It’s the hot button topic of the day, renewable energy and wind power. As more and more massive wind towers bring wind power to homes and businesses across the United States and even around the world, and more wind farms deliver power to distribution generators for towns, capturing the invisible energy is no longer for the future, the future is now.
According to the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA Newsroom, January 27, 2009) 2008 was a record breaking year for wind energy. Currently there are 24,000 megawatts of power being produced by wind in the U.S.; however, predictions for 2009 are not as hopeful without tax incentives being passed by the Congress and the new Administration.
Capturing the Wind
Capturing and using the wind’s energy is a fairly simple process, windmills are the perfect example. As far back as the 12th century there is evidence of early man using wind powered mills for grinding. Later, as knowledge and technology progressed, the uses for windmills and more particularly wind power uses increased.
The wind’s invisible energy is captured using the blades or rotary of the wind turbine. Their rotation causes the shaft of a connected motor to turn. This rotation creates energy which is then collected and sent through an inverter to make a current usable by homes. This is a simplified version of what happens in a wind turbine, but it paints the picture or the process.
Proponents of wind power are quick to point out that there are no harmful by products to harm the Earth. At one time there was a concern for noise pollution, but in recent years that too has been corrected. Wind is a free, constantly renewable source that will pay for its own installation costs over a period of time. Wind will not cease to be until the Sun does and that is estimated to be billions and billions of years from now.
Opponents argue that birds will be in danger, that wind mill farms take up too much land, or that they are an eyesore. (crealdeazua, "Wind Power Myths vs. Facts Sheet", AWEA Publication, September 16, 2005), Each of these arguments can be countered with facts.
Birds are in no more danger from wind turbine than they are tall buildings or animals. According to the AWEA, wind farms that have seen incidents of bird deaths take it very seriously and are working with conservationists to find a solution. Additionally, since wind turbines are typically built near transmission lines, the impact to wildlife has already occurred.
Wind mill farms do not make the land unusable. In fact, land owners are able to get double duty out of their land by allowing wind farms to be developed. The footprint of the turbine is actually quite small; most of the size is in the air. Farmers are still able to plant crops on the land, right up to the base of the turbine if they desire.
Opponents of wind farms mostly seem to be concerned with appearances. They don’t want to see masses of turbines when they are visiting tourists’ spots or they are afraid the tourists won’t continue if they have wind farms. According to the AWEA, the converse is actually true. Tourism surveys show that the wind turbines have no effect on a tourist decision to visit. In Palm Springs, California, there are bus tours to take visitors to see the wind farms.
With each opposing view being negated one has to wonder why more wind power is not being put to energy uses. The cost of building the turbines is much less than ten years ago, yet still fairly expensive. However, with tax incentives and factoring in the reduced energy cost in the long run, wind power is an energy source that simply cannot be ignored.
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