A windfarm generates electrical power from the wind.. - Edexcel - GCSE Physics - Question 5 - 2012 - Paper 1
Question 5
A windfarm generates electrical power from the wind...
(a) State one disadvantage of using the wind to generate electrical power.
(b) A windfarm generates 322 MW o... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:A windfarm generates electrical power from the wind.. - Edexcel - GCSE Physics - Question 5 - 2012 - Paper 1
Step 1
State one disadvantage of using the wind to generate electrical power.
96%
114 rated
Only available for registered users.
Sign up now to view full answer, or log in if you already have an account!
Answer
One disadvantage of using wind to generate electrical power is its unreliability; wind does not always blow consistently, meaning that power generation can be intermittent.
Step 2
Calculate the current from the windfarm.
99%
104 rated
Only available for registered users.
Sign up now to view full answer, or log in if you already have an account!
Answer
To calculate the current, we use the formula:
I=VP
where:
P is the power (322 MW or 322×106 W)
V is the voltage (132 kV or 132×103 V)
Thus, substituting the values:
I=132×103322×106=2434.84 A
Therefore, the current from the windfarm is approximately 2440 A.
Step 3
Calculate the power produced by each improved turbine.
96%
101 rated
Only available for registered users.
Sign up now to view full answer, or log in if you already have an account!
Answer
To find the power produced by each improved turbine, first calculate the additional power generated:
539−322=217 MW
Now, divide the additional power by the number of new turbines (75):
75217 MW≈2.89 MW
Thus, each improved turbine produces approximately 2.89 MW.