Low Cost Small Wind Turbine Generators for Developing Countries

Abstract

Wind energy accounts for an increasing percentage of the energy supplied to the electricity network. Electricity generation from wind is now cheaper than other renewables and almost cost competitive with other conventional sources of electricity generation. However, this impressive growth is largely due to advances in large wind turbines, particularly off-shore wind turbines. Small wind turbines on the other hand have not been developing at such an impressive rate. In the past few years, an annual growth rate of about 30% has been recorded in the installed large wind power capacity while the average growth of small wind turbines was 9%. This is despite its huge potentials in providing electricity to more than 1 billion people living mostly in developing countries without electricity. The objective of this thesis is to develop suitable low cost generators for small wind turbine application. A low cost generator solution is necessary to make small wind turbines an attractive option for remote areas of developing countries which are considered areas with the greatest potentials for such systems. To fulfill this objective, this thesis addresses three major problems identified as being responsible for the continued low penetration of small wind turbines in developing countries: 1) high cost of current systems; 2) maintainability of systems; and 3) energy yield and low wind speed operation. In addressing these challenges, this thesis focuses on the generator which is a major component of small wind turbines.