Is there any way to store the electricity wind turbines generate?
The electricity currently generated at the San Gorgonio farms is distributed for immediate use. Energy storage is an important technical challenge that wind farms must address in the future. For small wind farms, particularly in areas not connected to the utility transmission and distribution grid, battery storage may be cost-effective. As an example, the wind farm tour vehicle operates on batteries that are charged by wind power electricity. For large wind farms, pumped hydro storage may be an option. This strategy uses excess wind energy to pump water from a lower reservoir to an upper reservoir. When electricity is needed, the water is released through a dam to generate hydropower. The paper entitled “Wind Energy as a Significant Source of Electricity” by R. Gerald Nix, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, contains additional information on this topic. Q: How effective are wind turbines in generating electricity? Is it an experiment or an established power generation source? A: Win
