Wind power is causing great excitement as a renewable energy source - except in Japan, where problems have slowed down its introduction. Can batteries help re-energize wind power introduction in Japan?
Interest in wind power as a renewable energy source is rising among consumers, companies, etc, as a means of reducing emissions of the greenhouse gases thought to be a cause of global warming. There is a rush in wind power generation construction projects worldwide.
In Europe, where
wind power introduction is especially active, some nations (like
Denmark) plan to provide half of total supply energy from wind power.
While not quite that high, Germany, for example, plans to provide 12.5%
of total energy from wind power by 2010, and 25% by 2025. When all
these plans are added up, total energy supplied by wind power worldwide
is likely to double in three or four years (Fig 1).
Japan, determined not to fall behind other nations, has also drawn up plans promoting the introduction of wind power, calling for a total output of 3 million kW (3,000MW) by the end of 2010. This is a bit under 2% of total wind power generation worldwide. Even this small target, however, now seems unlikely to be achieved. Generating capacity in operation in Japan reached 185,700 kW in fiscal 2007, representing a drop to no more than half of last year's level of 407,100kW. The Japanese program to boost wind power generation is slowing down dramatically.
There are two major reasons why wind power plants are not being built in Japan, as was originally hoped, namely (1) problems in linking with the power grids run by the electric utilities, and (2) the cost of constructing wind power generating plants.
Concerning
connection to the power grid (1), the problem is that even if a wind
power generator produces electricity, the utilities will not input it
into the grid. Electricity from wind power fluctuates depending on
weather conditions, and while there is no problem with a steady wind,
generated output is zero when the wind stops. If this type of
fluctuating generating system is connected as-is to the utility grid,
it causes fluctuation in the alternation frequency of commercial power
(Fig 2).
In Japan, electric power utilities such as Hokkaido Electric Power Co Inc and Tokyo Electric Power Co Inc (TEPCO) run their own grids, with each carefully adjusting frequency. Connections between the different utilities demand stable power. In practical terms, it is impossible to use electricity generated by a wind power station in the area handled by Hokkaido Electric Power, for example, directly in the area handled by TEPCO.
Overseas, there are many cases where power grids spanning several nations can be integrated. In Europe, for example, it is possible for French consumers to use electricity generated in Germany. This is why the level of wind power output connected to the commercial power grid is significantly larger than in Japan.
The second reason is that construction costs for wind power generating plants is soaring. The cost of wind turbines is up due to the change in the exchange rate with the Euro, and rising materials costs have contributed to more expensive power transmission equipment. The surging cost of the wind turbines is a significant problem, industry sources claim, aggravated by the wind farm boom occurring worldwide. One source in the wind power generating business commented, "There is worldwide competition for wind turbines, and the manufacturers can't deal effectively with their customers because of highly-concentrated orders. Some manufacturers are accepting orders but can't provide estimates."
Another problem for the industry is increasingly tough quake-resistance standards: wind turbines are now subject to about the same stringent quake-resistance standards as high-rise condominiums. In the past it was sufficient to comply with European safety standards, but now the approval of the Minister of Infrastructure, Land, Transport & Tourism is required.
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