A glossary of terms for wind energy applications

Abstract

Energy is fundamental to economic and social development. On the dawn of the 21st century we are being faced with one of the toughest challenges ever-that of securing energy supply. We are still heavily dependent on oil resources which will eventually become depleted within a few decades. Energy consumption is also expected to increase up to about 30% of the current value by the year 2010 (EWEA1). The increasing world population, an enlarged global economy and an improved standard of living all contribute to greater demands for energy. At the same time, we are facing the greatest threat to our survival on planet earth: global climate change. Climate change is not just an environmental threat but also an economic threat. Rising sea levels, more severe droughts and health issues will also increase insurance costs radically in the future. The use of wind energy as a source of energy dates back thousands of years. Windmills have been used for at least 3000 years, mainly in order to grind grain or to pump water, while in sailing ships the wind has been an essential source of power for even longer. The advent of the steam engine, followed by the appearance of other technologies for converting fossil fuels to useful energy, seemed to have forever relegated to insignificance the role of the wind in energy generation