Windturbines

I would like to refrain from making a comment on the energy and environmen tal crises. So much has been put forth on these subjects by persons more quali fied than myself, that I cannot add new or even better arguments. Instead I will provide the reader with some helpful advice for using this book. The term windturbine refers to industrially developed and manufactured ma chines with the purpose of generating electrical power. Those looking for a do it-yourself manual for putting together a windwheel, as interesting a hobby this may be, will be disappointed. So, who are the intended readers of this book? It is primarily for persons who are involved professionally with the research, devel opment, manufacture and operation of wind turbines. They may be decision makers in this field or they may want to relate their own expertise into a larger context. It is my intention with this book to provide an overview of modern wind tur bine technology and to give an orientation in the associated technical and eco nomic fields. After almost twenty years of research and development and a con siderable scope of wind turbine application in many countries throughout the world, the preconditions for this undertaking are surely fulfilled.