The relentless advance of global climate change is requiring all countries to either restructure their existing energy systems, or find new ways of building and expanding them. Ongoing reliance on fossil fuels has been demonstrated to be unsustainable, especially if we are to avoid global temperatures to rise by more than 2 degrees. Technology for using the power of the wind, in turn driven by the sun, which also doesn’t charge for its use, is among the most widely-used and popular, and has advanced substantially in recent decades. But wind power is also under enormous pressure to reduce cost per kWh produced, by way of increasing the rated capacity of turbines, their reliability, and the capacity factor. In addition to large onshore and offshore wind farms, smaller systems for use, such as in rural areas, are under development.
Renewable Energy - Wind brings together a systematic collection of research addressing the key challenges of wind power technology. Original research and review papers, and selected conference papers addressing ways to harness the energy of the wind are considered in this collection on all scales, including horizontal axis systems, vertical axis systems, related machinery and power electronics, and construction issues. This collection is designed to provide researchers and advanced students an orientation of the field, to point them to relevant workgroups, and to address current challenges. The collection will grow over time as new research is published, and the research community engages with it. There will be synergies with other collections within the Renewable Energy Super Collection .