ZESS at Children’s University: How Can Wind Turn into Electricity?

ZESS spokesperson Prof Peter Kraemer held a lecture in front of a packed auditorium on how wind turbines generate electricity at the fall installment of University of Siegen’s Children’s University

Here’s his announcement:

The media does report frequently, if often briefly on wind turbines and their importance for energy supply and sometimes discuss them quite controversially. This leaves little time to go into the characteristics of wind turbines as technical systems and provide a comprehensive picture of these very large ‘turbines on towers’.

This lecture therefore answers questions such as:

• How big, how tall, how heavy and how expensive are wind turbines and their components?
• Are there several types?
• How does a wind turbine work?
• Why do they have three rotor blades and not two?
• Can wind turbines be dangerous to humans or animals?
• Do they need to be repaired often?
• How much electricity do they produce?
• Are they profitable?
• What are the special features of offshore wind turbines compared to onshore turbines?
• How intelligent and self-regulating are today’s turbines?
• What trends can be expected in the development of new wind turbines?