POSSIBILITIES FOR WIND ENERGY EXPLOITATION IN SLOVENIA

Abstract

Slovenia, from an energy point of view, is not a country rich with constant winds. Due to its geographical location and terrain, there are relatively few sites where wind speeds reach an annual average of 5 m/s. However, there are small locations where the wind speed is significantly higher. Particularly interesting is the coastal zone, or wider Primorska region, the sites of regional wind speed records. This year, gusts over 52.7 m/s (190 km/h) have been recorded. Of course, there is still the problem, a challenge in fact, of how to harness wind power. From the technical point of view, it is a challenge for exceptional operational flexibility
and material durability. Large commercial implementations are unsuitable for such conditions; the overload of wings could be critical with such speeds. Such overloads could cause the wings to fail or the destruction of material and thus a threat to the immediate environment. Flying wing parts and parts of pillars are extremely dangerous. Therefore, operating in such extreme changing environments is more suitable for the small, compact wind turbines with robust design that have been developed recently.