Wind+Energy

Bess Miller, Katie Osborn, MaryEllen Caruso WIND ENERGY flat

=**Overview of How Wind Energy is Generated ** =   Wind energy is a derivation of solar energy because wind is the result of the uneven heating of the atmosphere by the sun, as well as irregularities of the Earth’s surface, and rotation of the Earth. Wind turbines convert the kinetic energy of wind into mechanical energy, which can be converted into electricity by a generator ( Wind Energy Basics ). In a typical wind turbine, rotor blades are attached to an axle that connects to a gearbox, which increases the rotational speed of the blades from 18 RPM to 1800 RPM. The rotor blades spin in the wind and turn a shaft inside the generator, which is housed in the nacelle. This produces alternating current, which must be produced at the correct frequency and voltage to be compatible with the electrical grid it is feeding. Current wind turbines are designed to work best at wind speeds of 15-35 mph. Wind turbines use pitch-control and stall-control to adapt to various speed winds. In pitch-control, the angle of the blades is adjusted based on the wind speed, while in stall-regulated turbines, the blades are locked in place and shaped to increasingly “stall” the angle of attack to the wind to maximize power output and protect the turbines from excessive wind speeds. The size of the rotor, or the swept area, determines how much power can be generated, with a doubling of the rotor size quadrupling the energy yield. All wind turbines have yaw systems, which are controlled by computers, to orient the rotor blades in the correct direction depending on the origin of the wind (Horizon Wind Energy).

=**Advantages of Wind Energy** = Wind energy has a myriad of advantages. Compared to other sources of energy like petroleum or coal, wind energy does not cause greenhouse gas emissions that pollute the air and=  water of our planet (Pros and Cons of Wind Power). Additionally, wind energy would provide employment opportunities, in a time of economic trouble, that range from engineers to mechanical operators. Another advantage is that wind turbines don’t take up very much land so the surrounding area can still be used efficiently for agriculture and other useful enterprises. Wind energy is also advantageous because it can provide rural areas with a self-sustaining energy source that is dependable and renewable. For those who want wind energy for their individual needs, wind turbines come in various sizes and costs so that they can fit any person’s wind energy needs. As well as being good for the environment, wind energy is also financially beneficial. It can save money in the long run as it is very cheap after paying the initial cost and prices for wind energy won’t fluctuate in the same way as oil prices. Newer  <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">technologies are making the extraction of wind energy much more efficient. The wind is free, and we are able to cash in on this free source of energy ( <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Advantages and Disadvantages of Wind Power <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">). Another advantage of wind energy is that when combined with solar electricity, this energy source is great for developed and developing countries to provide a steady, reliable supply of electricity. If a natural disaster severs power lines, residents with windmills will not lose their supply of electricity. Wind can also generate power for large numbers of people, using larger turbines connected to an electrical grid. This allows individuals to take advantage of some of their benefits without personally owning or maintaining the equipment. Another one of its advantages is that this type of power generation does not consume any non-renewable resources, like coal, natural gas, or oil. Thus, it won't contribute to their eventual depletion, nor does it promote environmental harm brought on by acquiring these resources ( <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 14px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Pros and Cons of Wind Power <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">).

=<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 14px;">Disadvantages of Wind Energy = <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Despite the benefits of this alternative energy source, there are some disadvantages to consider. It is very expensive to install the turbines and pollution is created by their manufacture. Because they are tall and thin, turbines can be damaged in severe weather like thunderstorms and lightning ( ** __[])__ **. ( <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Pros and Cons of Wind Power) <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Also, the turbines must be placed in an ideal area—optimal <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 14px;"> <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">efficiency requires winds over 10 mph for extended periods of time. To provide electricity for a large community, large wind farms are required. “For example, the largest single <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">turbine available today can only provide enough electricity for 475 homes, when running at full capacity. How many would be needed for a town of 100 000 people?” (<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Advantages and Disadvantages of Wind Power <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">) Another disadvantage is that wind is, by nature, inconsistent (<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 14px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Advantages & Disadvantages Of Wind Energy <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">). Many are worried of the potentially disruptive effect of the turbines. The turbines do generate noise and also may interfere with nearby television reception. Also many feel <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">that countryside’s should be “left untouched” for everyone’s enjoyment (though arguably pollution is contaminating said countrysides as you read). Some have claimed that the spinning turbine blades may may hit birds that fly between them, especially if the turbines are placed in migration zones (however, the noise of the area would most likely deter avians and other forms of energy that produce pollution are much more harmful to the bird population). There are concerns also that water installation may disrupt aquatic environments. Overall, many people just think that they will be ugly ( <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Advantages & Disadvantages Of Wind Energy <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">).

=<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 14px;">Case Study: Denmark = <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 14px;">

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 14px;"> Denmark gets 19% of its energy from wind, while Spain and Portugal, the next highest countries, each get only around 10%. Additionally, Danish companies control one-third of the global wind market, generating billions in exports. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 14px;"> Denmark’s success in using wind energy is a result of the government’s decision in 1979 to being a program of subsidies and loan guarantees to strengthen the fledgling wind industry. In addition to covering 30% of investment costs, Copenhagen also guaranteed loans for large turbine exporters and mandated utilities to purchase wind energy at a preferential price, making the wind energy generated affordable for customers and thus providing wind energy companies with a customer base. Money collected from energy taxes was given to research centers to improve turbine technology. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 14px;"> Denmark is a world leader not just in wind energy, but also in energy efficiency, deriving more GDP per watt than any other EU member. Despite robust economic growth, total energy consumption has barely changed since 1990. Denmark’s sustainable energy drive resulted from the 1973 oil crisis, at which time 90% of the country’s energy came from petroleum (Walsh).

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;">**Works Cited** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 14px;">**<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">1. “Advantages and Disadvantages of Wind Power.” **
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">http://www.technologystudent.com/‌energy1/‌wind8.htm. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Apr. 2012. **


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">2. “Pros and Cons of Wind Power.” http://windturbine.me/‌prosandcons.html . N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Apr. 2012. **


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">3. "Advantages & Disadvantages Of Wind Energy." Clean Energy Ideas. N.p., n.d. Web. **
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> 10 Apr. 2012. <http://www.clean-energy-ideas.com/articles/ **
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> advantages_and_disadvantages_of_wind_energy.html>. **


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">4. Walsh, Bryan. "Denmarks Wind of Change." Time Magazine. N.p., 16 Mar. 2009. Web. **
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> 22 Apr. 2012. <http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/ **
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> 0,9171,1883373-1,00.html>. **


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">5. "Wind Energy Basics." Wind Energy Development Programmatic EIS. N.p., n.d. Web. **
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> 22 Apr. 2012. <http://www.windeis.anl.gov/guide/basics/index.cfm>. **


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">6. "How Does A Wind Turbine Work?" Horizon Wind Energy. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Apr. **
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> 2012. <http://www.horizonwind.com/about/ftkc/ **
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> howdoeswindturbinework.aspx>. **