The US auto industry produces approximately 6 million vehicles a year, each containing roughly 1.5 metric tons of fabricated metal. Consider a future wind-turbine  industry having half of the auto industry ’ s mass throughput of wind-turbine units.  Each unit has a specific weight of 75 kg/kW e rated (nacelle components plus tubular  tower only).   a. At a wind-turbine capacity factor of 0.3, how long would it take to replicate the  2008 US-installed average electric power rating of 1,035 GW e ?   b. Discuss the relevant factors that would determine whether a wind-machine industry of this size could be successfully operated sustainably over periods on the order  of several centuries.

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Chapter11: Fluid Statics
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The US auto industry produces approximately 6 million vehicles a year, each containing roughly 1.5 metric tons of fabricated metal. Consider a future wind-turbine 
industry having half of the auto industry ’ s mass throughput of wind-turbine units. 
Each unit has a specific weight of 75 kg/kW e rated (nacelle components plus tubular 
tower only). 
 a. At a wind-turbine capacity factor of 0.3, how long would it take to replicate the 
2008 US-installed average electric power rating of 1,035 GW e ? 
 b. Discuss the relevant factors that would determine whether a wind-machine industry of this size could be successfully operated sustainably over periods on the order 
of several centuries. 

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