About Wind Energy

Function

• Wind energy is harnessed and used to provide electricity instead of using alternatives like nuclear power plants and coal burning plants. A wind turbine spins when the wind blows on it and the blades are connected to an internal turbine that is connected to a magnetic generator. When the generator spins, electricity is created and fed down through the wind turbine and into the power grid.
  
  

Benefits

• Wind energy is being considered as a huge source of power in the future because of the benefits it provides. While the costs of wind farms somewhat compare with those of nuclear and coal plants, wind energy provides many benefits that nuclear and coal plants do not. Wind energy is a renewable resource because wind is always blowing and the process used to create this power emits no CO2 into the atmosphere. Wind turbines also have a 30-year life, meaning that they should properly operate for 30 years without needing to be replaced.
  
  

Geography

• A high wind power is needed to make wind turbines sufficient, so you will find wind turbines in some of the windiest locations. These locations include high mountain ridges and places near the coast. California is full of "wind farms," large areas of land filled with wind turbines. Mountains in states like Vermont feature wind turbines spread along mountain peaks.
  
  

Types

• The largest wind turbines feature blades over 30 feet long. One of these large turbines creates enough power to provide electricity for over 200 homes. Smaller turbines are the size of a remote control airplane and can provide a little electricity for lighting and appliances in homes. Wind energy is usually harnessed through horizontally blown air, but turbines have been created that capture all of the wind directions.
  
  

Considerations

• Wind turbines are not the perfect alternative energy source. Critics have said that they create a "visual pollution" in natural areas like mountains and coastlines. The blades have also been known to kill birds oblivious to the rotation. Finding locations for enough wind turbines could also be a problem because access roads and other construction could put a damper on the environment.