Meg Egan EGEE 101H Wind Energy Windmills have been used to produce mechanical for centuries for

tasks such as grinding wheat or pumping water. They are particularly noted for their use in the Netherlands where they were used to distribute water from lakes and swamps while also preventing land from flooding (Holland). Wind has since become a source of electricity as well. Today, we use wind turbines that connect to a generator, which then makes electricity. Wind turbines typically have three blades. The wind passes over the blades, creating lift. This then turns a rotor located in what is called a nacelle. The rapidly spinning shaft connected directly to the generator drives the production of electricity. This electricity is put through a transformer, which converts the voltage so that it can be used on the grid (EWEA). How much electricity an individual turbine can produce is dependent on several factors. Wind speed is a major factor. Clearly, stronger winds can produce more electricity, however, turbines are stopped when wind is over 55 miles per hour because these high speeds can damage the turbine. Wind must be at least 8 miles per hour in order to produce any electricity (EWEA). The radius of the blades on the turbine also affects its output. Doubling the size of the blades can increase the amount of electricity produced by 4 times. Another factor that impacts output is the density of the air. Higher density air, found at elevations closer to sea level, is more effective in producing energy (EWEA). A one-megawatt turbine in a good location could produce around 3 million kilowatts of electricity in a year. This is

approximately the annual need of 350 average households (Wind Energy). According to the U.S. Department of Energy, all U.S. energy needs could be met with the wind in Texas and the Dakotas alone. Additionally, in 6.8 months, a wind turbine can produce all the energy that it uses in its lifetime. This means that it can produce 35 times its energy worth during its life (Renewable Energy). Though wind farms must be decommissioned after 20 to 25 years of operation, they can be restored with new equipment or restored to its original condition of land. Many people worry about the blades on the turbines killing birds. Though they do kill some migratory birds, automobiles and power lines pose a higher threat. Many safety precautions are taken to ensure that the turbines are safe, such as U.V. reflective paint and attempts to avoid migration paths. Noise levels are low and rarely cause a disturbance to local residents (Wind Energy). One unavoidable consequence of wind energy is the visual disturbance that some people complain about. Some communities with local turbines have chosen to combat this small issue by decorating their turbines to look like trees or have colored them to be more natural, however, this is somewhat uncommon. Overall, I see few downfalls to becoming increasingly reliant on wind power. I think that there are many benefits including how green the energy is. It is entirely renewable, which is a good reason to use wind for energy production, even if we cannot become totally reliant on the energy. If we can store the energy produced during windy times for times when it is not windy, I think that it could become our main energy supply.

Works Cited "Assessing the Life Cycle of Wind Turbine Production." Renewable Energy World. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Mar. 2013. "Dutch Windmills." Holland. Government of the Netherlands, n.d. Web. 25 Mar. 2013. "Frequently Asked Questions." Wind Energy America. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Mar. 2013. "How a Wind Turbine Works." EWEA RSS. European Wind Energy Association, n.d. Web. 25 Mar. 2013.