WIND ENERGY

WHAT IS IT ???

Wind power is the conversion of wind energy

into a useful form of energy, such as using wind
turbines to make electrical power, windmills for
mechanical power, wind pumps for water
pumping or drainage, or sails to propel ships

DISCOVERY

Technically wind energy was discovered by the first people who built and
used sail boats.

In the 17th century BCE, Hammurabi, the Babylonian emperor developed

the idea of using wind energy for his agricultural and irrigation project.

From 1974 through the mid-1980s the United States government worked
with industry to advance the technology and enable large commercial wind
turbines. The NASA wind turbines were developed under a program to
create a utility-scale wind turbine industry in the U.S. With funding from
the National Science Foundation and later the United States Department
of Energy (DOE), a total of 13 experimental wind turbines were put into
operation, in four major wind turbine designs.

ABOUT WIND POWER TO ELECTRICITY

Wind power is produced by using wind generators to harness the

kinetic energy of wind.

AVAILABILITY

People think that as long as they can feel the wind, electricity
should be generated from the wind turbine.

The power that is available in the wind depends on the wind speed,
the density of the wind (which varies with altitude and
temperature), and the amount of turbulence (swirling) in the wind.

Formula : P = Av

EFFICIENCY

A modern wind turbine produces electricity 70-85% of the time, but it

generates different outputs depending on the wind speed.

Today's wind turbines are much more efficient than the windmills of the
past. They have fewer blades, usually two or three, that are designed to
capture the most energy from the wind. As wind speeds increase, the
amount of electricity generated increases proportional to the cube of
the wind speed. The strength and quality of the wind resource at a wind
project site will determine how much electricity a wind project can
produce, impacting the costs of the wind electricity. Advancements in
technology, such as taller wind towers and longer and lighter blades,
have allowed for capture of better wind resource, which improves the
production performance of wind turbines.

COST $$$

Wind energy is one of the most affordable forms of electricity today.

Recent improvements in turbine technology has reduced the cost of wind
energy. As a renewable resource, wind energy has no fuel cost, allowing
electricity consumers and utilities to lock-in known electricity rates for 20
to 30 years through contracts called Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs).

Wind turbines depends on a lot of factors, such as land costs,

environmental statement costs, the size, how close they are to a major
power line, etc.Wind turbines under 100 kilowatts cost roughly $3,000 to
$5,000 per kilowatt of capacity. That means a 10 kilowatt machine (the
size needed to power an average home) might cost $35,000-$50,000.

LOCATION

Most wind turbines are located in Australia as of 2010. There are

many other places which use wind turbines but Texas is the main
source. Wind turbines can be located anywhere there is enough
room to place them and danger to populace. The preferred locations
are sufficiently windy and have largely constant winds, exposed
high areas, like hills or small mountains or coastal areas, some wind
turbines are even places off the coast.
The limiting factors in the placement of the wind turbines are the
price and case of transport to that area, the infrastructure of the
area and assembling the turbines.

PROS AND CONS

Pros :

Wind energy is a green energy source and does not cause pollution.
Wind power is renewable and there is no way we can run out of it (since wind energy
originates from the sun).
Prices have decreased over 80% since 1980 and are expected to keep decreasing.
Good domestic potential: Residential wind turbines yields energy savings and protects
homeowners from power outages.

Cons :

The manufacturing and installation of wind turbines requires heavy upfront investments
both in commercial and residential applications.
Wind turbines can be a threat to wildlife (e.g. birds, bats).
Wind is a fluctuating (intermittent) source of energy and is not suited to meet the base
load energy demand unless some form of energy storage is utilized (e.g. batteries,
pumped hydro).

WORKS CITED

http://www.alternative-energy-news.info/technology/wind-powe
r
/
http://
www.awea.org/Resources/Content.aspx?ItemNumber=5547#C
ostofWindEnergy
http://www1.eere.energy.gov/tribalenergy/guide/costs.html