Page 22 - North American Clean Energy January February 2014

wind power

Left: Cape Verde is just one

example of a country with few
natural resources and scant, fresh
water supplies.

Below: Wind-powered fresh
water desalinization uses a
proprietary logic controller, which
makes extra fresh water when the

winds are blowing. he system
uses water storage like a battery
to store the wind’s power in water.

Catching Waves

A breakthrough in wind power generation

By Izumi Matsumoto & Chrissie Long

Power derived from wind has long been considered a worthy source of energy. Early turbines date back to as far as 200 BC,
with the irst electricity generating wind turbine designed in 1887 as a battery-charging machine.

Today, wind power is considered one of the fastest growing sources of new electricity, Australia has been able to smooth the peaks and troughs that are characteristic of the
globally. here are over 150,000 wind turbines operating around the world in over 90 wind. Instead of storing excess energy in batteries, plant operators store it in fresh water.

countries. Although wind power is clearly a growing industry with history, it’s not without When the turbines aren’t spinning, Australia can draw on this water to provide a consistent
its challenges and it’s still considered immature by many in the energy sector.
supply to homes and businesses.
Abundant, renewable, clean, and cost-efective, wind energy has many advantages. It’s A wind farm consisting of 48 turbines in Perth routinely converts salt water into fresh
actually one of the lowest-priced renewable energy technologies available today, costing water, generating as much as 40 million gallons of drinking water each day. In Sydney,

between four and six cents per kilowatt-hour, depending upon the wind resource or project another 63 turbines power the desalination process, accounting for 15% of the city’s water
(www.energy.gov). However, wind energy must contend with conventional sources of supply.
power generation on a cost basis to be truly competitive. Wind is also intermittent, and his model becomes increasingly signiicant as the world faces greater water shortages.
good project sites are often located in remote locations, away from the urban centers that Climate change, combined with increasing populations, is putting mounting pressure on

require the most power.
existing water supplies worldwide. According to the United Nations, 85% of the world
As a result, energy storage and transmission have been two of the primary issues facing population lives in the driest half of the planet. Not surprisingly, many countries are
modern wind farms. From better batteries to new transmission lines, ongoing eforts have looking for new sources of fresh water.
been made to ensure any of the energy harnessed from the wind is properly maintained One of the most popular alternatives is to derive fresh water from the ocean. And now,

and supplied when feasible.
perhaps one of the most renewable ways of generating clean water is via the wind.
One new, groundbreaking technology is emerging, however, that could overcome some
of the inherent disadvantages facing wind power. And, it involves water.
Wind-powered desalination
he country of Cape Verde, a small archipelago of the western coast of Africa, is just one

Wind + water
of the countries under immense pressure due to few natural resources, scant rainfall,
he concept of combining wind and water materialized on a large scale in Australia. By and limited fresh water supplies. he lack of water has stunted growth and resulted in
using wind turbines to convert saltwater to fresh water instead of just for electrical use,
massive emigration (today, more Cape Verdeans actually live outside the country that in

22 nacleanenergy.com
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014