This is a good read. The difficulty of transporting large wind components over land is one reason that onshore wind turbines have lower maximum capacities vs. offshore turbines. The largest onshore turbine is 5.3 megawatts [1] while the largest offshore turbine is 9.5 megawatts [2]. Transporting super-large components by sea is easier -- no tunnels, bridges, or winding roads to worry about.<p>Very tall turbines tend to improve capacity factor and project economics by tapping steadier winds found further away from the ground. For onshore projects, at least, that benefit is in tension with the more difficult transport and assembly logistics noted in this article.<p>Solar has the logistics edge in that all of the components for a solar farm are much smaller and weigh less. Even the largest individual solar modules are under 40 kilograms each. Racking systems are also assembled out of smaller pieces. No oversized loads need to be transported to the solar farm site. There are more truckloads of components for a 400 megawatt solar farm vs. a 400 kilowatt farm, but the individual components and trucks need be no larger.<p>[1] <a href="https://www.genewsroom.com/press-releases/ges-largest-onshore-wind-turbine-prototype-installed-and-operating-netherlands" rel="nofollow">https://www.genewsroom.com/press-releases/ges-largest-onshor...</a><p>[2] <a href="https://en.wind-turbine-models.com/turbines/1605-mhi-vestas-offshore-v164-9.5-mw" rel="nofollow">https://en.wind-turbine-models.com/turbines/1605-mhi-vestas-...</a>
Y'all may be interested in <a href="http://keystonetowersystems.com/" rel="nofollow">http://keystonetowersystems.com/</a><p>They're a small company that uses a neat system to manufacture the towers onsite, cutting down the shipping for it.<p>(Disclosure -- they're friends of mine, but I have no direct experience with them)
Someone on the site asks about helicopters and I wonder the same thing. I know helicopters are hellishly expensive to use, but they are used occasionally - eg for ski lifts.<p>Helicopter Installs Ski Lift Towers at a Private Ski Club:
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83MPTPNXhTs" rel="nofollow">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83MPTPNXhTs</a>
The show Outback Truckers did a little segment when one of the drivers had to deliver one <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TiRkiNh7VK0" rel="nofollow">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TiRkiNh7VK0</a>
Stupid question but is there a market for lots of smaller wind turbines? What’s the efficiency like vs. one big turbine? Is there something like a solar farm with modular panels, but for wind?
A lot for a few MW: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Di9g3Lc474" rel="nofollow">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Di9g3Lc474</a>