Wind Power
About Wind Power
Like its name suggests, wind power is energy that is harnessed from the wind. Although wind harnessing for generation of electricity took off only in the recent years, the collection of energy created by the wind is one of the most ancient types of energy harnessed by humans.
Wind was historically used to propel ships (sails), to turn millstones and as a water pump. But wind became attractive as an alternative source of energy only after it became clear that fossil fuel burning is seriously affecting the climate and that the world’s economy is dangerously dependent on international energy supply. And the latter has been shown to be highly unstable and unpredictable.
Advantages of Wind Power
Today, wind is mainly used to generate electricity. Its main advantages over other forms of energy include:
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Cleanness. Wind power is clean and environmentally friendly source of energy. Wind turbines generate electricity when turned by the wind and do not emit any air pollutants during conversion of wind power into electricity.
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Convenience. Wind turbines are typically connected to electric power transmission network and allow transmission of electricity to remote locations. Some of the energy is lost during transmission but these loses are minimal.
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Availability. Obviously, wind farms need to be located on windy areas to be feasible. But in comparison to other alternative forms of energy including solar energy, this is not an issue for most countries. Thus it is not surprising that utilisation of wind power is rapidly rising all over the world although it currently accounts for only about 2.5% of the world’s total electricity production.
Disadvantages of Wind Power
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Unappealing look. Wind farms that consist of hundreds of wind turbines change the look of the landscape and according to some, ruin its visual appeal. However, wind farms are a lot lesser intervention in the environment in comparison to other methods of electricity generation such as dam reservoirs for instance. In addition, wind farms are often constructed in unpopulated areas and even offshore where the winds are more frequent and more powerful.
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High costs. Another drawback of wind power is related to the costs of construction, especially of offshore wind farms. It also has some ongoing costs but the improvements in the technology made the cost of wind farm operation comparable to the cost of fossil fuel power stations. In addition, wind power has been shown to have a positive effect on the economy by creating new jobs and new opportunities for wind turbine producers and construction companies.