The World’s Largest Wind Turbine Has Been Switched On::It’s turbo time.

  • sin_free_for_00_days@sopuli.xyz
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    2 years ago

    According to the corporation, just one of these turbines should be able to produce enough electricity to power 36,000 households of three people each for one year.

    These types of statements always trip me up. Why one year? If it’s producing that amount of energy in that same year, shouldn’t it just be “…power 36,000 households of three people.”?

    • Pyr_Pressure@lemmy.ca
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      2 years ago

      Does make me wonder if they mean an average. Like if the lifespan of the turbine is 50 years or whatever, so instead of saying 720 homes for 50 years they say 36,000 for one year to make it sound more impressive?

      • Decr@lemmy.world
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        2 years ago

        Going by their estimate of 36.000 households and the Dutch average yearly household usage of 3.500KWh that would be 126.000 MWh per year. One turbine is rated for a continuous output of 16MW which assuming it runs continuously, would give you 16x24x365= 140.160 MWh in a year.

        I would assume they actually mean 36.000 households yearly assuming average weather conditions.

    • hj01bg@sh.itjust.works
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      2 years ago

      Because using a yearly average is useful to account for fluctuations in power generation due to the change of the seasons. It might produce 50% of its power in 3 months if the fall usually is particularly windy in that part of the world.

      • AA5B@lemmy.world
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        2 years ago

        Then how about “every year”, or “produces an annual average equivalent to”