Learning from Wind!
AEP has installed one small wind turbine (10 kilowatts) at each of five
locations on the AEP System to harness the wind and generate electricity.
These are similar to turbines you might install at your home or business.
To help you decide whether a turbine will meet your energy needs, we've
created this website with information about wind technology and actual generation
data from the turbines.
Online charts let you see
how much energy is produced
almost in real time and conveniently
compare it to the amount of
power our records show a typical
home uses. You'll
be able to monitor local wind
conditions and the operation
of the five turbines. You can
even compare the operation
of the individual turbines
by downloading historic data.
You may be using sensitive
electronic equipment in your
home or workplace. Our web
site includes power quality
data important to you and
to the reliability and
safety of the power we
deliver.
Like our Learning
from Light! website
does for solar cells, this
website is designed to help
you learn about wind power.
Send us your questions by clicking
here. Feel free to come
and see the turbines by following
the directions in the wind
turbine site section.
AEP's Wind Turbine Sites
We installed the turbines at AEP facilities in Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Virginia
and West Virginia. The turbines are located in the better or best wind class
areas as shown on wind maps and near distribution line properties necessary
for analyzing power quality and safety. We purchased Bergey Windpower turbines
because of their reliable performance and low maintenance.
We consulted with Bergey
on local site features such
as buildings, trees and mountains
that could affect the wind
approaching the turbines on
their 100-foot towers.
We obtained zoning commission
approvals at all the sites
mainly because the towers are
taller than usually allowed.
Due to objections before zoning
meetings that the turbines
were not visually appealing
at some sites, we installed
them elsewhere. We tried to
minimize impacts to birds by
locating the turbines in urban
and semi-urban areas away from
ridge tops and other areas
heavily populated by birds.
AEP's Learning From Wind!
wind turbines are currently
located in Groveport
Ohio, Fort
Wayne, Indiana, Beckley,
West Virginia, Sandy
Level, Virginia , and Holland, Michigan.
Click on any of these locations
and you'll find street maps
so you can visit the turbines.
You'll be able to climb to
the top of the 100 foot towers
(in cyberspace, of course!)
to look out over the countryside
from just under the turbines
to see how the wind might be
affected by mountains, trees
or buildings. Topographic maps
are also there so you can see
how the landscape changes and
how tall the mountains really
are.
What You'll See
When you go to the websites to
view activity at our wind turbines, you'll see a lot of information including
some terms that may not be familiar.
To help you understand the
terms and what they mean for
energy users, here's a brief
glossary. If you want to be
really accurate, check the
scientific definition in parentheses.
Ampere or amp -- A
measure of the amount of electric
current. (One ampere equals
6.2 x 1018 electrons
passing through a point in
one second.)
Kilowatt or KW --
A measure of power at any one
instant, equal to 1,000 watts.
Kilowatt-hour or KwH --
A measure of the amount of
electrical energy used over
time. One KwH is equal to 1,000
watts consumed steadily over
one hour. Ten 100-watt bulbs
burning for an hour use one
KwH.
Ohm -- A measure of
electrical resistance. (One
volt will force a current of
one ampere through a resistance
of one Ohm.)
Volt -- A measure
of the pressure of electricity
that forces electrons to move
through wires or other conductors.
Normal household current in
the United States is 110 to
120 volts. (One volt will force
one ampere of current to move
through a resistance of one
Ohm.)
Watt -- A unit of
electrical power that measures
the rate at which work is done
or energy is used. For example,
a microwave oven might use
1,200 watts. (One watt is the
work done when an electrical
force of one volt pushes one
ampere or 6.2 x 1018 electrons
through a resistance of one
Ohm in one second.)
You will also see two sets
of wind measurements taken
using devices called anemometers
-- or "wind meters" -- placed at different heights
on the towers. We take both
measurements to show the difference
in wind speed -- and power
-- at the different heights.
A wind turbine must have a
clear shot at the wind to perform
efficiently. Turbulence --
irregular changes in wind speed
and direction -- is highest
close to the ground and lessens
with height. Also, wind speed
increases with height above
the ground. Turbulence both
reduces turbine performance
and "works" the turbine harder
than smooth air.
