Wind turbines have begun to be used for electrical generation, having previously been used for agricultural and grinding purposes.

Initial wind turbines had a very small capacity, as well as very low efficiency and performance standards. Wind turbines have gone through various technological advancements during the time they have been in use. Each and every component of a wind turbine has been upgraded to make wind power generation more reliable and efficient. Multi-Megawatt (MW) wind turbines are currently in use, which are easily delivering an availability factor of 95% or higher. A number of technological changes have been made to wind turbines, all of which have resulted in the improved performance of wind power generation.

Rotor blades have seen improvements in blade aerodynamic profiles as well as improvements in blade material properties, resulting in the production of large rotor blades that have made wind turbines capable of capturing more wind power. Wind turbines used to be fitted with gearboxes with a higher gear ratio, which had high maintenance requirements and low reliability.

Currently, there are options to choose a direct drive wind turbine that does not uses gearboxes, thus reducing maintenance requirements. Additionally, medium speed gearboxes are available, incorporating low wear and tear as the gear ratio is low and speed increases can be achieved by two-stage gearing, while some medium speed gearboxes use three-stage gearing. Initial wind turbines were equipped with induction generators and reliability was an issue. High-precision design and manufacturing has resulted in more reliable generators for wind turbines, while Permanent Magnet Generators (PMGs) are also available in the market, which are believed to deliver higher efficiencies when compared to induction generators. Wind towers and control systems are other components which have undergone technological advancement. The height of wind turbines has been increasing to capture more wind energy and to accommodate large rotors, and control systems have been made more sensitive to adjust turbine operating parameters and to generate more electricity.

Scope

– Overview of the Global Wind Industry, Annual Installations for the years 2006 to 2020
– Market share of different wind turbine manufacturers for the year 2012
– Increasing Average Turbine Size Trend for the years 2006 to 2020
– Technological upgrades in wind turbine Rotor Blades, Gearbox, Generator, Tower and Control System
– Issues and Challenges in Turbine Technology and how industry is reacting towards these challenges.

Reasons to buy

– The report provides information on Global Wind Power Annual Installations and Average Turbine Size during 2006 to 2012 and how wind power market is expected to grow during 2013 to 2020.
– Also provides information on various technological upgrades in a wind turbine and how these upgrades have affected turbine performance and reliability.
– Major Issues and Challenges for wind power industry have been discussed.
– The report provides can help stakeholders with better understanding on various technological upgrades in a wind turbine and help them to decide major criteria for them to select a wind turbine.

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For more on this report: http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/2624353/wind_turbine_market_size_technology_overview?rfm=rss