The production of power using the wind is one of the oldest method of harnessing a weather element to produce power dating back to the days of windmill (12th century A.D.). The process is pretty much straightforward. As wind blows through the blades area of the turbine it causes it to rotate. This rotational power is then gear up and then transferred to a generator and thus produces electricity. (This website give an interesting, illustrated/animated explanation of wind power).
The parameters used in determining an HC’s wind power potential are as follows:
This results in the following chart which shows the wind power output potentials using varying turbine spacings (diameter lengths). The minimum recommended spacing is 3X. The final data line shows data based on actual HC energy consumption estimates.
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Additional Links:
Global Surface Wind Speeds
Global Annual Wind Full Load Hours
Wind Turbine Assembly Video Clips May 28, 2008