What is Wind Power ?The Influence of Solar EnergyWhat is wind power? We will not be able to fully understand what wind power is until we first understand the influence of solar energy. When the sun warms our atmosphere, it is actually heating it unevenly, and some areas become hotter than the others. These temperate patches of air rise while other cooler air blows in to replace them and so we sense a wind blowing. This blowing air can be used as an energy source.
What is wind power? -Conversion to electrical energy When blowing air hits and turns the propeller of a wind generator the wind energy is converted to electricity. Many places have built many of these towers together to create a “wind farm” and to be able to manufacture vast amounts of electricity. With more towers, more wind and larger propellers, more electricity can be produced. However, building wind farms will only be worth it if there are always strong and steady winds, but some boats and RVs can use wind generators to aid in their batteries being charged. What is wind power? -Location, location... Coastal areas, the tops of rounded hills, open plains and passes between mountains are some places where the wind is strong and very reliable – these are considered the finest places for building wind farms.
Depending on the size of the system, wind speeds of between 4 and 25 miles per hour are required for windmills to operate efficiently. The majority of wind farms in UK are located in Cornwall as well as in Wales. Inaccessible places, for instance, farms, can utilize small individual wind generators. Several “wind farms” supply electricity to many homes in the area of Los Angeles, California. What is wind power? -Big Winds, Big Turbines On wind farms the turbines used are built to the scale of the wind resources available in that location. These wind generators can be huge! The propellers need to be large to be able to haul out energy from the high wind volumes. Windmill blades are able to be angled from “fine” or to a “coarse” pitch so that they can cope with varying wind speeds and the generator and propeller can turn to countenance the wind from wherever they come from. Towers must be tall so that the propellers can be located up where wind is stronger. Land underneath these big tubines can also be used for farming and others purposes. Scientists have been working on improving the aerodynamic designs of windmills to make them produce more electricity, run quieter and be safer for bats and birds. Today’s modern wind farms are much quieter than fossil fuel power stations and , of course they dont produce pollution.. These wind farms also tend to be located away from residential areas. Small up to date wind generators used on homes, boats and RVs barely make any noise at all.
What is wind power? -Clean, renewable. Like other alternative energy sources, wind power comes from a renewable energy source – the sun. With proper investments in developing the technology, we will be able to more effectively utilize it. The wind will continue blowing and it only makes sense to make use of it. By utilizing alternative energies such as solar, wind and hydro power, people can save more on electric bills, get electricity even if they are in isolated or in remote places, and hopefully reduce our addiction to polluting energy sources like coal and oil. You can read more about what wind power is and how it is used to generate electricity here.
Return from the What is Wind Power page to the Windmill Power page or to the Home page. |
