The dynamic development of renewable energy sources is good news, especially since we will need clean energy in the face of climate challenges. It is known, however, that renewable resources can also be variable. For this reason, it is worth looking for complementary solutions. It is widely recognized that wind turbines could be a good complement to photovoltaic installations. Especially in view of the possibility of using financial support program for this type of investment.
In theory, wind resources are increasingly recognized, both from the perspective of time and spatial resolution. Meteorological modeling center IMGW-Pib is working on the further development of the project Atlas of a small wind energy In 1km x 1km resolution, which allows you to check the conditions for this type of wind farms with high accuracy.
In addition to costly measuring campaigns, you can also use reanfallings of meteorological models. However, the key question remains – whether the wind resources are sufficient to The economic profitability of such an undertaking was satisfying for an individual investor? And this may be limited to few locations in Poland, according to the latest surveillance of small -scale wind turbines published in the Energy magazine.
A small turbine works little
Mediocre Power use factor (Capacity Factor, CF) for 173 analyzed locations of small wind turbines in Poland in the period 2018-2023 was 328 kWh/kW (i.e. about 3.75 percent; compared to typical large windmills on land it is 25-35 %)
Only about 7.5 percent (13 stations) reached a power use factor above 10 %, with the best results (CF about 20 %) only at a few stations located on the coast and directly on the Baltic Sea.
In turn, the level average current energy cost (LCOE) for small wind turbines turned out to be much higher than for photovoltaic installations. Even in the most optimistic scenario, assuming very low investment costs, LCOE was at least 0.23 EUR/kWh, while average price electricity for households in Poland is lower (about 0.21 EUR/kWh).
Turbines work when photovoltaics
Despite the currently high cost of energy from turbines, their advantage is the higher average energy self -consumption – compared to photovoltaics, which for locations with higher power use coefficients ranges from 25 to even 55 percent. This means that the energy of turbines is better time -adapted to the local demand for various recipient profiles.
Although wind turbines and photovoltaic panels can partly complement each other seasonally (the wind ensures higher energy production in winter, photovoltaics in the summer), daily complementarity is negligible, because both technologies tend to achieve the summit of energy production at the same hours around noon. In the analyzed period (2018-2023), it was found that the generation of energy from small -scale wind turbines often coincides with the production of large wind farms, which causes cannibalization – the more energy from the wind appears on the market, the more wholesale prices decrease. As a consequence, the average value of energy generated by small turbines (so -called capture price) was lower than for solar farms, which worsens their profitability when using dynamic energy tariffs.
Where can small windmills make sense?
The article draws attention to significant limitations of analysis resulting from the use of only data from the IMGW-PIB station that may not be in smokey Representative for a larger area. The authors emphasize that specific places, e.g. located on the hills of the area, can have much better windy conditions than those registered by stations usually located in lowland and open areas.
Researchers recommend that you carry out individual wind speed measurements and economic analysis of the project before making an investment decision in home wind turbines. They also indicate prudence when designing public support systems. It is necessary to avoid subsidizing installations in locations with low energy potential. In the authors' opinion, without significant reduction of costs or introducing targeted economic incentives, home wind turbines will be a niche solution rather than a widely used alternative to solar farms.
Authors of the study: Jakub Jurasz, Bogdan Bochenek, Joanna Wieczorek and Adam Jaczewski