Wind Turbines

Wind energy has been one of the largest sources of new renewable power in the United States. Much of that growth has been facilitated by technological advancements in wind turbine design. The most obvious changes associated with the physical scaling of the standard wind turbine design - hub height, and rotor diameter - have resulted in significant increases in the average turbine nameplate capacity, leading to increases in wind power at lower cost per kWh. Additionally, technological advancements in the areas of alternative rotor configurations, alternative blade designs, component efficiency, smart controls, material selection, and construction and manufacturing process have contributed to the continual increases in size and capacity of turbines and reduction in cost over the years. For example, the average nameplate capacity of newly installed turbines in 2013 was 1.87 megawatts (MW), up 162% since 1999. In 2022 the largest onshore turbines in the world had nameplate capacities over 7 MW, including Vestas with their 7.2MW V172 turbine rated at 7.2 MW and Enercon's E126 at 7.58 MW, i.e., increases of almost 400%. Offshore wind turbines, which aren't constrained by size limitations for transportation and can harness more powerful winds, had nominal capacities in 2022 between 14 MW and 16 MW. These larger turbines generate more electricity per unit by both capturing larger wind flow and accessing stronger, more consistent winds at higher altitudes. As a result, a modern wind turbine can do the job of several older versions, and wind turbines can be cost-effectively deployed in regions with lower average wind velocities.