Alternative Energy Sources – Wind Energy Facts
The term “wind energy” refers to the process of using the Earth’s wind to make electricity through the use of wind turbines. The turbines take the kinetic energy from the wind and transfer it to mechanical power which can be used in conjunction with a generator to produce electricity. The use of wind energy as an alternative energy source is an alternative means of harnessing solar energy through the movement of air created by the irregular heating of the Earth by the sun. The following are some wind energy facts that you may or may not be aware of:
Wind Energy Facts
・ For each megawatt of energy produced by the wind, approximately $1 million USD in economic development is produced. This includes all phases of construction and maintenance of building the associated wind turbines and infrastructure.
・ Using wind energy helps rural communities by bringing added revenue to depressed areas that would not otherwise have additional revenue.
・ Farm owners can supplement their income with wind power generation at rates equivalent to approximately $14,000 USD per year per 2/3 acres of wind turbine deployment.
・ The costs of electricity produced by wind power is more stable and better supports consumers who are on fixed incomes.
・ Wind energy is a renewable resource with 46 states in the U.S. having the capacity to develop significant wind power generation resources.
・ A greater adoption of wind energy by the U.S. Could help eliminate carbon dioxide emissions by up to one third of current emission levels.
・ Wind energy farms do not emit air pollutants or greenhouse gases.
・ Approximately 80% of the cost of developing wind power is in the wind turbine machinery.
・ The greatest barriers against widespread construction of wind turbine farms are potential noise, visual impact of the installation of wind turbine farms, and birds flying into moving windmill blades.
・ The U.S. Department of Energy has a stated goal of 5% of the U.S.’s electricity to come from wind energy by 2020 and to increase the federal use of wind energy to 5% in 2010.
・ Wind energy accounted for 1% of all electricity production world-wide in 2005
・ Germany is the leading producer of wind energy. The U.S. Is third.
・ Wind energy produces more than 20% of the electrical consumption in Denmark and is growing.
・ Wind turbines produced 52 billion kilowatts of power in the United States in 2008 for a total of 1.3% of total U.S. Electricity production. This was enough to power 4.6 million houses equivalent to the state of Colorado.