Disadvantages of Wind Power

Wind power pros and cons Part 2

Disadvantages of Wind Power:

Wind power is one of the big up and coming alternative energy sources people are starting to pay more attention to. Unlike traditional energy sources, wind power does not pollute the atmosphere, strip mine the country side or cause hazardous byproducts. Unfortunately, like any energy source, the technology is not entirely without drawbacks.

Despite its many important advantages over other types of energy, there are several main disadvantages of wind power as well. The most obvious of these is cost. Wind power is a fairly new technology, and that means that the infrastructure to make it cost competitive with other types of energy is just not there yet. The parts for all the equipment are very expensive, and because most good areas in which you can put up a wind farm to collect this energy are out in the middle of nowhere, it can be costly and difficult to move the equipment out there in the first place. 

Disadvantages of Wind Power- You have to have wind !

Some sites are better suited for wind collection stations than others. In fact, many of the best wind collection sites are out in the country or otherwise very remote areas that might be very far away from where the areas where the electricity produced will be needed. Because electricity requires wires and substations to travel over long distances and loses power the farther it has to go, this can cause a problem as in most cases the suitable infrastructure does not as yet even exist to transfer this power to where it will be needed.

Disadvantages of Wind Power- Wind isnt constant.

Another of the disadvantages of wind power is that the power source itself is not actually constant. No matter where you are, the wind is never blowing all the time. This means that people may need electricity when the wind is not blowing so they may have trouble getting their power. Unfortunately, there is yet another downside to all of this as wind energy cannot be stored for later except in batteries, which are large, costly and not actually very good for the environment at all as they contain toxic substances that must be dealt with when the battery dies and is thrown out or recycled. With wind power, it is difficult to make sure that there will be electricity available to everyone who wants it when they want it. 

Something else to take note of is that land that is good for wind farm placement is often set aside for other uses. These other uses may have a higher priority than the production of electricity, and there is also some concern about the level of noise pollution that may be produced, even by the most high end models of wind collection generators as well as complaints over the visual appearance of wind farms. Many people who otherwise would approve wholeheartedly of wind power will adopt a “not in my back yard” attitude toward wind farms as they personally do not want to deal with the sound and sight of the equipment. Granted wind farms actually make less impact on the local environment visually as well as with noise levels than conventional power plants, and with advancements in wind farm technology, things are getting less and less intrusive all the time.

Disadvantages of Wind Power- A possible danger to birds.

One more thing to note is because of their exposed rotors, there is at times a problem with birds and bats that can get killed or injured by flying into the fast moving rotors. This can be especially noteworthy along the migratory paths of endangered species such as the Canada Goose or other at risk populations. 

Disadvantages of Wind Power- The technology is improving. 

That said, the technology of wind collection devices is constantly improving as more and more people and organizations support research and buy products. The more people make use of wind collection technology the better and more cost effective it gets. It has come quite a way in the last few decades, and that is nothing compared to where it could go in the very near future with the proper funding and support of infrastructure.

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