Ngong Wind Power - Kenya

Installed Capacity: 5.1 Mega Watts

Commisioning Year: 2009

Wind Turbines: 6

Output of each turbine: 850kW

Model: Vestas V52

Main Contractor TPF-Econoler SA (Belgium)

Location:Ngong Hills, 22km SW of capital, Nairobi - Kenya.

Standing tall at a height of 50m from the ground, the wind turbines rotate at the winds pace in a bid to generate Kenya's source of Wind Power.The Ngong Wind Power Project which was commissioned in August 2009, is Kenya's largest Wind Power Station but will come second once the Lake Turkana Wind Power Project (LTWP) is completed.

The 6 Turbines, each with a maximum output of 850kW produce a total of 5.1MW of clean energy into the grid.For the Vestas V52 Model turbines, KenGen executed a contract for the implementation of Ngong Hills Wind Power project with TPF-Econoler SA (TPFE) of Belgium on 29th October 2007.

Operation

The turbines operate with the basic principle of mechanical to electrical conversion of energy. Each wind turbine rotates a shaft which is connected to the generator at the top of the structure.The turbines start operating when the wind speed reaches 4m/s and stops rotating at 25m/s referred to as the cut out speed. The cutting out is to avoid mechanical failure due to strong forces at high wind speeds. Current produced here is of AC (Alternating Current).The current produced is sent down via large cables of correct rating to minimize losses.(P=Isq.R). Below the structure is the switchgear and control gear before it is coupled with other turbines then to the grid.

The turbine blades are 26m long with a total diameter of 52m The blades were set in groups of three for each turbine taking into account the static and dynamic balance required to avoid stress and vibrations when in motion.The turbines which were installed were the size that could be transported on our infrastructure. If we had larger roads we could have received larger structures=more power.

From there a precipitous dirt track wiggles its way up to the top. Quite simply bigger turbines on bigger trucks could not have made the journey.The limiting factor is our infrastructure


Future Plans
By November 2012 Kengen seeks to increase the project output capacity to25.4MWwhich will see the installation of more  turbines as you head up the hill.