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Describe the use of wind energy for power generation and the effects of using wind energy in power generation on the environment.

Wind Energy

A traditional windmill with large, dark blades stands against a clear blue sky. — **Windmills have been used for centuries.**

Wind energy has been used by humans for centuries. Early users of wind energy sailed ships, pumped water, and ground grain.

As other forms of energy gained in popularity, the use of wind energy declined. The energy shortages and rising awareness of the environment in the 1970s increased the interest in alternative energy, especially wind energy. The United States government along with state governments began programs designed to encourage the building and use of wind turbines to produce electricity. The State of California was one of the first states to adopt wind energy on a large scale. In the early 1980s, thousands of wind turbines were built in California with the help of federal and state policies. Other states soon followed California’s example and, today, many states have significant amounts of wind turbines.

Other countries also saw increases in the use of wind energy. In 2012, China overtook the United States as the leading provider of wind energy, but we still produce more wind energy than many other developed countries, as seen in the map below. At least 83 countries use wind energy commercially.

Estimates suggest that, worldwide, over 898 GW of electricity is generated yearly from wind. In the United States, wind energy provided over 8% of our total electricity in 2020. In 2021, wind and solar energy generated more than 10% of global electricity. Explore the map below, as you can see, many countries are increasing their wind energy production:

Wind Turbines

The wind turbines of today are vastly different from early windmills. Although wind turbines come in a variety of designs, the horizontal-axis wind turbine design is most often used to produce commercial electrical power today.

This design involves turbines that reach up to the height of a 20-story building with three blades. Each blade can be over 100 feet long! The larger the turbine, the more electricity it can produce. As the blades turn, the generator is engaged, and electricity is produced. Computers help the blades turn towards the prevailing wind.

The ‘heart’ of the wind turbine is found at the conjunction of the three blades. Here, kinetic energy of the rotor is converted into mechanical energy and then to electrical energy by the generator.

a modern wind turbine set against a clear blue sky. Annotations explain the turbine’s operation, including the spinning of the blades, the conversion of mechanical energy into electricity by a generator, and the transfer of this electricity to a transmission line. — **Wind turbines are incredibly tall.**

The amount of energy produced depends on the location of the turbines, the radius of the blades, and the height of the tower. If these turbines were located in the windy Midwest, they could meet the electrical needs of the entire country!

Wind Farms

Wind farms or wind power plants produce large amounts of electricity from many interconnected wind turbines. Wind farms can have up to several thousand turbines. These turbines turn the metal coil of the generator to generate electricity. Each turbine is connected to other wind turbines by underground cables.

We are also building wind farms in windy areas on land, and offshore in the ocean. Oceanic winds are dependable and strong and do not require the purchase of land (tragedy of the commons working for us for once)!

a close-up view of a white wind turbine with red markings on its blades, set against the backdrop of an offshore wind farm.

Oceanic wind farms take advantage of the nearly endless wind on the ocean.

Wind farms are connected into the electrical grid and the electricity that is provided can be sent through the grid to homes and businesses many miles away from the wind farm. Resistance in the electrical lines causes the electrical power to diminish through each mile of travel so higher efficiencies are possible when wind farms can be located closer to populated areas.

Essential Knowledge

Wind turbines use the kinetic energy of air to spin a turbine, which in turn converts the mechanical energy of the turbine into electricity.

Environmental Effects of Wind Energy

There are some limitations associated with wind energy, despite it having very little environmental impact, but there are significant advantages to wind energy, explaining why it is one of the fastest growing alternative energy sources in the world.

Let's explore a few of these advantages and disadvantages. After reading through the pros and cons, what do you think? Are the disadvantages of wind power worth the benefits?

✅ Low Environmental Impact (click to reveal)

- - - - Wind turbines have almost no impact on the environment. They do not release any air pollutants or greenhouse gases.

✅ Can Be Built on Agricultural Land (click to reveal)

- - - - Wind farms can be built on existing land which is not used for much more than agriculture.

✅ Renewable Energy Source (click to reveal)

- - - - Wind energy is a clean, renewable energy source that can help reduce reliance on fossil fuels.
      - Wind energy is also non-depletable.

✅ Economics (click to reveal)

- - - - Economic Growth - creates jobs and has led to over $20 billion in new investments in the U.S. economy as of 2022.
      - Cost-Effective - utility-scale wind energy is one of the lowest-priced energy sources available today.
      - Local Benefits - wind projects can deliver significant tax and land-lease payments, benefiting local communities

❌ Can Hit Flying Animals (click to reveal)

- - - - Birds and bats are known to be killed by the spinning blades of wind turbines. Much research has gone into trying to find ways to reduce these deaths but, so far, no wide-scale, effective method has been discovered.

❌ Intermittent (click to reveal)

- - - - Wind energy is also not readily available at all geographic locations. Many sites that have great potential for wind farms are located in remote areas that are far away from where the energy is needed. This causes a significant loss of power as the electricity is moved through the grid to the populated areas.
      - Wind is intermittent, which means that it doesn’t blow all the time. Much of the time, wind slows or stops at night so the continuity of wind energy into the grid slows or stops as well.

❌ Can Be Noisy (click to reveal)

- - - - Turbines may be noisy.

❌ Aesthetics (click to reveal)

- - - - Many people consider turbines an eyesore. Wind is especially available near coastlines, but coastlines are especially beautiful areas for human inhabitants. Pushback against the installation of wind towers in coastal areas has been immense.

❌ Expensive to Construct (click to reveal)

- - - - The initial investment for wind power infrastructure can be high.

Essential Knowledge

Wind energy is a renewable, clean source of energy. However, birds and bats may be killed if they fly into the spinning turbine blades.

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