When wind generates electricity
Human civilisation has always used the forces of wind, water and sun. In the 21st century, as protecting the climate and resource constraints play an ever-increasing role, demand for eco-friendly power generation grows. Today, wind power is expanding at a rate of 20 to 30 percent per year. Europe is a world-leader in terms of wind power station development and kilowatt wind power generation. More than two thirds of the world's 25,000 megawatt wind power volume are produced here. 6,800 megawatt, representing the production volume of five nuclear power plants, can supply all the energy requirements of a city the size of Berlin. To further increase the proportion of “eco-power”, efficient high-performance technologies are needed to make wind power production more competitive.

Bosch Rexroth AG, a hundred percent subsidiary of Robert Bosch GmbH, produces gears and drive systems for wind power stations which “trap” the maximum amount of wind and transform its power into electricity in an extremely efficient way.

The basics of wind power
The basic principle of energy production from wind power is simple. A modern wind power station generally consists of a tower which is up to 100 meters high, with a mechanical cubicle called a nacelle at the top. Most of the technology is inside the nacelle. Depending on the weather, the nacelle can turn 360 degrees to position the “wind wheel” or rotor ideally in relation to wind direction. The wind drives the rotor that usually has three rotor blades. A gear system transfers the rotation to an axle driving a generator, which in turn produces electricity. Naturally, the more constant the wind is, the better power is generated. But energy can be produced even at low wind speeds. Today's wind power stations are so effective that they can produce power on an average of 300 days a year. Modern drive systems not only move the rotors automatically, but can also adjust the individual rotor blades according to wind direction and speed to achieve maximum drive from the wind.

Individual wind power stations with rotor blades spanning 70 meters can produce 1.5 megawatt performance. That is enough power to supply 1,000 to 2,000 households. A wind farm can produce multiples of this amount depending on the number of stations it runs.

Where wind generates electricity
The future of wind power is on the coast. Modern wind turbines used offshore, i.e. in coastal waters, achieve the best results. A five-megawatt station can use wind power at sea to produce 17.5 million kilowatt hours of eco-power a year. That is enough energy for around 5,000 four-person households. No wonder coastal nations are investing in wind power. Denmark, for instance, generates 17 percent of its electricity from wind power. But wind power generation is also worthwhile in areas with weaker infrastructures. While most industrial nations feed the power produced by wind parks directly into their national grids, individual wind power stations in remote regions can provide an autonomous electricity supply.

Wind is a renewable energy source that can be exploited very efficiently and flexibly using modern technology. Experts expect energy production from wind power stations to treble to 75,000 megawatt in the next five years.