Configurations

From Wind wiki

Only a few hardy people in the United States live where 60 Hz utility power is not readily available. The rest of us have grown accustomed to this type of power. The utility supplies us reliable power when we need it, and also maintains the transmission and distribution lines and the other equipment necessary to supply us power. The economies of scale, diversity of loads, and other advantages make it most desirable for us to remain connected to the utility lines. The utility is expected to provide high quality electrical power, with the frequency at 60 Hz and the harmonics held to a low level. If the utility uses wind turbines for a part of its generation, the output power of these turbines must have the same high quality when it enters the utility lines. There are a number of methods of producing this synchronous power from a wind turbine and coupling it into the power network.

There are a number of ways to get a constant frequency, constant voltage output from a wind electric system. Each has its advantages and disadvantages and each should be considered in the design stage of a new wind turbine system. Some methods can be eliminated quickly for economic reasons, but there may be several that would be competitive for a given application. The fact that one or two methods are most commonly used does not mean that the others are uncompetitive in all situations.

The table applies specifically to a two or three bladed horizontal axis propeller type turbine.