy economy.

15:03

💡 The Future of Energy and the Role of Data Analytics

The final paragraph shifts focus to the emerging business sector of private battery storage units and the importance of data analytics in optimizing energy buying and selling. It emphasizes the need for expertise in programming, data analytics, and algorithms in the evolving energy marketplace. The paragraph promotes Brilliant.org as a platform for learning these skills, offering a free trial and a discount on their premium subscription. It highlights courses on Python, large language models, and data analysis, positioning Brilliant.org as a valuable resource for anyone looking to understand or participate in the new energy economy.

Keywords

💡Wind Energy

Wind energy is the power generated by wind turbines by harnessing the kinetic energy in the wind. It's a renewable resource that's central to the video's theme, illustrating how certain regions, like Ireland, have abundant wind resources that can significantly contribute to their energy needs. The script mentions Ireland being a 'wind energy paradise' and the ability of wind to power the entire country for extended periods.

💡Wind Turbines

Wind turbines are the machines used to convert the kinetic energy from the wind into electrical power. The video script discusses the high concentration of wind turbines in the middle plains of America and the engineering marvels within the turbines, such as gearboxes and generators, that enable the conversion of wind power into usable electricity.

💡Gearbox

A gearbox is a transmission system that increases the rotational speed from the turbine rotor to a level that can be effectively used by the generator. The script explains the role of gearboxes in wind turbines, how they are designed in stages using planetary and helical gears, and the challenges associated with their maintenance and lifespan.

💡Generator

A generator is a device that converts mechanical energy into electrical energy. In the context of the video, the generator's role is to effectively use the rotation from the wind turbine, either through a gearbox or direct drive, to produce electricity. The script describes the need for a high-speed shaft rotation for the generator to work effectively.

💡Direct Drive System

A direct drive system in wind turbines eliminates the need for a gearbox by connecting the rotor blades directly to a generator with a large diameter and many poles. The video script highlights the Hiad X, the largest wind turbine with a direct drive system, and the challenges of using rare earth metals like neodymium and dysprosium in permanent magnets for such systems.

💡Grid Frequency

Grid frequency refers to the number of cycles per second of the alternating current in a power grid. The video emphasizes the importance of matching the generator's output frequency to the grid frequency, such as the US standard of 60 Hz, to maintain grid stability and prevent chaos on the electrical system.

💡Inverters

Inverters are electronic devices that convert direct current (DC) to alternating current (AC) at a specific frequency. The script explains the use of inverters in variable speed wind turbines to adjust the generator's output to match the grid frequency, which is crucial for connecting these turbines to the electrical grid.

💡Nonsynchronous

Nonsynchronous refers to the operation of wind turbines that do not rotate at a constant speed and therefore cannot be directly connected to the grid. The video script discusses how nonsynchronous operation affects grid stability and requires additional infrastructure, such as inverters, to manage the variable frequency output.

💡Flywheel

A flywheel is a mechanical device that stores energy in the form of rotational kinetic energy. The video script mentions Ireland's use of the world's largest flywheel to provide inertia and regulate grid frequency, showcasing a creative solution to stabilize the grid with an increasing percentage of renewable energy sources.

💡Hydrogen Economy

A hydrogen economy is an economic system where hydrogen is the primary source of energy. The video script discusses Ireland's plans to develop a hydrogen fuel economy for long-term energy storage and export, leveraging its abundant fresh water and renewable energy resources to create green hydrogen.

💡Energy Storage

Energy storage involves the capture of energy produced at one time for use at a later time. The script highlights the need for long-term energy storage solutions, such as hydrogen, to address the intermittent nature of wind energy and to support a stable and efficient power grid.

Highlights

The middle Plains of America have the highest concentrations of wind turbines, utilizing more wind power.

Ireland, despite being a small island, has exceptionally high average wind speeds, making it a wind energy paradise.

During a powerful storm, wind energy alone powered Ireland for 3 hours, demonstrating its potential.

Logistical problems in increasing wind energy on the grid are especially challenging for small, isolated island power grids.

Wind turbines contain an engineering marvel within their gearboxes, which are crucial for converting low-speed rotation into electricity.

Gearboxes in wind turbines are a major source of frustration due to their short lifespan and high maintenance costs.

White Edge cracks in the bearings of gearboxes are a common cause of failure, especially as turbines become larger and more powerful.

Direct drive systems in wind turbines, which eliminate the gearbox, require different types of generators and present their own set of challenges.

The Hiad X, the largest wind turbine ever made, uses a direct drive system with a large diameter generator weighing 250 tons.

Direct drive systems require rare earth metals like neodium and dysprosium, the supply of which is dominated by China.

Ireland is testing new wind turbines with direct drive systems at the Galway Wind Park, facing challenges in transportation and infrastructure.

Wind turbines' variable speed presents a challenge for grid frequency stability, requiring advanced engineering solutions.

Variable speed wind turbines require inverters to connect to the grid, converting variable AC to a stable frequency.

The lack of inertia in wind turbines due to inverters is a concern for grid stability, especially as renewable energy sources increase.

Ireland's creative solution to grid stability includes the installation of the world's largest flywheel for frequency regulation.

Ireland's geographical position and abundant fresh water make it well-suited for developing a hydrogen fuel economy.

Ireland's National Hydrogen Plan outlines a pathway to become Europe's main producer of green hydrogen for various uses.

The development of private battery storage units represents a new business sector in the energy commodity trade.

Brilliant.org offers courses on programming, data analytics, and algorithms, which are essential for the modern energy marketplace.

Transcripts

this is a map of the world's wind

Resources with it we can see why the

middle Plains of America has by far the

highest concentrations of wind turbines

in the country more wind means more

power however one small island off the

mainland of Europe maxes out the average

wind speed chart Ireland is a wind

energy Paradise during one powerful

storm wind energy powered the entire

country for 3 hours and it is not

uncommon for wind to provide the

majority of the country's power on any

single day this natural resource has the

potential to transform ain's future but

increasing wind energy on an energy grid

comes with a lot of logistical problems

which are all the more difficult for a

small isolated island power grid

mismanaged wind turbines can easily

destabilize a power grid from Power

storage to grid frequency stabilization

wind energy is a difficult resource to

build a stable grid upon to understand

why we need to take these engineering

Marvels apart and see how they

work hidden within the turbin a cell is

a Wonder of engineering we cannot

generate useful electricity with the

low- speed high torque rotation of these

massive turbine rotors they rotate about

10 to 20 times a minute the generator

needs a shaft spinning around 1,800

times per minute to work effectively so

a gearbox es needed between the rotor

shaft and the generator shaft the

gearboxes are designed in stages

planetary gears are directly attached to

the blades to convert the extremely high

torque into faster rotations this stage

increases rotational speed by four

planetary gears are used for high torque

conversion because they have more

contact points allowing the load to be

shared between more gear teeth moving

deeper into the gearbox a second stage

set of helical gears multiplies the

rotational speed by six and the third

stage multiplies It Again by four to

achieve the 1,500 to 1,800 revolutions

per minute needed for the generator

these heavy 15 tonon gearboxes have been

a major source of frustration for power

companies although they've been designed

to have a 20-year lifespan most don't

last more than 7 years without extensive

maintenance this is not a problem

exclusive to gearboxes in win tur mines

but changing a gearbox in your car is

different from having a team climb up

over 50 m to replace a multi-million

dollar gearbox extreme gusts of wind

salty conditions and difficult to access

offshore turbines increases maintenance

costs even more the maintenance cost of

wind turbines can reach almost 20% of

the levelized cost of energy but in the

grand scheme of things wind is still

incredibly cheap however we don't know

the precise mechanisms causing these

gearbox failures what we do know is that

the wear shows up as these small cracks

that form on the bearings they are

called White Edge cracks from the pale

material that surrounds the damaged

areas this problem only gets worse as

when turbines get bigger and more

powerful requiring even more gear stages

to convert the incredibly high torque

being developed by the large diameter

rotors one way of avoiding all of these

maintenance costs is to skip the gearbox

and connect the blades directly to the

generator but a different kind of

generator is needed the output frequency

of the generator needs to match the grid

frequency slower Revolutions in the

generator need to be compensated for

with a very large diameter generator

that has many more magnetic poles

meaning a single revolution of the

generator passes through more

alternating magnetic fields which

increases the output frequency the

largest wind turbine ever made the hiad

X uses a direct drive system you can see

the large diameter generator positioned

directly behind the blades here this

rotor disc is 10 m wide with 200 poles

and weighs 250 tons but this comes with

its own set of issues permanent magnets

require neodium and dysprosium and China

controls 90% of the supply of these rare

earth metals unfortunately trade

negotiations and embargos lead to

fluctuating material costs that add

extra risk and complexity to direct

drive wind turbines Ireland is testing

these new wind turbines here in the

gallway wind Park the blades were so

large that this road passing underneath

the latalia rail Bridge which I use to

walk home from school every day had to

be lowered to facilitate the transport

of the blades from the nearby docks it

takes years to assess the benefit of new

Energy Technologies like this but as

wind turbines get bigger and more

expensive direct drive systems become

more attractive the next challenge is

getting the electricity created inside

these generat to match the grid

frequency when the speed of the wind

constantly changes the frequency of

current created by permanent magnet

generators matches the speed of the

shaft if we wanted the generator to

Output the US Standard 60 HZ we could

design a rotor to rotate 1,800 times per

minute with four poles two North and two

South this will result in 60 cycles per

second this has to be exact mismatch

frequencies will lead to chaos on the

grid bringing the whole system down

managing grid frequency is a 24/7 job in

the UK grid operators had to watch a

popular TV show themselves so they could

bring pumped Hydro stations online

because a huge portion of the population

went to turn on kettles to make te

during the ad braks this increased the

load on the grid and without a matching

increase in Supply the frequency would

have dropped the grid is very sensitive

to these shifts a small 1 Herz change

can bring a lot lot of Destruction

during the 2021 freeze in Texas the grid

fell Incredibly Close to 59 Hertz it was

teetering on the edge of a full-scale

blackout that would have lasted for

months many people solely blamed when

turbines not running for causing this

issue but they were only partly to blame

as the natural gas stations also failed

while the Texas grid also refuses to

connect to the wider North American grid

to avoid Federal Regulations rather

oddly Texas is also an isolated power

grid that has a large percentage of wind

energy the problem with wind energy is

that it is incapable of raising the grid

frequency if it drops wind turbines are

nonsynchronous and increasing the

percentage of wind energy on the grid

requires additional infrastructure to

maintain a stable grid to understand

what nonsynchronous means we need to

dive into the engineering of wind

turbines once again the first electric

wind turbines connected to the grid were

designed to spin the generator shaft at

exactly 1,800 RPM the prevailing winds

dictated the size and shape of the

blades the aim was to have the tips of

the blades move at around seven times

the speed of the prevailing wind the

tips of the blades were designed to

stall if the wind speed picked up this

let them have a passive control and keep

the blades rotating at a constant speed

while this allowed the wind turbines to

be connected straight to the grid the

constant rotational speed did induce

large forces onto the blades gusts of

wind would increase torque rapidly which

was a recipe for fatigue failur in the

drivetrain so to extract more power

variable speed wind turbines were

introduced instead of fixed blades that

depended on a stall mechanism for

control the blades were attached to the

hub with massive bearings that would

allow the blades to change their angle

of attack this provided an active method

of speed control but now another problem

emerged the rotor operated at different

speeds and the frequency coming from the

generator was variable a wind turbine

like this cannot be connected directly

to the grid to connect a varying

frequency generator to the grid the

power has to be passed through two

inverters the first converts the varying

AC to DC using a rectifier then the

second converter takes the DC current

and converts it back to AC at the

correct frequency this is done with

electronic switches that rapidly turn on

and off to create the oscillating wave

we lose some power in this process but

the larger issue for the grid as a whole

is that this removes the benefit of the

wind Turbin's inertia slowing something

heavy like a train is difficult because

it has a lot of inertia power grids have

inertia too huge rotating steam turbines

connected directly to the grid are like

these trains they can't be slowed down

easily so a grid with lots of large

turbines like nuclear power and coal

power turb turbines can handle a large

load suddenly appearing and won't

experience a sudden drop in Grid

frequency this helps smooth out sudden

increases in demand on the grid and

gives grid operators more time to bring

on new power sources when turbines of

course have inertia they are large

rotating masses but those inverters mean

their masses aren't connected directly

to the grid and so their inertia can't

help stabilize the grid solar panels

suffer from the same problem but they

couldn't add inertia either way as they

don't move this is an issue for

Renewables that can become a critical

vulnerability when politicians push to

increase the percentage of Renewables

onto a grid without considering the

impacts it can have on grid stability

additional infrastructure is needed to

manage this problem especially as older

energy sources that do provide inertia

begin to shut down like coal power

plants but Ireland had a creative

solution to this problem problem in 2023

the world's largest flywheel a 120 ton

steel shaft that rotates 3,000 times per

minute was installed in the location of

a former coal power plant a location

that already had all the grid

infrastructure needed to connect to the

grid this flywheel takes about 20

minutes to get up to speed using grid

power but it is kept rotating constantly

inside a vacuum to minimize power lost

to friction when needed it can instantly

provide power at the exact 50 HZ

required by the grid this flywheel

provides the inertia needed to keep the

grid stable but it's estimated that

Ireland will need five more of these

flywheels to reach its climate goals

with increasing amounts of wind energy

but they aren't designed for long-term

energy storage they are purely designed

for grid frequency regulation arland's

next problem is more difficult to

overcome it's an isolated island with

few interconnections connecting to other

energy grids and trading energy is one

of the best ways to stabilize a grid

larger grids are just inherently more

stable in an Ideal World Ireland could

sell wind energy to France when winds

are high and buy nuclear energy when

they are low instead right now Ireland

needs to have redundancy in its grid

with enough natural gas power available

to ramp up when wind energy is

forecasted to drop currently irand has

two interconnect connections with Great

Britain but none to Mainland Europe that

is hopefully about to change with this

700 megawatt interconnection currently

planned with France with Ireland's

average demand at 4,000 megaw this

interconnection can provide 17.5% of the

country's power needs when wind is low

or sell that wind to France when it is

high this allows Ireland to remove some

of that redundancy from its grid while

making it worthwhile to invest in more

wind power as the EXs now has somewh

where to go the final piece of the

puzzle is to develop long-term energy

storage infrastructure Ireland now has 1

gwatt hour of energy storage but this

isn't anywhere close to the amount

needed Ireland's government has plans to

develop a hydrogen fuel economy for

longer term storage and energy export in

the National hydrogen plan they set up a

pathway to become Europe's main producer

of green hydrogen both for home use and

for exports with Ireland's abundance of

fresh water thanks to our absolutely

miserable weather and our prime location

along World shipping routes and being a

hub for the third largest airline in the

world Ireland is very well positioned to

develop a hydrogen economy these

transport methods aren't easily

decarbonized and will need some form of

renewably sourced synthetic fuel which

hydrogen will be needed for whether

that's hydrogen itself ammonia or

synthetic hydrocarbons synthetic

hydrocarbons can be created using

hydrogen and car carbon dioxide captured

from the air Ireland's winning

combination of cheap renewable energy

abundant fresh water and its

strategically advantageous location

positions it well for this future

renewable energy economy irand plans to

begin the project by generating hydrogen

with electrolysis with wind energy that

has been shut off due to oversupply it's

basically free energy as the market

matures phase two of the plan is to

finally begin tapping into irin's vast

offshore wind potential exclusively for

hydrogen production with the lofty goal

of 39 tatt hours of production by 2050

for use in energy storage fuel for

transportation and for industrial

heating Ireland is legally Bound by EU

law to achieve net zero emissions by

2050 but even without these lofty

expectations it's in Ireland's best

interest to develop these Technologies

Ireland has some of the most expensive

electricity prices in Europe due to its

Reliance on fossil fuel Imports which

increased in price drastically due to

the war in Ukraine making this

transition won't be easy and there are

many challenges to overcome but Ireland

has the potential to not only become

more energy secure but has the potential

to develop its economy massively wind is

a valuable resource by itself but in

combination with its abundance of fresh

water it could become one of the most

energy rich countries in the world

energy commodity trade in has always

been a big business but the nature of

that business is changing from physical

Goods like barrels of oil to less

tangible assets like electrons stored in

batteries there is a rising business

sector of private battery storage units

that buy electricity when it's cheap

like when wind is high and sell it when

it's expensive this business depends on

algorithms that sort through data on the

weather and power consumption to

optimize when they buy and sell it's

essentially commodity day trading this

is just one of many jobs in the

marketplace that need people with

knowledge of programming data analytics

and algorithms all of which you can

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