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A framework for technico-environmental optimization of small wind turbines

Author

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  • Prévost, Adrien
  • Demichel, François
  • Léchappé, Vincent
  • Helbling, Hugo
  • Delpoux, Romain
  • Brun, Xavier

Abstract

Small Wind Turbines (SWTs) can provide energy access and participate to energy transition by enabling local electricity production at a low environmental cost. However, there is a lack of comprehensive approaches to address the challenge of reducing the electricity footprint of SWT systems. In this article, a technico-environmental framework is proposed to enable the optimization of the environmental footprint of the electricity provided by a SWT system. The compromise between energy harvest and environmental impacts is studied by establishing and coupling life-cycle and energy models taking into account the system configuration (grid-tied, off-grid), design parameters (tower height, battery sizing), the site characteristics (roughness length, wind resource), and the user behaviour aspects (load-shifting). For considered scenarios, the results indicate that the tower height that minimizes the footprint of the provided electricity is identical for grid-tied and off-grid systems. It is in the range of 12–24 m for roughness lengths (0.1–0.5 m) and heavily depends on roughness length and wind resource. Interestingly, increasing the load shifting from 20% to 80% could help reduce by a factor two the footprint of the provided electricity in grid-tied configuration. Following these results, some recommendations are proposed regarding the scaling of the tower and the load shifting. Some perspectives are also given to improve the technico-environmental framework. The data and the source codes used in this article are provided on a public repository.

Suggested Citation

  • Prévost, Adrien & Demichel, François & Léchappé, Vincent & Helbling, Hugo & Delpoux, Romain & Brun, Xavier, 2025. "A framework for technico-environmental optimization of small wind turbines," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 377(PC).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:appene:v:377:y:2025:i:pc:s0306261924018853
    DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2024.124502
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