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Wind Power

Wind power is derived from the conversion of wind energy to become a useful form of energy to propel ships, make electricity or pump water. Wind is a renewable source of energy that is widely available and produces no harmful emission during operation.

2,489 Questions

What are five reasons that wind power is better than fossil fuels?

  1. The wind is free. Fossil fuels cost money.

    Once the initial costs of building wind farms and attaching them to the grid are paid usually within a couple of years, there are fairly minor maintenance costs for the 20 to 25 year lifespan of the wind farm (at which point it is usually replaced with bigger, modern wind turbines). Fossil fuel generation, by comparison, depend on a steady supply of coal or natural gas, which has prices which vary substantially in the short term, but are steadily trending higher on a longer time frame. In many places, wind energy is in the range of 5-6 cents USD per kilowatt hour, on par with or cheaper than direct costs of coal energy, and much cheaper when approximately 18 cents of negative impacts from coal are added in.

  2. Wind energy provides carbon-free energy. Fossil fuel energy contributes massive amounts of carbon to the atmosphere.

    Wind energy has a net CO2 balance which is every positive. There are CO2 production costs associated with mining, refining, manufacturing, transport and installation, but these are outweighed by the massive amounts of carbon-free electricity generated over the lifespan of the wind turbine. Fossil fuels, by comparison, release greater than their weight in CO2 when they are burned; burn a megaton of coal, get two megatons of CO2.

  3. Wind energy does not emit particulate pollution which kills people. Fossil fuel generation emits particulate pollution which kills people and harms the environment.

    Wind energy does not emit particulate pollution except for minimal amounts in construction. Fossil fuels, on the other hand, are basically burnt with resulting smoke and ash. Smoke and ash get into the atmosphere even with expensive scrubbing. One estimate indicated that coal kills 13,000 people in the US annually alone, and other has over 100,000 direct coal deaths in mining and transport in the 20th century.

  4. Wind energy does not pollute water and kill fish. Fossil fuels pollute water and kill fish.

    Wind energy is a net positive for ground water, and has no impact on rivers, lakes or oceans, except providing ore fish habitat when they are installed offshore. Fossil fuels frequently enter ground water, lakes, rivers and oceans directly in spills, or indirectly through air pollution. Acid rain is directly caused by coal generation.

  5. Wind turbines make good tourist attractions. No one pays to see fossil fuel generation plants.

    Many places including Japan, Atlantic City and Palm Springs, Nevada have a steady influx of tourists drawn in part by their wind turbines. The same can't be said for coal plants or natural gas generation plants. Rather, the obvious can be stated: people who live near them pay to get away to places with cleaner air.

How does a wind turbine work?

Wind turbines operate on a simple principle. The energy in the wind turns two or three propeller-like blades around a rotor. The rotor is connected to the main shaft, which spins a generator to create electricity.

Wind turbines are mounted on a tower to capture the most energy. At 100 feet (30 meters) or more above ground, they can take advantage of faster and less turbulent wind.

Wind turbines can be used to produce electricity for a single home or building, or they can be connected to an electricity grid (shown here) for more widespread electricity distribution.

How is wind collected or generated?

Wind is predominantly collected and generated using wind turbines. These turbines have blades that rotate when the wind blows, driving a generator to produce electricity. The kinetic energy in the wind is converted into mechanical power, which is then transformed into electrical energy.

Is solar power or wind power better?

That would depend on where you live. Wind power will create more energy if you live in an area where the wind blows consistantly.

Most wind turbines function poorly, or not at all, below a certain "threshhold" wind speed. Determining what the average wind speed is in your area throughout the year will give you what that "cutoff" speed should be for turbines in your area.

Most solar photovoltaics (PVs) require direct sunlight to produce any appreciable power, although indirect light PV systems are improving a lot (these are the PV cells in solar calculators, for instance). How many days of the year that see little or no cloud cover determines how useful solar would be in your area.

Note, however, that most places tend to be best suited to a combination of both systems. As seasonal conditions for one system become poor, the conditions for the other type tend to improve.

Answer:

It is my belief that Solar Power is better than Wind Power. Why? Simple. You can add solar panels to existing structures and they don't take up additional space. Plus, the technology to make solar panels keeps improving, bringing down the cost of installation. While not all areas are good for solar energy, there are still many advantages to solar energy and I believe it has a brighter future than Wind Power.

What is the moral of the The wind and the sun?

Gentle warm words are more likely to get what you want than being forceful and harsh.

What is the moral of the wind and the sun?

Gentle warm words are more likely to get what you want than being forceful and harsh.

Are there wind turbines in Chicago?

Yes, there are wind turbines located near Chicago in the state of Illinois. These turbines are typically found in rural areas outside the city where there is more open space and wind exposure, such as in wind farms.

Where in the world are wind turbines used?

Wind turbines are used worldwide in countries with suitable wind resources, such as the United States, China, Germany, India, and Denmark. They are commonly found in regions with steady winds, such as coastal areas, plains, and mountain passes. Wind farms are also increasingly being developed offshore to harness stronger and more consistent wind currents.

What are the political advantages and disadvantages of wind energy?

As most if not all governments are run by big business, wind energy would be a disadvantage to the mining industry, and any industry which depends upon fossel fuels. Government would loose most of its income which is supplies by big business. Taxes would therefor go up to help fill the governments coffers. Like most inventions that would affect big business they would be bought out and the project shelved.

Are wind farms good or bad?

Wind farms are considered as being good.

They provide energy with no pollution.

Downsides are no wind, no power.

The windmills are also quite costly to make and maintain.

In the 80's it was considered that a windmill would never be able to produce energy enough to cover the cost of its production.

This has changed, possibly due to higher cost of electricity.

Windmills are today considered a strong viable source of renewable energy.

Regards.

Who has seen the wind?

i'ves seen the winds!

:

I've seen it move a flag and stuff.. but haven't seen it for real.......

seen in Dream it is coolllllll

Still another answer:

Who Has Seen the Wind?

By Christina Rossetti 1830-1894

Who has seen the wind?Neither I nor you:But when the leaves hang trembling,

The wind is passing through.

Who has seen the wind?

Neither you nor I:

But when the trees bow down their heads,

The wind is passing by.

:

I've seen it with the help of rain,splitting into smaller water droplets by striking walls of my house,and light of a street lamp.They get blown away,and making a silhouette like image,making the wind near visible.

What is one negative aspect of utilizing wind turbines on the peak mountains?

One negative aspect of utilizing wind turbines on peak mountains is the potential negative impact on local wildlife and habitats. Installation and operation of wind turbines can disrupt migratory patterns, habitats, and nesting grounds of birds and other species that call the mountains home.

When did wind turbines start?

Wind turbines have been used since the late 19th century for generating electricity. The first modern wind turbine, built for electricity production, was constructed in 1888. However, it wasn't until the 1970s that wind turbines started to become more widely used for renewable energy generation.

How long has wind power been around?

Wind power has been used for thousands of years, dating back to ancient civilizations that used windmills for grinding grain and pumping water. Modern wind power, in the form of large-scale wind turbines for electricity generation, has been around since the late 19th century.

What is main obstacle to using wind power to generate electricity?

The main obstacle to using wind power to generate electricity is the intermittent nature of wind. Wind speeds can fluctuate, causing variability in the amount of power generated. This creates challenges in integrating wind power into the electrical grid and requires the use of energy storage or backup power sources to ensure a reliable electricity supply.

Is a taiga windy?

On average, the Taiga is very windy. Especially in the mountains.

Why do the men blow up the windmill in animal farm?

because they wanted to make it seem like the animals work was not guareented to be a success they also just wanted to show the animals on their farm that animal farm wasnt controllable with animals running it

What do the rotor blades of a wind turbine look like?

Log onto "google" click on "images" at the top of the screen "type in "windmill" then send.

Who would be against wind farms?

IM A farmer and i thinkwind farms are good as long as they are away from me and all of myanimalllsss/.

What are the advantages of wind farms on the environment?

yes they do they're powered by wind so they don't hurt anything but the birds that get caught in them and the drivers who get sidetrackted -from somone else.... lol

How do birds use the wind?

Convection current move fluids upwards and downwards (like boiling soup) and distribute heat energy. An upward convection current in the atmosphere is called a "Thermal" (which usually have a small cumulus cloud on top) and some species of birds use these to gain height, circling round in them and getting taken up with the rising hot air without having to flap. When they have gained altitude they can then come out of the thermal and glide to the next while hunting or migrating.

Using the rising air in the thermals means that they save energy themselves (by not having to flap) and this help them survive.

How does wind power effect animals?

What happens to animals before storms roll in or at the onset of winter? Infrasonic sounds could still be the culprit because hurricanes and thunder produce sound waves at those frequencies. But there's also the matter of changes in barometric (air) and hydrostatic (water) pressure.

Normally, these pressures fluctuate slightly. Animals are highly tuned in to any changes beyond those natural fluctuations, which can signal big changes in the weather. These variations can trigger an animal's survival mechanism. The animals' instinctive reaction is to seek shelter in the face of potentially violent weather.

For example, abnormal conditions like hurricanes cause large decreases in air pressure and water pressure (at least in the more shallow depths). Animals exposed and accustomed to certain patterns can quickly sense these changes. And again, similar to the observed behavior of the animals during the tsunami, they flee for safety.

Researchers observed this type of behavior among a group of sharks as they tracked the sharks' movements during Tropical Storm Gabrielle and Hurricane Charlie. After the barometric pressure dropped just a few millibars -- an occurrence that causes a similar change in hydrostatic pressure -- several sharks swam to deeper waters, where there was more protection from the storm [source: Vatalaro].

Birds and bees also appear to sense this drop in barometric pressure and will instinctively seek the cover of their nests or hives. Birds also use their ability to sense air pressure to determine when it's safe to migrate.

And what about long-term predictions, like how harsh winter will be? It seems that groundhogs aren't holding any cards. Hibernation appears to be related to an animal's biological clock and stored-up fat rather than any ability to gauge temperature trends.

There have been interesting proposals about the validity of some animal folklore. Some Native Americans believe black bears choose different sleeping spots in their caves depending on how cold the winter will be, or the fur on a hare's feet will grow fluffier if heavy snows approach. While there's a chance these are simply coincidences, some have pointed out that science is based on observation, and folklore is based on centuries of observation -- although the observations haven't been conducted in controlled circumstances.

In the end, these animal behaviors may not prove all that useful to humans. Animals frequently exhibit behavior changes, and there's no practical way of deciphering whether a change in behavior is related to an impending natural disaster or just a reaction to something completely unrelated.

Also, differences exist between species -- and between individuals of the same species -- in their sensitivity to weather fluctuations. While some animals may be great weather predictors, others within that same species might not get their spidey senses tingling.

But, if you ever find yourself in a forest reminiscent of the stampede scene in "Bambi," you still might want to follow the crowd and tag along at top speed.

For more information about animals and how they respond to weather, visit the links on the next page