Wind energy is a job creator. Wind power is remote. On the pros side, wind is a clean, renewable energy source and is one of the most cost-effective sources of electricity. On the cons side, wind turbines can be noisy and unappealing aesthetically and can sometimes adversely impact the physical environment around them.
Wind energy offers many advantages, which explains why it''s one of the fastest-growing energy sources in the world. To further expand wind energy''s capabilities and community benefits, researchers are working to address technical and socio-economic challenges in support of a decarbonized electricity future.
Studies show that wind energy''s carbon footprint is quickly offset by the electricity it generates and is among the lowest of any energy source. Learn the facts about renewable power produced by wind, and hear Caltech engineer John Dabiri discuss the pros and cons and the future of wind energy.
Wind farms will cause more environmental impact than previously thought. When it comes to energy production, there''s no such thing as a free lunch, unfortunately. As the world begins its large-scale transition toward low-carbon energy sources, it is vital that the pros and cons of each type are well understood and the environmental impacts of
The main pros of wind energy include sustainability, a low carbon footprint, air quality protection, the generation of few waste products, and energy independence. However, the main cons of wind energy include intermittency, high costs, noise and visual pollution, and impacts on wildlife.
The fact that the world needs forms of renewable and clean energy is no secret. Fossil fuels pollute, are environmentally damaging, and running out fast, so we need alternatives. Of all those being developed - solar, hydro, geothermal - none, perhaps, has more potential than harnessing the power of the wind to produce the power we need.
Wind energy works via wind turbines and wind farms, has already made a vital contribution to our energy needs. The windmills of our forebears have been transformed with modern technology into the electricity behemoths that are helping to power the grids of countries all over the world.
Lacks pollution There are two major disadvantages of using fossil fuels for our energy. One is that they are a finite resource and will simply not be available to us in perhaps as little as 70 years.
The second is more unfortunate: the huge amount of pollution their use produces. Particulates, carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide lead to many health, environmental and economic problems and are the chief cause of greenhouse gasses, smog and acid rain. Wind energy doesn''t produce emissions.
Renewable The wind will never run out. The technology will improve, and the current wind turbines may be superseded by more even better units, but the wind will always be there. The source of wind power is inexhaustible.
The fact that it is clean and renewable is why it is the main choice of renewable energy we purchase for our customers. Are you ready to join the Inspire movement and learn how to switch to renewable energy?
Cost-effective With a free energy source, land-based wind turbines produce some of the cheapest electricity on the planet. According to the Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy, just 1-2 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh).
And, because the power produced by wind farms is sold over a long period at a fixed price, there are none of the sudden hikes in price that often affects electricity produced by fossil fuels. Electricity production doesn''t come any cheaper.
Space efficient Wind turbines are getting both larger and more efficient while maintaining a similar footprint. The current generation are each capable of providing enough power for 600 typical US homes based on electricity generated in only one year of use. These bigger turbines do have to be more spread out, but the land between can be used for other things such as food production. For this reason, they may be even more efficient than solar farms.
Industrial and domestic machinery The first wind turbines were small and intended to power just one farmstead or off-the-grid home. That variation of scale is still evident today with wind turbines of all sizes and power production capacities being manufactured. This means that power can be generated even in remote locations.
Low operational costs In general, once erected and commissioned, wind turbines require little in the way of maintenance. The technology might be sophisticated, but the mechanics are straightforward and reliable.
Job creation Wind energy production is a fast-growing industry, and more and more jobs are being created to service it. Design, manufacture, installation, maintenance and support mean that it is estimated that some 600,000 jobs will have been created by 2050. Already, more than 100,000 people are employed in wind power production in the US.
Prices are decreasing As technology improves, so electricity produced by wind production gets cheaper. The last 40 years have seen prices tumble, and while that may not continue at the same rate, the trend is downward for the foreseeable future.
Noise and aesthetics There is no denying that wind turbines produce noise, and if you live near them, this may be a problem. The sound they produce can travel, some estimate up to 2 km, but they aren''t any noisier than a busy highway and aren''t situated near populated areas. The sound will also carry depending on the direction of the wind that day, and if there''s no wind, there''s no noise.
Impact on local wildlife There have not been enough studies to be sure, and figures for the US could be anywhere from 20,000 to more than 573,000 birds are killed every year. By comparison, between 797 million and 5.29 billion birds are killed by domestic cats and other human activities, and 599 million birds die by flying into buildings in the US alone.
Even though the impact of wind turbines on birds is less than pets and skyscrapers, scientists and researchers are continuously working to reduce, and ideally eliminate, the impact on birds and other wildlife.
Wind fluctuation Another disadvantage of wind power is that wind is not constant. In fact, it fluctuates both in strength and direction. Today's technology, including computer control, helps immeasurably as does the sophistication shown in where to site wind turbines and farms.
Technology such as anemometers that automatically measure speed of the wind provide wind speed and direction measurements through the turbine help reduce wasted wind. Those measurements are then used to rotate and fine-tune the direction the turbine faces to directly face wind and generate the most energy as possible.
When the ability to store electricity improves, this will become much less of a problem, and the use of other clean and renewable energy sources can help maintain clean energy at all times. Of course, placing wind farms in high-wind areas also helps negate this negative.
Wind turbines generate energy with propeller blades like those on an aircraft. The movement of the wind causes the two or three blades to rotate. By a system of shafts and gears, that energy is used to spin a generator, so producing electricity.
Typically, a US home uses about 10,766 kWh of electricity in a year, so a 15kWh wind turbine would be required to make an appreciable difference to your power needs depending on local wind strength.
You can switch to a clean energy company like Inspire to take advantage of the benefits of renewable energy, wind power, and other renewable energy sources without any costs or space needed to install your own personal wind turbine.
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