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Study: Wind turbines remain efficient for at least 25 years
February 20, 2014
Study: Wind turbines remain efficient for at least 25 years
Wind turbines can remain productive for up to 25 years, scientists have said, scotching claims that the devices have a more limited shelf life than other energy technologies. New researched published by the Imperial College Business School that analyses UK’s 4,246 wind turbines using local wind speed data from NASA showed turbines will last their full life of around 25 years before they need to be upgraded.
The study found even the earliest turbines built in the 1990s, are still producing three-quarters of their original output after 19 years of operation. This is almost twice the amount previously claimed and the researchers say the turbines will continue to operate effectively for up to 25 years ? comparable to the performance of gas turbines used in power stations.
More recent turbines are understood to perform even better as they age and could have a longer lifespan than first estimated, which the researchers said further strengthens the attractiveness of wind farms as an effective long-term investment.
The researchers reached their conclusion using data from NASA, collected over a 20-year period, to measure the wind speed and at the exact site of each onshore windfarm in the UK.
Read more at Business Green.
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