Wind Power Generator Embodied Energy Payback Analysis for Rural Area in Paraná-Brazil

Over the last decades, wind energy has been named as a clean method to generate electrical power. But, to claim this argument many aspects must be evaluated. On one hand, wind power, as an electrical energy source, generates minimum environmental impact when in operation. On the other side, the material extraction for the manufacturing process does create environmental impact and require electrical energy usage. Therefore, when claiming the sustainability of wind power, as a method of electrical power generation, many aspects must be evaluated, such as the Life Cycle Analysis of the turbine. This study has been taken to evaluate the energy cost and its payback period off the wind power turbine S-600, manufactured by Greatwatt, has being evaluated. This evaluation has covered the embodied energy in the gross material present on the final product and its energetic payback period, for the specific case of working in a rural area in the state of Paraná, Brazil. The ISO 14040 methodology, for life cycle analyses, has being applied to estimate the embodied energy in the gross material present on the generator. The annual average energetic production estimation has considered 4 cases, varying the voltage output and hub height, and the nominal capacity, claimed by the manufacturing company. To assess the embodied energy payback period, the theoretical generation capacity has been estimated. Thus, by this analysis, this article has concluded that the embodied energy in the gross material is 803.39MJ. The energetic payback period for this product, at 10 meters hub height, is 11.6 months, if operating on 12 V, and 12.6 months, if operation on 24 V. Furthermore, in the situation of installed at 30 meters from the ground, the energy payback period drops down to 5.3 and 5.5 months, operating on 12 or 24 V respectively. In the situation of nominal generation, the energetic payback period would dropdown to 4.6 and 3.1 months, operating on 12 or 24 V respectively.