The country of the Netherlands has set targets to increase its renewable energy generation. For onshore wind renewable capacities are required to meet the climate targets. However, achieving additional onshore wind generation is limited by issues related to land availability, zoning and grid congestion. Therefore new locations to install more wind capacity need to be found. Highway infrastructures are a place which offers possibilities to integrate onshore wind turbines at different capacities. For example, micro wind turbines could be structurally integrated with acoustic screen noise barriers which offer a solid foundation and support. While at the MW scale, wind turbines could be installed next to highway fuelling stations to provide electricity and hydrogen for the mobility sector by production locally at the station. This Dissertation aims to investigate two concepts and their nationwide implementation in the country of the Netherlands: 1. Micro wind turbines integrated in highway structures for electricity production 2. MW wind turbines integrated at fuelling stations for hydrogen production. The research is focussed on the main question: “What is the technical and economic potential of integrating wind turbines with highway infrastructures?”. To answer this question for both concepts the following activities were conducted. Initially, wind tunnel and field experimental campaigns are planned and executed to understand the wind resource potential and the performance for the concept of micro wind turbines on top of noise barriers along with a technical and economic analysis. It was understood that to determine the potential for the Netherlands, a nationwide analysis using GIS datasets would be needed. Therefore, GIS analyses were then conducted by using the results from the experimental campaigns and applied for all noise barriers in the Netherlands. Finally, the GIS analysis was further expanded to the second concept of MW scale wind turbines collocated with fuelling stations. @en

Micro wind turbines can be structurally integrated on top of the solid base of noise barriers near highways. A number of performance factors were assessed with holistic experiments in wind tunnel and in the field. The wind turbines underperformed when exposed in yawed flow conditions. The theoretical cosθ theories for yaw misalignment did not always predict power correctly. Inverter losses turned out to be crucial especially in standby mode. Combination of standby losses with yawed flow losses and low wind speed regime may even result in a net power consuming turbine. The micro wind turbine control system for maintaining optimal power production underperformed in the field when comparing tip speed ratios and performance coefficients with the values recorded in the wind tunnel. The turbine was idling between 20%–30% of time as it was assessed for sites with annual average wind speeds of three to five meters per second without any power production. Finally, the field test analysis showed that inadequate yaw response could potentially lead to 18% of the losses, the inverter related losses to 8%, and control related losses to 33%. The totalized loss led to a 48% efficiency drop when compared with the ideal power production measured before the inverter. Micro wind turbine’s performance has room for optimization for application in turbulent wind conditions on top of noise barriers@en

This paper assesses wind resource characteristics and energy yield for micro wind turbines integrated on noise barriers. An experimental set-up with sonic anemometers placed on top of the barrier in reference positions is realized. The effect on wind speed magnitude, inflow angle and turbulence intensity is analysed. The annual energy yield of a micro wind turbine is estimated and compared using data from a micro-wind turbine wind tunnel experiment and field data. Electrical energy costs are discussed as well as structural integration cost reduction and the potential energy yield could decrease costs. It was found that instantaneous wind direction towards the barrier and the height of observation play an influential role for the results. Wind speed increases in perpendicular flows while decreases in parallel flow, by +35% down to −20% from the reference. The azimuth of the noise barrier expressed in wind field rotation angles was found to be influential resulted in 50%–130% changes with respect to annual energy yield. A micro wind turbine (0.375 ​kW) would produce between 100 and 600 ​kWh annually. Finally, cost analysis with cost reductions due to integration and the energy yield changes due to the barrier, show a LCOE reduction at 60%–90% of the reference value.

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This study assesses the technical potential of wind turbines to be installed next to existing fuelling stations in order to produce hydrogen. Hydrogen will be used for Fuel Cell Vehicle refuelling and feed-in existing local gas grids. The suitable fuelling stations are selected through a GIS assessment applying buffer zones and taking into account risks associated with wind turbine installation next to built-up areas, critical infrastructures and ecological networks. It was found that 4.6% of existing fuelling stations are suitable. Further, a hydrogen production potential assessment was made using weather station datasets, land cover data and was expressed as potential future Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle demand coverage. It was found that for a 30% FCEV drivetrain scenario, these stations can produce 2.3% of this demand. Finally, a case study was made for the proximity of those stations in existing gas distribution grids.

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Hydrogen refueling stations are an important part of the infrastructural development that should be developed in order to realize a 100% sustainable economy for the future. Most of the refueling stations are located within urban areas but there are many located outside urban areas or in remote areas. Hydrogen could either be transported to these sites or being locally produced with integrated sustainable energy systems. In this study the potential number for wind powered hydrogen refueling stations using GIS is determined. Furthermore the amount of hydrogen that could be produced and used is determined via energy system simulation. Finally the hydrogen production and dispensing costs are calculated.

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Urban wind turbines could be used to produce electricity for near-road applications such as street lighting or electric vehicle charging. However, the low wind potential in hub heights of 10 meters results in a "not economical" system. Therefore, cost reduction and performance increase should be realized. Cost reduction could be achieved by structural integration of wind turbines on noise barriers, which are infrastructural parts of highways near communities that could both provide tower and foundation to these wind turbines which comprises 30% of the total system cost. Moreover, noise barriers could act as a flow augmentation devices for the wind turbine performance. Literature from wind tunnel experiments and simulations has indicated a 10-30% wind speed increase above the noise barrier at heights 20-60% higher than the noise barrier height [1] [2]. An outdoor set-up with several sonic anemometers and a weather station is designed and installed in Delft (The Netherlands) that measures in 3-D all the wind flow properties along with other environmental parameters. The sonic anemometers are placed at different heights between 5-10 meters in order to assess the wind profile in 2 locations. The first being between the noise barrier and the highway and the second above the noise barrier. For all the arc domain in front of the noise barrier, wind speed increase of 8-15% is observed while flow is tilted by 5°-25°. Finally the relative wind speed changes of both locations and tilted flow angles above the noise barrier for all the arc domain in front of the noise barrier are presented.@en

Floating vertical-axis wind turbines for offshore wind energy present a concept with novelty and potentials for reducing COE. Cost reduction for offshore wind power plants is an industrial challenge, and DeepWind is - As the analysis of the current design shows-believed to be a good candidate in achieving this. In the paper the current design status of the 5 MW DeepWind concept is presented. The intended siting for the turbine is off the Norwegian west coast at about 250 m of sea depth. Focus is set on the integrated design highlighting structural benefits of the light rotor, the hydrodynamic aspects of the floating hull, and new generator design embracing magnetic bearings. Two important design tools were developed which allow the industry to analyze various VAWT(vertical Axis Wind Turbine) variants for offshore applications: a main design tool "HAWC2" for aeroelastic design of VAWTs, and a generator design tool "NESSI". HAWC2 has been adopted for VAWT rotors by DTU Wind Energy in the project and is explained on its technical capability to embrace integrated modeling of the different physical aspects. NESSI, developed at AAU (Aalborg University) is presented with focus on key elements in generator design. The paper presents new developments in the current design of a novel rotor shape with overspeed control. Rotor performance, design structural key figures and upscaling potential are reported. New results implemented on permanent magnets generator and - bearing technology show, that it is possible to achieve a competitive design ready for further industrial optimization. A preliminary analysis is provided on the emergency philosophy for this concept.@en