The summer after my junior year I went to visit Purdue University out in Indiana. I had seen wind mills before, but I had never seen wind farms the size of the one I saw around Purdue. I never realized the scale at which wind energy was being harnessed at different parts of our country.

What is Wind Energy?

Wind is actually a form of solar energy. The wind we experience on earth is actually caused by the uneven heating of the sun and other atmospheric factor on earth. The wind flow that is produced is harvested by wind turbines. This can then be converted to electricity. Wind turbines use the kinetic energy in the wind and transform it into mechanical power or electricity. The mechanical power can be used for specific tasks like pumping water. The mechanical power can also be converted into electricity by a generator. This can then be used to power homes, businesses, and schools.

What is a wind turbine?

Turbines take the air and power the generator which supplies electricity to the main current. There are two types of wind mills; vertical and horizontal axis designs. The ones most people see are the horizontal axis ones. There are three main components to a wind turbine. There’s the blade, the drive train (gearbox and generator), and the tower. When the blades turn, a shaft spins causing a generator to make electricity. Wind turbines are big machines. They look like gigantic fans. They are about 20 stories high and can produce enough electricity to provide power to 1400 homes. They are usually many of them grouped together in one location. These places are called wind farms. The electricity produced from the wind farms goes on the grid. 

Advantages and Disadvantages to Wind Energy

Wind energy is first and foremost a renewable energy source. It is also clean, non-polluting energy source that uses almost no water. It also provides tons of jobs and puts billions of dollars into our economy. It has already provided over 50,000 manufacturing jobs in the United States. There are also over 500 manufacturing facilities in the United States. It’s also a good source of energy in areas where droughts are common. Since wind farms need a lot of land it can be a good cash crop for people in rural areas.

One of the biggest disadvantages of wind energy is the cost of it. There is a very high initial investment cost for wind energy. This makes it much more unfavorable than fossil fuels generators. The machinery and installation are what is the most expensive part of wind energy. There are also some environmental concerns. The rotor blades create a loud noise which can be disturbing. They can also be seen as visually unappealing. There have also been several instances when bats and birds have been killed by the blades.

The biggest problem is the unpredictability of wind. Wind is not constant anywhere. You can store wind generated electricity. However, there may not be enough for electricity when its needed. Also since wind farms need a lot of land they are usually in more remote places. This means the energy harnessed is not being used in areas that are power heavy like cities. Since wind farms need so much land, they are taking away that land from other energy sources.

Closing Thoughts on Wind Energy

Wind energy is a great source of renewable energy. It is a clean, non polluting, versatile source of energy. It allows for job growth and growth in the economy. It help people in rural areas make money. However, it also cost a lot of money and it not always the most reliable source of energy available. It may not use water, but it needs lots of funding. It’s life cycle profit is not as great as some other renewable energy sources. It seems that like with a lot of other sources of energy, wind energy has many pros and cons we need to consider.

An Intersting Opinion on Wind Energy

March 2013: According to a Gallup poll, two in three Americans want the United States to produce domestic energy using solar power (76%), wind (71%), and natural gas (65%). Only 46% want to emphasize the production of oil and 37% the use of nuclear power.

http://www.windenergyfoundation.org/wind-at-work/wind-consumers/polls

http://www.awea.org/Resources/Content.aspx?ItemNumber=5059&navItemNumber=742

http://windeis.anl.gov/guide/basics/