Wind energy is a renewable form of energy and trending upward in both usage and efficiency for homeowners and businesses alike. Like solar and geothermal, wind is the future of energy. It’s not only clean, but unlike fossil fuels, wind will always be present and easily captured. Wind turbines catch and harness the wind and are used with great frequency by many countries across the globe, both on and offshore. Before a wind turbine is erected, though, data must be collected and analyzed to ensure that the chosen spot will meet the criteria for a successful installation.

Wind Speed

Wind speed and direction are of paramount importance when considering turbine placement. With wind resource assessment services an anemometer would be used to measure the behavior of the wind over time. In an assessment, this data gets collected to establish whether there is enough stability in the wind patterns to justify the placement. An average wind speed of nine miles per hour is generally considered to be enough to support and justify a wind turbine, assuming that other criteria are equally as favorable.

Air Density

The denser the air, the more power can be generated by a wind turbine. Air density is measured with a barometer and, as with wind speed, the data must be collected over time. It is important to discover how the atmospheric conditions of a particular location would help or hinder wind collection.

Data Estimation

At the end of the day, a cost analysis must be performed, based on collected data. Calculations, based on the data, are used to determine wind energy yield. If it is decided that installation placement is cost-effective and will be productive, the wind turbine goes up. As the average lifespan for a wind turbine is about 20 years, it is imperative to perform the necessary due diligence so as to determine not only what size turbine to install, but also potentially how many.