Wind turbine pays for itself in a few months

Opponents of alternative energy, sometimes I can hear that the energy payback for solar panels never comes. For allegedly his operation of a solar panel cannot produce the amount of energy expended on its production.
Moreover, that statement is very doubtful, as it is not supported by the facts. Before the solar panels is another question: how to compete in the investment plan with wind turbine manufacturers? They managed to achieve exceptional profitability of their power plants, even without state subsidies.
In the school of industrial technical engineering of the University of Oregon a comparative analysis of the energy payback (life cycle assessment) of two models of wind turbines with capacity of 2 MW, whose claimed service life was 20 years.
Researchers have conducted a life cycle assessment using the standard assessment method ReCiPe 2008. When calculating the payback period were taken into account such aspects as energy consumption, mineral extraction, manufacturing of parts, delivery of parts of the wind generator with different plants, on site installation, maintenance throughout the term (after all, only one lubricant for twenty years goes from 273 to 546 tons, it depends on the model) and, finally, recycling, partial recycling after end-of-life.
The result was that 78% of the energy on the entire twenty-year life cycle of wind turbines is consumed at the production stage, mainly for the creation of parts made of copper, steel, plastic, fiberglass and other materials. The pouring of the Foundation spent the steel and concrete.

The table indicates the U.S. short ton (907 kg)With the projected capacity of wind power plants in the North-West coast of the US (of 6.12 GWh per year at load 35%), the researchers assessed the energy payback time of two models of wind turbines in the year of 0.43 and 0.53, respectively. During this time, fully compensated not only production, but also operating costs for the entire twenty years of life.
The authors of scientific works "Comparative life cycle assessment of 2.0 MW wind turbines", published in the journal "International Journal of Sustainable Manufacturing" (volume 3, No. 2, 2014, pp. 170-185), argue that natural resources are used all methods of power generation. The only question is how effectively they are used, and how it affects the environment.
 

Source: alternativenergy.ru