A large coal-fired power station produces 2000 MW of electrical energy. A wind turbine with 33 m blades can produce 300 kW.

(a) How many turbines would be needed to replace the power station?
(b) Why, in actual practice, this number of turbines could not replace the coal-fired power station?

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Solution

(a) Electrical energy from the power station = 2000 MW = 2000000 kW
Energy produced by the wind turbine = 300 kW
Therefore, number of turbines needed = 2000000/300 = 6666.67
Hence, 6667 turbines will be needed.

(b) In the thermal power plant mentioned, coal is burnt to produce electricity. Therefore, the quantum of electrical energy produced is fixed. A windmill produces electrical energy depending on the speed of wind, which may vary from time to time. Therefore, wind turbines cannot replace the coal-fired thermal power plant.

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Q. In an hydroelectric power station, the height of dam is 10 m. How many kg of water must fall per second on the blades of a turbine in order to generate 1 MW of electric power?

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Statement 2: Because turbine converts one form of energy to mechanical energy which further produces electric energy.

In a hydroelectric power station, the height of the dam is 10 m. How many kg of water must fall per second on the blades of a turbine in order to generate 1 MW of electrical power? Take $g = 10 m s^{- 2}$ .

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A large coal-fired power station produces 2000 MW of electrical energy. A wind turbine with 33 m blades can produce 300 kW. (a) How many turbines would be needed to replace the power station? (b) Why, in actual practice, this number of turbines could not replace the coal-fired power station?

A large coal-fired power station produces 2000 MW of electrical energy. A wind turbine with 33 m blades can produce 300 kW.

(a) How many turbines would be needed to replace the power station?
(b) Why, in actual practice, this number of turbines could not replace the coal-fired power station?