<p>The wind power potential in the Falkland Islands is very good.</p>
<p>In 2016 the islands <a href="https://www.worldometers.info/electricity/falkland-islands-malvinas-electricity/" rel="noreferrer">generated 19 GWh</a> of electricity. Of this 53 percent was generated by fossil fuels and the remaining 47 percent was generated by wind turbines.</p>
<p>As of <a href="https://sd-windenergy.com/wind-turbine-news-events/falklands/" rel="noreferrer">December 2021</a>, one energy company on the Falkland Islands had already installed in excess of 100 wind turbines. These turbines alone generate 12.5 GWh of electricity per annum. Wind speeds on the islands are 8.5 m/s during summer and 14 m/s during winter.</p>
<p>As to the potential for using wind power to produce hydrogen, there are plans to do this in the <a href="https://www.worldoil.com/news/2022/6/16/south-american-island-pitches-6-billion-wind-hydrogen-energy-plan/" rel="noreferrer">Tierra del Fuego province of Argentina</a>. Something similar could be achieved on the Falkland Islands. If sheep farmers are hesitant to have wind turbines on their properties, off shore wind farms could be established.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-07-29T21:16:04.240Z
Thank you for the answer although it seems that the reality does not encourage so much optimism. I followed the links you posted and I saw that the corrent production comes from about 100 small turbines (3 Kw) used to power isolated homes. The ony city on the islands is still powered by fossil fuels and it does not seem there is any plan to use wind power for the city. So that does not give an idea of the potential at industrial level. But I don't know if there could be any use for such information because I didn't see any enthusiasm for a project on the style of the Argentinian one.
FluidCode
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-07-28T17:19:05.863Z
2022-07-28T17:19:05.863Z
Fred
<p>As a rule of thumb, you can put about 10MW per sq km of wind farm capacity in good areas.</p>
<p>The Falklands cover 12,000 km. At 60% capacity factor, they could generate an average of about 70GW with 120GW capacity. Even more given many small islands (with a larger &quot;wind footprint&quot; than their area).</p>
<p>Let's say a serious project established a 30GW wind farm averaging 20GW, plus electrolyzer capacity to make hydrogen. The jury is still out on whether hydrogen should be exported as Ammonia.</p>
<p>The Falklands doesn't have the industrial capacity for that. It would need to arrive. This would need a new town, similar to some Australian mining towns or Alaskan oil towns, with a few thousand people. This would probably aim to build 300 X 7MW turbines per year. Turbines and towers would be imported, perhaps from Europe or from China, or maybe from a South American wind farm industry (would Argentina export?).</p>
<p>This would change the character of the islands, which currently have a population of 2,500 (mostly in Stanley, one of the smallest capital cities). Arguably for the better, though a reclusive sheep farmer may not agree. So whether the Kelpers (the locals) would accept such development - who knows.</p>
<p>It could also potentially lower wind speeds in some areas, allowing forestation. Another plus.</p>
<p>There are too many variables to know whether such a venture could be profitable, but I think it has potential.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-10-18T17:32:50.560Z
Thank you for the answer. I just would add that extra energy does not have necessarily to be converted into hydrogen.An air liquefaction plant could supply a lot of different industries with a technology that is simple, but energy intensive. Another solution could be to extract magnesium from sea water. It could be used for industrial applications or to create hydrogen on site instead of transporting liquid hydrogen. Another solution could be to use the electricity to heat algae in autoclave and produce fuel by pyrolysis or hydrothermal liquefaction.
FluidCode
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-10-18T08:34:24.570Z
2023-10-18T08:34:24.570Z
Alex Terrell
<p>The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falkland_Islands" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Falkland Islands</a> have an extensive territory, they are sparsely populated and they are on the path of the southern winds, which blow almost constantly.The wind power potential should be enormous.</p>
<p>Such potential has never been exploited because they are too isolated, but I was wondering if the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrogen_economy" rel="nofollow noreferrer">hydrogen economy</a> could change that.  Transporting hydrogen over a long distance would be dangerous, but the electricity produced on the islands could be used to produce <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calcium_hydride" rel="nofollow noreferrer">calcium hydride</a>, or pure magnesium or any other element or compound that reacts with water producing hydrogen. That could be a safe way to transport hydrogen. The economic returns could be good because also the byproducts will be useful, burning hydrogen you get fresh water and calcium hydride would be turned into caustic lime.</p>
<p>What could be the actual potential of such project? Just looking at the map it appears that the islands could produce several gigawatts of electricity simply using inshore turbines. One caveat is that I don't know if the islands have the enough manpower for such project.</p>

<wind><energy>
What is the wind power potential of the Falkland islands?
FluidCode
# What is the wind power potential of the Falkland islands?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2022-07-27)

The [Falkland Islands](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falkland_Islands) have an extensive territory, they are sparsely populated and they are on the path of the southern winds, which blow almost constantly.The wind power potential should be enormous.

Such potential has never been exploited because they are too isolated, but I was wondering if the [hydrogen economy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrogen_economy) could change that. Transporting hydrogen over a long distance would be dangerous, but the electricity produced on the islands could be used to produce [calcium hydride](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calcium_hydride), or pure magnesium or any other element or compound that reacts with water producing hydrogen. That could be a safe way to transport hydrogen. The economic returns could be good because also the byproducts will be useful, burning hydrogen you get fresh water and calcium hydride would be turned into caustic lime.

What could be the actual potential of such project? Just looking at the map it appears that the islands could produce several gigawatts of electricity simply using inshore turbines. One caveat is that I don't know if the islands have the enough manpower for such project.

**Tags:** wind, energy


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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2022-07-28. Score: 4

The wind power potential in the Falkland Islands is very good.

In 2016 the islands [generated 19 GWh](https://www.worldometers.info/electricity/falkland-islands-malvinas-electricity/) of electricity. Of this 53 percent was generated by fossil fuels and the remaining 47 percent was generated by wind turbines.

As of [December 2021](https://sd-windenergy.com/wind-turbine-news-events/falklands/), one energy company on the Falkland Islands had already installed in excess of 100 wind turbines. These turbines alone generate 12.5 GWh of electricity per annum. Wind speeds on the islands are 8.5 m/s during summer and 14 m/s during winter.

As to the potential for using wind power to produce hydrogen, there are plans to do this in the [Tierra del Fuego province of Argentina](https://www.worldoil.com/news/2022/6/16/south-american-island-pitches-6-billion-wind-hydrogen-energy-plan/). Something similar could be achieved on the Falkland Islands. If sheep farmers are hesitant to have wind turbines on their properties, off shore wind farms could be established.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Thank you for the answer although it seems that the reality does not encourage so much optimism. I followed the links you posted and I saw that the corrent production comes from about 100 small turbines (3 Kw) used to power isolated homes. The ony city on the islands is still powered by fossil fuels and it does not seem there is any plan to use wind power for the city. So that does not give an idea of the potential at industrial level. But I don't know if there could be any use for such information because I didn't see any enthusiasm for a project on the style of the Argentinian one.  

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### Answer by username_2 on 2023-10-18. Score: 1

As a rule of thumb, you can put about 10MW per sq km of wind farm capacity in good areas.

The Falklands cover 12,000 km. At 60% capacity factor, they could generate an average of about 70GW with 120GW capacity. Even more given many small islands (with a larger "wind footprint" than their area).

Let's say a serious project established a 30GW wind farm averaging 20GW, plus electrolyzer capacity to make hydrogen. The jury is still out on whether hydrogen should be exported as Ammonia.

The Falklands doesn't have the industrial capacity for that. It would need to arrive. This would need a new town, similar to some Australian mining towns or Alaskan oil towns, with a few thousand people. This would probably aim to build 300 X 7MW turbines per year. Turbines and towers would be imported, perhaps from Europe or from China, or maybe from a South American wind farm industry (would Argentina export?).

This would change the character of the islands, which currently have a population of 2,500 (mostly in Stanley, one of the smallest capital cities). Arguably for the better, though a reclusive sheep farmer may not agree. So whether the Kelpers (the locals) would accept such development - who knows.

It could also potentially lower wind speeds in some areas, allowing forestation. Another plus.

There are too many variables to know whether such a venture could be profitable, but I think it has potential.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Thank you for the answer. I just would add that extra energy does not have necessarily to be converted into hydrogen.An air liquefaction plant could supply a lot of different industries with a technology that is simple, but energy intensive. Another solution could be to extract magnesium from sea water. It could be used for industrial applications or to create hydrogen on site instead of transporting liquid hydrogen. Another solution could be to use the electricity to heat algae in autoclave and produce fuel by pyrolysis or hydrothermal liquefaction.  

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