The 15th Conference of the Parties under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 15) recently brought new attention to how global climate change is rapidly reshaping the environment, people's health and the world's precious natural resources.
While climate change is certainly a large issue with no easy solutions, two other issues-wind and water-are growing in importance and closely intertwined with climate change. In fact, both wind and water are natural power sources and will likely significantly affect global energy production and use.
Wind in Their Sails
For decades, Europe had been the global leader in harnessing wind power, but the United States is now emerging as a lead player out of necessity (less dependence on foreign oil), economic opportunity and environmental concerns. At the end of 2008, with wind power plants generating a total of 25,369 MW of electricity, the U.S. pulled ahead of long-time leader Germany (23,902 MW), according to the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA). The U.S. is now the world's largest market for new wind power installations (8,545 MW added in 2008), ahead of China (6,300 MW added in 2008).
"The fact that wind power is now mainstream is good news for our economy, our environment and our energy security," AWEA noted in Windpower Outlook 2009.
AWEA points out the benefits of wind power, "one of the cleanest and most environmentally benign energy sources in the world today." Among the advantages of this endless resource are a more stable climate (wind power generates electricity without emitting gases that cause global warming), cleaner air (wind power does not emit pollutants that contribute to acid rain and smog), cleaner water (wind power does not contaminate water with pollutants like mercury or require water for cooling or steam to drive turbines) and a light footprint (wind projects do not cause extraction and transportation of fuels or production of hazardous or toxic solid wastes, ash or slurry).
In fact, if wind power provided just 20 percent of America's electricity needs by 2030, the electricity sector's water use would decrease by 17 percent in that year, according to a U.S. Department of Energy report, 20 Percent Wind Energy by 2030.
Growth Provides Opportunities
The U.S. wind power market is providing new business opportunities for manufacturers. In 2008, there were 14 utility-scale, wind turbine manufacturers in the U.S.-up from eight in 2007 and six in 2005, according to AWEA. The key players include GE Wind Energy, Vestas and Siemens. These manufacturers rely on sub-suppliers for critical subassemblies and components.
"Today, when selling a wind turbine to wind farm owners or power-supplying companies, wind turbine manufacturers are faced with a demand for maximum production and limited downtime," says Per Sonderriis, global sales manager, wind energy, of Danfoss A/S.
"All major wind turbine manufacturers have established their own control centers to follow the different wind turbines in wind farms around the world. The different systems and major components are followed closely in these control centers to deliver the promised production hours and to carry through service whenever needed."
As the wind power market gains momentum, so has the need for components that help ensure maximum production and limited downtime. According to Sonderriis, the number of sensors in a wind turbine has increased dramatically in the last five years. Temperature and pressure sensors indicate the condition of different systems or vital components within the turbine, such as pitch cylinders, oil brake, gearbox, mechanical disk brake, rotor lock system, hydraulic unit, yaw gears and air cooler for the generator.
"A vital component is the bearing," Sonderriis says, "and measuring the temperature of the bearing indicates the bearing's condition. If the temperature increases slowly over time, it can indicate that an overhaul of the bearing is needed. Or, if the temperature increase is sudden, it can signal that the bearing is failing."
Bearing sensors meet the wind market's demand for accurate and timely measurement of the bearing's condition. Sensors typically feature a solid metallic contact between the sensor and bearing, ensuring that any temperature change is quickly transferred to the sensor. In addition, sensors are flexible on insertion length, which makes the accuracy of the bore in the bearing housing less critical.
Water, Water. . . Everywhere?
Bearing sensors are just one example of technological innovation in the wind power market. Technology is also helping address the challenges facing the worldwide water market.
On a global scale, factors such as drought, long over-dense population zones, long-term natural climatic variation and other natural forces are reshaping the water equation.
"Water is the oil of the 21st century," said Betsy Otto, vice president of strategic partnerships for American Rivers, speaking at the ninth Danfoss EnVisioneering symposium, "At Water's Edge: The 21st Century Agenda in Water Strategy and Technology." American Rivers is a Washington, D.C.-based, non-profit association that strives to protect and promote U.S. rivers as valuable assets for health, safety and quality of life.
The population explosion, both in the U.S. and abroad, will put tremendous stress on global water supplies-99.23 percent of which are unusable for most humans, says Mark Shannon, director of the National Science Foundation's Center of Advanced Materials for the Purification of Water with Systems. By 2030, he predicts that many U.S. cities-Atlanta, Chicago and Denver are prime examples-will see "massive increases in water usage." In fact, water consumption increases twice as fast as the rate of population growth.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), water quality will also become an issue as the changing climate mixes with the greater demand for water supplies. An increasing number of conversations on better water management, strategy and technology are happening nationwide to ensure the sustainability of the U.S. population, infrastructure and industry.
Fortunately, one of America's most water-challenged states, California, is taking a fresh approach. With a growing population, reduced water supplies and an aging infrastructure, the state faces a crisis to secure future water supplies, but it also boasts the most advanced thinking on macro-water strategy.
The California Department of Water Resources has developed a comprehensive strategy that focuses on three main areas:
Regional strategies include fully implementing Integrated Regional Water Management and aggressively increasing water use efficiency.
Statewide strategies include practicing and promoting integrated flood management, enhancing and sustaining ecosystems, advancing and expanding conjunctive management of surface and groundwater resources, and fixing the Delta region.
In addition, the department seeks to improve management and decision-making capacity. This involves preserving, upgrading and increasing monitoring, data analysis and management; planning for and adapting to rising sea levels; and identifying and funding climate change impacts as well as adaptation research and analysis.
While California implements its strategy for addressing climate change, water management and energy efficiency, industry partners are doing their part to develop innovative, cost-effective technology solutions. These advanced technologies will play a key role in solving California's-as well as the world's-water challenges, says John Masters, director of sales, Water and Wastewater, Danfoss Drives.
"Technology is the central element in every meaningful response to the water crises the world is facing," Masters says. "Part of the challenge is behavior-based and cultural, but technology offers an avenue to a water-secure world."
Relevant technologies range from point-source water heaters-74 percent of water energy is used after the water passes the meter at its point of use-to "smart" metering, which can give water departments greater control over usages and consumers a clearer standard of appropriate water usage to meet.
"The dialogue on water strategy and technology is just beginning," Masters emphasizes. "We're convinced that an enlarged dialogue between the worlds of engineering and policy will be critical."
The same could be said for the wind power market. If world economies desire to fully tap into the tremendous resource of wind, it will take cooperation from governments, industry, regulatory bodies and end users.
Pumps & Systems, June 2010