Wind Generators: Why You Should Care
Wind is one of the most widely available sources of renewable, sustainable energy on the planet. Wind is everywhere, and small scale wind power generation causes little environmental damage. The main obstacle to widespread proliferation of wind power as a considerable part of our overall power production is the cause associated with collecting it. A good wind generator is the key to successfully using wind power.
The process of generating power from wind is simple. Wind blows across a propeller, mounted high enough to be above obstacles. This causes the propeller to turn. That turns a turbine, which drives a generator. The generator produces power, and a good windmill can produce about 2,300 kilowatt-hours per year.
Wind turbines are used on a small scale to provide supplemental power, similar to residential solar panel installations. This is especially prevalent on farms and other rural-industrial establishments in flat areas where consistent wind is plentiful. Much larger installations of wind turbines, called wind farms, are also becoming popular.
The largest land-based wind farm in the world was built between 2008 and 2009 near Roscoe, TX. It had a total construction cost of over $1 billion dollars, and with 627 turbines it now generates enough power for 250,000 households.
The largest off-shore wind farm in the world almost wasn’t finished. It was beset by financial challenges during its development, and the project changed hands numerous times. However, it was finally built and it now lies 7 miles off the coast of Thanet district in Kent, England. It covers approximately 13.5 square miles, cost about $1.4 billion, and adds 300 MW of power to the Kent grid.
Even with its obvious advantages, wind power does receive its share of criticism. Much of that criticism has to do with its cost-effectiveness, given the unreliable nature of the wind itself. Windmills require consistent wind at high velocity in order to produce power, but wind is inconsistent enough in the natural world that it is used as a metaphor for unreliability in literature. Winds change from day to day and from year to year. Consequently, wind power projects are usually unjustifiable financially without government subsidies.
Ironically, wind production is also sometimes criticized for being environmentally unfriendly. This is because large-scale wind farms take up an enormous amount of space. Rural areas with high average wind velocities are often home to birds, who can be killed in the spinning blades. Recently, an Oregon company’s application to kill golden eagles to make way for a massive wind farm has drawn strong criticism from animal rights activists.
Still, the use of wind power continues to expand, based on the fact that a wind generator in the right location will continue to produce clean energy for a long time, with minimal ongoing cost. More large-scale wind farms are planned. Those who care about the environment and those who just want independence from the power grid continue to look to wind on a smaller scale.
Maria is an electrical engineer who specializes in switchgear.