Overview

Wind Energy: An Introduction covers wind energy system types, operation, modeling, analysis, integration, and control. Beginning with a history of the development of wind energy, this comprehensive book:

• Explains the aerodynamic theories that govern the operation of wind turbines
• Presents wind energy statistics to address the stochastic nature of wind speed
• Employs the statistical modeling of wind speed to evaluate sites for wind energy generation
• Highlights the differences between the most common types of wind turbines
• Analyzes the main power electronic circuits used in wind energy
• Details the induction, synchronous, and permanent magnet generators from the basic principle of induced voltage to the steady-state and dynamic models
• Explores the operation, stability, control, and protection of type 1, 2, 3, and 4 wind turbines
• Discusses the main integration challenges of wind energy systems with electric utility systems
• Features numerous models, illustrations, real-world examples, and exercise problems
• Includes a solutions manual and figure slides with qualifying course adoption

Wind Energy: An Introduction requires a basic knowledge of electric circuit theory, making it an ideal text for students at the senior-undergraduate and graduate levels. In addition, the book provides practicing engineers with a handy professional reference.

About the Author

Mohamed A. El-Sharkawi received his undergraduate education from Helwan University, Egypt, and his Ph.D from the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada. He is currently professor of electrical engineering in the energy area at the University of Washington, Seattle, USA, where he has also served as the associate chair and the chairman of graduate studies and research. He has published more than 200 research articles, authored four textbooks, and co-authored three research books. An IEEE fellow, Professor El-Sharkawi has been the vice president for technical activities of the IEEE Computational Intelligence Society and the founding chairman of numerous IEEE task forces, working groups, and subcommittees. He holds five licensed patents related to renewable energy, VAR management, and minimum arc sequential circuit breaker switching.