Riches from the Wind

The people of La Muela, Spain, have suddenly

become very wealthy. They enjoy exotic holidays
and fantastic sports facilities.

N What's made
a Banco
them so much La Mue l

money?

N Generating
electricity
from the N The question is, how
wind! rich can the wind
make you?
N Find out what's
involved and do the
AY S sums.
LID
HO

© Science Upd8 at www.upd8.org.uk

 Win with Windgen!
N Wind spins
Windgen 1.5 kW Windgen 6 kW the turbine.
The turbine
3m
drives a generator.
6m
And that's that –
While you've generated
stocks last! electricity!
10m 15m

£2,799 Buy one N No fuel costs,

today! no pollution!

N Make money – sell

Special price:
the electricity you
£6,999 don't need!

© Science Upd8 at www.upd8.org.uk

How rich can the wind make You ?
When you do the sums:
Keep the first 4000 Units for your family.

That saves paying £300/year for electricity.
You can sell the rest.

A B C D E F
Turbine's Average Average Electricity 'Surplus' Income
maximum wind power generated electricity from sales
power speed in kW per year, in for sale each year
in kilowatts in m/s from kWh(Units) each year, at
(kW) graph (C x 24 x 365 x 0.8) in Units £0.05/Unit
1.5 12
6 12
1.5 7
6 7

Because wind only Should your

generates power 80% of family invest
the time in a turbine?
Turbine Power Output
6
5
Power output (kW)

TASK
4
3
2
1
0
0 5 10 15
Wind speed (m/s)
1.5 kW
6 kW
Wind too slow to
generate electricity KS4
 How rich can the wind make You ?
When you do the sums:

Keep the first 4000 Units for your family.

That saves paying £300/year for electricity.

You can sell the rest.

Turbine's Average Electricity 'Surplus' Income

maximum wind generated electricity from sales
power speed per year, for sale each year
in kilowatts in m/s in kWh each year, at
(kW) (Units) in Units £0.05/Unit

1.5 12 10,500
6 12 42,000
1.5 7 6,000
6 7 12,500

Very windy Windy

indeed
Should your family invest in a turbine?

KS3
© Science Upd8 at www.upd8.org.uk