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Wind Onshore¤

Introduction¤

Onshore wind energy is a widely adopted renewable technology that harnesses the power of wind to generate electricity. This technology involves the installation of wind turbines on land, typically in areas with favorable wind conditions. Onshore wind turbines consist of tall towers and large rotor blades, which work together to convert wind energy into electrical power.

Technical Aspects:

  • Capacity Factor: Onshore wind turbines typically have a capacity factor ranging from 20% to 40%, depending on wind conditions and turbine design. This factor represents the percentage of the turbine’s maximum capacity that it generates on average.

  • Wind Turbine Height: Onshore wind turbines have tower heights that typically range from 70 to 120 meters above ground level. The height allows them to capture higher wind speeds at elevated altitudes.

  • Blade Length: The rotor blades of onshore wind turbines can span 30 to 80 meters or more. Longer blades capture more wind energy and increase the turbine’s efficiency.

Global Deployment¤

Onshore wind energy has seen extensive global deployment and is one of the most mature renewable energy technologies. According to the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC), the global onshore wind capacity reached approximately 841.9 gigawatts (GW) by the end of 20227. Countries across the world, including China, the United States, and Germany, have embraced onshore wind power.

Wind energy evolution in Switzerland¤

The 37 wind turbines installed in Switzerland, amounting to 75MW power capacity, produced 122 GWh in 2018. It corresponds to the electricity consumption of 36500 households, namely 0.2% of the total electricity demand of Switzerland.

Use in Quebec¤

Quebec has significant potential for onshore wind energy due to its diverse landscapes and wind resources. As of 2021, Quebec had 3.9 GW9 of onshore wind power installed. The province has been actively developing onshore wind farms as part of its renewable energy strategy. However, the largest projects of onshore wind are currently developed in Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia.8

Quebec’s investment in onshore wind aligns with its commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and transitioning to cleaner energy sources.

Use in Canada¤

Onshore wind energy plays a crucial role in Canada’s renewable energy landscape. The country had approximately 15.2 GW of onshore wind capacity by the end of 2022. Provinces like Ontario, Alberta, and Quebec have been leaders in onshore wind development.10

The Canadian government has set ambitious targets for expanding onshore wind capacity as part of its efforts to reduce carbon emissions and promote sustainable energy sources. Supportive policies and incentives have further encouraged the growth of onshore wind projects across the country.

ES Model Parameters¤

All the parameters concerning the WIND_ONSHORE are listed in the table below. Detailed information on the data is available in the section Parameters.

entry_key value unit sets source_reference
ELECTRICITY_MV (layer) 1 - CHE Moret, Stefano, (2017): "Strategic Energy Planning under Uncertainty"
ELECTRICITY_MV (layer) 1 - QC Statistics Canada, (2023): "Electric Power Generation, Monthly Generation by Type of Electricity"
RES_WIND_ONSHORE (layer) -1 - CHE Moret, Stefano, (2017): "Strategic Energy Planning under Uncertainty"
RES_WIND_ONSHORE (layer) -1 - QC Statistics Canada, (2023): "Electric Power Generation, Monthly Generation by Type of Electricity"
c_inv 1361 USD/kW CAN Lorenczik, Stefan; Keppler, Jan Horst, (2020): "Projected Costs of Generating Electricity 2020 – Analysis"
c_inv 1388 USD/kW NA IRENA, (2022): "Renewable Power Generation Costs in 2021"
c_inv 1465.62 MCHF/GW CHE Moret, Stefano, (2017): "Strategic Energy Planning under Uncertainty"
c_inv 1600 CAD/kW CAN Hayne, Heather; Banister, Carsen; Martinussen, Nika, (2022): "Renewables for Decarbonization and Resiliency of Remote and Arctic Communities in Canada: Policy and Economics Review"
c_maint 22.9 MCHF/GW/yr CHE Moret, Stefano, (2017): "Strategic Energy Planning under Uncertainty"
c_maint 44.5 USD/kW/yr NA IRENA, (2022): "Renewable Power Generation Costs in 2021"
c_p 0.2 - CHE Moret, Stefano, (2017): "Strategic Energy Planning under Uncertainty"
c_p 0.45 - NA IRENA, (2022): "Renewable Power Generation Costs in 2021"
c_p_t[10] 0.349 - QC Statistics Canada, (2023): "Electric Power Generation, Monthly Generation by Type of Electricity"
c_p_t[11] 0.407 - QC Statistics Canada, (2023): "Electric Power Generation, Monthly Generation by Type of Electricity"
c_p_t[12] 0.394 - QC Statistics Canada, (2023): "Electric Power Generation, Monthly Generation by Type of Electricity"
c_p_t[1] 0.347 - QC Statistics Canada, (2023): "Electric Power Generation, Monthly Generation by Type of Electricity"
c_p_t[2] 0.385 - QC Statistics Canada, (2023): "Electric Power Generation, Monthly Generation by Type of Electricity"
c_p_t[3] 0.371 - QC Statistics Canada, (2023): "Electric Power Generation, Monthly Generation by Type of Electricity"
c_p_t[4] 0.353 - QC Statistics Canada, (2023): "Electric Power Generation, Monthly Generation by Type of Electricity"
c_p_t[5] 0.311 - QC Statistics Canada, (2023): "Electric Power Generation, Monthly Generation by Type of Electricity"
c_p_t[6] 0.282 - QC Statistics Canada, (2023): "Electric Power Generation, Monthly Generation by Type of Electricity"
c_p_t[7] 0.25 - QC Statistics Canada, (2023): "Electric Power Generation, Monthly Generation by Type of Electricity"
c_p_t[8] 0.229 - QC Statistics Canada, (2023): "Electric Power Generation, Monthly Generation by Type of Electricity"
c_p_t[9] 0.304 - QC Statistics Canada, (2023): "Electric Power Generation, Monthly Generation by Type of Electricity"
f_max 3.98432e+06 MW QC Hélimax Énergie inc., (2005): "Potentiel éolien au Québec"
gwp_constr 622.9 kgCO2/kW CHE Moret, Stefano, (2017): "Strategic Energy Planning under Uncertainty"
lifetime 20 y CHE Moret, Stefano, (2017): "Strategic Energy Planning under Uncertainty"
lifetime 25 yr NA IRENA, (2022): "Renewable Power Generation Costs in 2021"
ref_size 0.003 GW USA Hartman, Liz, (2022): "Wind Turbines: The Bigger, the Better ⧉"
ref_size 0.003 GW CHE Moret, Stefano, (2017): "Strategic Energy Planning under Uncertainty"
trl 9 - NA IRENA, (2022): "Renewable Power Generation Costs in 2021"
trl 9 - CHE Moret, Stefano, (2017): "Strategic Energy Planning under Uncertainty"

References¤

Data Sources
Hartman, Liz. (2022). "Wind Turbines: The Bigger, the Better ⧉". Energy.gov
Hayne, Heather; Banister, Carsen; Martinussen, Nika. (2022). "Renewables for Decarbonization and Resiliency of Remote and Arctic Communities in Canada: Policy and Economics Review"
Hélimax Énergie inc.. (2005). "Potentiel éolien au Québec"
IRENA. (2022). "Renewable Power Generation Costs in 2021"
Lorenczik, Stefan; Keppler, Jan Horst. (2020). "Projected Costs of Generating Electricity 2020 – Analysis"
Moret, Stefano. (2017). "Strategic Energy Planning under Uncertainty"
Statistics Canada. (2023). "Electric Power Generation, Monthly Generation by Type of Electricity". https://doi.org/10.25318/2510001501-ENG ⧉

[^1]. Confédération Suisse

  1. Suisse éole, https://www.suisse-eole.ch/fr/energie-eolienne/statistiques/ ⧉ ↩

  2. Swiss Energyscope ↩

  3. Basis of wind energy https://www.awea.org/wind-101/basics-of-wind-energy ⧉ ↩

  4. Swiss Federal Office for the Environment. Energiestrategies 2050, Tech. rep, Bern Swtizerland, Sept 2012 ↩

  5. “Projected Costs of Generating Electricity 2020 Analysis.” n.d. IEA. https://www.iea.org/reports/projected-costs-of-generating-electricity-2020 ⧉. Accessed July 17, 2023. ↩

  6. “Wind Turbines: The Bigger, the Better.” n.d. Energy.gov. https://www.energy.gov/eere/articles/wind-turbines-bigger-better ⧉. Accessed August 8, 2023. ↩

  7. Global Wind Energy Council ( GWEC) - Global Offshore Wind Report 2023 ⧉ ↩

  8. Airswift - Top 5 wind energy projects in Canada ⧉ ↩

  9. Quebec Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources ↩

  10. Government of Canada ↩