DouneAndDeanston.net - Sponsorship
These pages have all been created out of a community project to use the Internet as a resource for Doune, Deanston and all of Kilmadock.

If you would like to sponsor a page the cost is just £10, this will buy you a hyperlink at the foot of your chosen page for two years.

The site sponsor of www.DouneAndDenston.net is Airtricity.
Airtricity
Airtricity is one of Europe's leading fully integrated renewable energy companies and is focussed on Wind farm development Finance, ownership of wind farms and green electricity supply the company was established in November 1999. Airtricity is actively developing wind farms in the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland and Scotland. Airtricity supplies over 26,000 businesses with green electricity in the republic of Ireland. Our customers are mostly small to medium sized enterprises such as retailers, small offices and small manufacturing companies. Airtricity offers a non max-demand, commercial tariff service.

Approximately every ;&euro 1,500 spent on green electricity prevents the release of 10 tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Airtricity believes it can play a significant role in the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions on a national and international level. At Airtricity, our efforts to support sustainable development have only just begun. We believe that we can develop a business that will not only produce an environmentally friendly product but that we can do this through the implementation of environmentally friendly initiatives. An Airtricity Environmental Team has been established to foster environmental awareness and to promote and implement environmental initiatives both internally and externally. We aim to minimise impact on the environment - on shore wind farms typically use only 2%-3% of the land (for roads & turbines etc) on a site, allowing all other land to be restored to its natural state.Turbine layouts are designed to minimise visual impact, taking into account visually important areas and scenic routes as indicated in local Development Plans. Environmental Impact Appraisals (EIA's) are completed for proposed wind farms. Community Funding - A fund, based on the revenue generated from a wind farm is paid to the local community. The fund is allocated following submissions from local community based groups and favours renewable energy based projects. Airtricity participates and sponsors various local, regional, national and international environmental initiatives.

Airtricity, 29A Union Street, Greenock PA16 8DD, Scotland

Tel: +44 1475 892 344           Fax: +44 1475 722 889

Email: info@airtricity-scotland.co.uk

How does a wind turbine work?
Wind energy is captured by the rotation of the wind turbine's rotor blades. These rotors travel from 50 to 70 m/s at the tip, and turbines usually have two or three of them. Mechanical power generated by the rotor blades is transferred to the transmission system that consists of a gearbox and a braking system. The rotor is connected to the gearbox in the transmission system via the rotor hub. This connection has an input of 20-50 rpm from the low-speed shaft attached to the rotor and an output of 1000-1500 rpm for the high-speed shaft that will drive the generator. The step up is needed because the wind turbine generator cannot be driven directly by the low revolutions per minute created by the wind turbine. Also included in the transmission system is an emergency mechanical brake. The emergency brake is attached to the high-speed shaft and is used only when the aerodynamic brake fails, or when the wind turbine is being serviced.

Once the transmission system increases the rpm to that of the high-speed shaft, the shaft is able to drive the induction, or asynchronous, generator. The current is induced by the relative motion of the rotor against the rotation field produced the stator winding, a non-rotating three phase winding on an iron core.

Finally, the power produced by the generator is sent through a soft-start mechanism, which limits the inrush of current when the system is started, a power factor correction, and a transformer, so that it will be compatible with the electrical network.

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