origin of wind energy essay

ENCYCLOPEDIC ENTRY

Wind energy.

Scientists and engineers are using energy from the wind to generate electricity. Wind energy, or wind power, is created using a wind turbine.

Earth Science, Climatology

As renewable energy technology continues to advance and grow in popularity, wind farms like this one have become an increasingly common sight along hills, fields, or even offshore in the ocean.

Photograph by inga spence / Alamy Stock Photo

Anything that moves has kinetic energy , and scientists and engineers are using the wind’s kinetic energy to generate electricity. Wind energy , or wind power , is created using a wind turbine , a device that channels the power of the wind to generate electricity.

The wind blows the blades of the turbine , which are attached to a rotor. The rotor then spins a generator to create electricity. There are two types of wind turbines : the horizontal - axis wind turbines (HAWTs) and vertical - axis wind turbines (VAWTs). HAWTs are the most common type of wind turbine . They usually have two or three long, thin blades that look like an airplane propeller. The blades are positioned so that they face directly into the wind. VAWTs have shorter, wider curved blades that resemble the beaters used in an electric mixer.

Small, individual wind turbines can produce 100 kilowatts of power, enough to power a home. Small wind turbines are also used for places like water pumping stations. Slightly larger wind turbines sit on towers that are as tall as 80 meters (260 feet) and have rotor blades that extend approximately 40 meters (130 feet) long. These turbines can generate 1.8 megawatts of power. Even larger wind turbines can be found perched on towers that stand 240 meters (787 feet) tall have rotor blades more than 162 meters (531 feet) long. These large turbines can generate anywhere from 4.8 to 9.5 megawatts of power.

Once the electricity is generated, it can be used, connected to the electrical grid, or stored for future use. The United States Department of Energy is working with the National Laboratories to develop and improve technologies, such as batteries and pumped-storage hydropower so that they can be used to store excess wind energy. Companies like General Electric install batteries along with their wind turbines so that as the electricity is generated from wind energy, it can be stored right away.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, there are 57,000 wind turbines in the United States, both on land and offshore. Wind turbines can be standalone structures, or they can be clustered together in what is known as a wind farm . While one turbine can generate enough electricity to support the energy needs of a single home, a wind farm can generate far more electricity, enough to power thousands of homes. Wind farms are usually located on top of a mountain or in an otherwise windy place in order to take advantage of natural winds.

The largest offshore wind farm in the world is called the Walney Extension. This wind farm is located in the Irish Sea approximately 19 kilometers (11 miles) west of the northwest coast of England. The Walney Extension covers a massive area of 149 square kilometers (56 square miles), which makes the wind farm bigger than the city of San Francisco, California, or the island of Manhattan in New York. The grid of 87 wind turbines stands 195 meters (640 feet) tall, making these offshore wind turbines some of the largest wind turbines in the world. The Walney Extension has the potential to generate 659 megawatts of power, which is enough to supply 600,000 homes in the United Kingdom with electricity.

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Related Resources

• DOI: 10.1002/9781118701492.CH1
• Corpus ID: 140152711

The History of Wind Energy

• J. Beurskens
• Published 25 April 2014
• History, Environmental Science

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By   windenergyfoundation.org

October 31, 2020

Wind power has been harnessed throughout human history. The earliest recorded evidence of wind energy being used dates to around 5000 BC in Egypt, where the sail was invented to catch the wind and propel boats along the River Nile.

The First Windmills

It wasn’t long before more uses were found for this free and plentiful source of energy, and simple windmills were created to pump water and grind grains across China and what is now the Middle East, becoming a major form of food production. Over time, the idea was harnessed by the Roman Empire and other European countries, thanks to merchants and crusaders bringing back the idea from their travels. In the Netherlands, the windmill was adapted and used for draining lakes and marshes around the delta of the River Rhine, which often flooded.

Wind Power in America

In the late 19th century, windmill technology was taken to America by colonists, where they were used on farms and ranches to pump water. Later, they were used to grind wheat and corn, and to cut wood at sawmills. After the development of electric power, windmills were used to generate electricity to power residential and industrial sites. In the 20th century, wind plants started being developed to power farms and homes, eventually growing in size and being connected to electricity grids as a central power source for lighting.

Large-scale Energy Production

In the 1940s, during World War II, the largest known wind turbine of the time, a 1.25-megawatt turbine known as Grandpa’s Knob, produced electric power for the local utility network in Vermont. Over the following decades, the use of wind power declined in favor of cheaper energy sources such as oil, until the 1970s, when the US started suffering from oil shortages. This prompted interest in alternative and renewable energy sources, and people began to look back towards wind power.

In the 70s and 80s, the US government worked with industry leaders to develop and create large commercial wind turbines. National Aeronautics and Space Administration oversaw large-scale research programs into wind turbines suitable for generating power for utilities, which pioneered many of the multi-megawatt turbine technologies still in use today. With funding from the National Science Foundation and the US Department of Energy, 13 experimental turbines were created using four major designs from this research. These turbines set several world records for both diameter and power output.

Over the next decade, oil prices dropped significantly, putting the use of wind power at risk. However, federal and state tax incentives for using renewable energy sources saw the use of wind power flourish, leading to the first major use of wind power to generate utility electricity. Although they seem small and uneconomical by modern wind farm standards, these clusters of turbines in areas such as Altamont Pass were the start of large-scale renewal energy in the US.

The end of tax incentives in the late 80s meant that the growth of wind energy in the US slowed dramatically. This was not the case in Europe, however, where concern was growing about the link between the usage of fossil fuels and climate change.

Wind Power Today

Today, generators for wind power are more commonplace. Generators in all sizes are used around the globe, from the smallest which are used for charging batteries at isolated residences, all the way up to huge offshore wind farms that provide electricity to national electric transmission systems. Watch the US Department of Energy’s time-lapse graphic to see the history of wind farm growth in the US.

Watch the US Department of Energy’s time-lapse graphic to see the history of wind farm growth in the US.

If you would like to see what some of America’s historical windmills looked like, you can visit  the American Wind Power Center Museum in Lubbock, Texas, which is home to over 100 rare and unique windmills. The Center is the premier educational facility for windmill heritage, where you can not only learn about their history, but also view them in a realistic setting. The Windmiller’s Art Gallery boasts a large collection of photographs, models and drawings in addition to rare windmill artefacts. The Center is also home to the WINDSMITH museum store, which sells a unique variety of windmill-related keepsakes.

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The History of Wind Energy

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Wind has probably been used as an energy source for more than 1500 years. In times when other energy sources were unknown or scarce, wind energy was a very successful energy source for industrial and economic development.

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Introduction

Renewable Energy Sources: A Study Focused on Wind Energy

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Beurskens, J. (2023). The History of Wind Energy. In: Schaffarczyk, A.P. (eds) Wind Power Technology. Green Energy and Technology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-20332-9_1

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Based on assimilated meteorological data for the period January 1979 to December 2010, the origin of wind energy is investigated from both mechanical and thermodynamic perspectives, with special focus on the spatial distribution of sources, historical long-term variations and the efficiency for kinetic energy production. The dry air component of the atmosphere acts as a thermal engine, absorbing heat at higher temperatures, approximately 256 K , releasing heat at lower temperatures, approximately 252 K . The process is responsible for production of wind kinetic energy at a rate of 2.46 W/m 2 sustaining thus the circulation of the atmosphere against frictional dissipation. The results indicate an upward trend in kinetic energy production over the past 32 years, indicating that wind energy resources may be varying in the current warming climate. This analysis provides an analytical framework that can be adopted for future studies addressing the ultimate wind energy potential and the possible perturbations to the atmospheric circulation that could arise as a result of significant exploitation of wind energy.

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What Is Wind Energy? Definition and How It Works

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Wind Energy Basics

How does wind energy work, what is a wind farm.

• Pros and Cons

Wind energy is electricity created from the naturally flowing air in the Earth's atmosphere. As a renewable resource that won't get depleted through use, its impact on the environment and climate crisis is significantly smaller than burning fossil fuels.

Wind energy can be created by something as simple as a set of 8-foot sails positioned to capture prevailing winds that then turn a stone and grind grain (a gristmill). Or it can be as complex as a 150-foot vane turning a generator that produces electricity to be stored in a battery or deployed over a power distribution system. There are even bladeless wind turbines .

As of 2021, there are over 67,000 wind turbines running in the United States, found in 44 states, Guam, and Puerto Rico. Wind generated about 8.4% of the electricity in the U.S. in 2020. Worldwide, it provides about 6% of the world's electricity needs. Wind energy is growing year-over-year by about 10% and is a key part of most climate change reduction and sustainable growth plans in a variety of countries, including China, India, Germany, and the United States.

Wind Energy Definition

Human beings use wind energy in a variety of ways, from the simple (it's still used to pump water for livestock in more remote locations) to the increasingly complex—think of the thousands of turbines that dominate the hills that cut through highway 580 in California (pictured above).

The basic components of any wind energy system are fairly similar. There are blades of some size and shape that are connected to a drive shaft, and then a pump or generator that either uses or collects the wind energy. If the wind energy is used directly as a mechanical force, like milling grain or pumping water, it's a called a windmill; if it converts wind energy to electricity, it's known as a wind turbine. A turbine system requires additional components, such as a battery for electricity storage, or it may be connected to a power distribution system like power lines.

Nobody really knows when the wind was first harnessed by a human being, but wind was definitely being utilized as a way to move boats on Egypt's Nile River around the year 5,000 BC. By 200 BC people in China were using the wind to power simple water pumps, and windmills with hand-woven blades were used to grind grain in the Middle East. Over time, wind pumps and mills were used in all kinds of food production there, and the concept then spread to Europe, where the Dutch built large wind pumps to drain wetlands—and from there the idea traveled to the Americas.

Wind is produced naturally when the sun heats the atmosphere, from variations in the surface of the Earth, and from the planet's rotation. Wind can then increase or decrease as a result of the influence of bodies of water, forests, meadows and other vegetation, and elevation changes. Wind patterns and speeds vary significantly across terrain, as well as seasonally, but some of those patterns are predictable enough to plan around.

Site Selection

The best locations to place a wind turbine are the tops of rounded hills, on open plains (or open water for offshore wind), and mountain passes where wind is naturally funneled through (producing regular high wind speeds). Generally, the higher the elevation the better, since higher elevations usually have more wind.

Wind energy forecasting is an important tool for siting a wind turbine. There are a variety of wind speed maps and data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) or the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in the U.S. that provide these details.

Then, a site-specific survey should be done to assess the local wind conditions and to determine the best direction to place the wind turbines for maximum efficiency. For at least a year, projects on land track wind speed, turbulence, and direction, as well as air temperatures and humidity. Once that information is determined, turbines that will deliver predictable results can be built.

Wind isn't the only factor for siting turbines. Developers for a wind farm must consider how close the farm is to transmission lines (and cities that can utilize the power); possible interference to local airports and plane traffic; underlying rock and faults; flight patterns of birds and bats ; and local community impact (noise and other possible effects).

Most larger wind projects are designed to last at least 20 years, if not more, so these factors must be considered over the long term.

Types of Wind Energy

Utility scale wind energy.

These are large-scale wind projects designed to be used as a source of energy for a utility company. They are similar in scope to a coal-fired or natural gas power plant, which they sometimes replace or supplement. Turbines exceed 100 kilowatts of power in size and are usually installed in groups to provide significant power—currently these types of systems provide about 8.4% of all energy in the United States.

Offshore Wind Energy

These are generally utility-scale wind energy projects that are planned in the waters off coastal areas. They can generate tremendous power near larger cities (which tend to cluster closer to shore in much of the United States). Wind blows more consistently and strongly in offshore areas than in land, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Based on the organization's data and calculations, the potential for offshore wind energy in the U.S. is more than 2,000 gigawatts of power, which is two times the generating capacity of all U.S. electric power plants. Worldwide, wind energy could provide more than 18 times what the world currently uses, according to the International Energy Agency.

Small Scale or Distributed Wind Energy

This type of wind energy is the opposite of the examples above. These are wind turbines that are smaller in physical size and are used to meet the energy demands of a specific site or local area. Sometimes, these turbines are connected to the larger energy distribution grid, and sometimes they are off-grid. You'll see these smaller installations (5 kilowatt size) in residential settings, where they might provide some or most of a home's needs, depending on weather, and medium-sized versions (20 kilowatts or so) at industrial or community sites, where they might be part of a renewable energy system that also includes solar power, geothermal, or other energy sources.

The function of a wind turbine is to use blades of some shape (which can vary) to catch the wind's kinetic energy. As the wind flows over the blades, it lifts them, just like it lifts a sail to push a boat. That push from the wind makes the blades turn, moving the drive shaft that they're connected to. That shaft then turns a pump of some kind—whether directly moving a piece of stone over grain (windmill), or pushing that energy into a generator that creates electricity that can be used right away or stored in a battery.

The process for an electricity-generating system (wind turbine) includes the following steps:

Wind Pushes Blades

Ideally, a windmill or wind turbine is located in a place with regular and consistent winds. That air movement pushes specially designed blades that allow the wind to push them as easily as possible. Blades can be designed so they are pushed upwind or downwind of their location.

Kinetic Energy Is Transformed

Kinetic energy is the free energy that comes from the wind. For us to be able to use or store that energy, it needs to be changed into a usable form of power. Kinetic energy is transformed into mechanical energy when the wind meets the windmill blades and pushes them. The movement of the blades then turns a drive shaft.

Electricity Is Generated

In a wind turbine, a spinning drive shaft is connected to a gearbox that increases the speed of the rotation by a factor of 100—which in turn spins a generator. Therefore, the gears end up spinning much faster than the blades being pushed by the wind. Once these gears reach a fast enough speed, they can power a generator that produces electricity.

The gearbox is the most expensive and heavy part of the turbine, and engineers are working on direct drive generators that can operate at lower speeds (so they don't need a gear box).

Transformer Converts Electricity

The electricity produced by the generator is 60-cycle AC (alternating current) electricity. A transformer may be needed to convert that to another type of electricity, depending on local needs.

Electricity Is Used or Stored

Electricity produced by a wind turbine might be used on site (more likely to be true in small or medium-sized wind projects), it could be delivered to transmission lines for use right away, or it could be stored in a battery.

More efficient battery storage is key for advancements in wind energy in the future. Increased storage capacity means that on days when the wind blows less, stored electricity from windier days could supplement it. Wind variability would then become less of an obstacle for reliable electricity from wind.

A wind farm is a collection of wind turbines that form a type of power plant, producing electricity from wind. There's no official number requirement for an installation to be considered a wind farm, so it could include a few or hundreds of wind turbines working in the same area, whether on land or offshore.

• Wind Energy Pros and Cons
• When properly placed, wind energy can produce low-cost and nonpolluting electricity about 90% of the time.
• There is minimal waste generated by a wind farm—nothing needs to be carted away and dumped, no water supply is needed to cool machinery, and there's no effluent to scrub or clean.
• Once installed, wind turbines have a low operating cost, as wind is free.
• It's space flexible: You can use a small turbine to power a home or farm building, a large turbine for industrial energy needs, or a field of giant turbines to create a power plant-level source of energy for a city.
• Wind reliability can vary. In addition, weak or strong winds will shut down a turbine and electricity won't be produced at all.
• Turbines can be noisy depending on where they are placed, and some people don't like the way they look. Home wind turbines might offend neighbors.
• Wind turbines have been found to harm wildlife, especially birds and bats.
• They have a high initial cost, though they pay for themselves relatively quickly.

" How Many Turbines Are Contained in the U.S. Wind Turbine Database? " United States Geological Survey .

“ Electricity Explained: Electricity in the United States .” U.S. Energy Information Agency, 2021.

“ International Energy Outlook 2019 With Projections to 2050 .” U.S. Energy Information Agency, 2019, pp. 90-91.

“ Global Wind Report 2019 .” Global Wind Energy Council.

“ Wind Explained History of Wind Power .” U.S. Energy Information Agency.

“ Offshore Wind Research and Development .” U.S. Department of Energy Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy.

" Offshore Wind Outlook 2019 ." International Energy Agency .

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Published: Mar 19, 2024

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I. introduction, a. definition and importance of wind energy, b. thesis statement, ii. history and development of wind energy, a. origins of wind energy usage, b. technological advancements in wind turbines, c. global adoption and growth of wind energy, iii. environmental benefits of wind energy, a. reduced greenhouse gas emissions, b. conservation of natural resources, c. impact on biodiversity, iv. economic benefits of wind energy, a. job creation in the wind energy sector, b. cost-effectiveness compared to fossil fuels, c. economic growth in regions with wind farms, v. challenges and limitations of wind energy, a. intermittency and variability of wind, b. land use and visual impact, c. impact on wildlife, vi. future prospects of wind energy, a. research and development in wind energy technology, b. integration of wind energy with other renewable sources, c. policy and government support for wind energy, vii. case studies of successful wind energy projects, a. offshore wind farms in europe, b. wind energy in developing countries, c. community-owned wind energy projects, viii. conclusion.

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Wind Energy as Forms of Sustainable Energy Sources Essay

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Introduction

Energy and climate change, renewable and free source, diminishing resources.

The development of any economy heavily depends on energy supply. However, it creates problems due to the impact of energy production on climate change (Lucian, n.d.). Wind is an essential source of sustainable energy and it does not emit pollutants.

Most governments are aware of the impact of global climate changes on humans, animals, vegetation and the environment. Thus, they have opted to support renewable energy. In fact, frameworks to support the initiative have been developed in different locations. These frameworks require commitment by governments and all other stakeholders.

Wind energy is one of the various forms of sustainable energy sources. It affords security and sustainability at the local, national and regional consumer energy market. When a country taps wind energy, the dependency on foreign fossil fuels including coal and natural gases is significantly reduced.

Increase in fuel prices and other unforeseen sources of disruptions in supply of fossil fuel minimally impact on national economy (Gipe, 1993). This essay explores wind energy to identify various aspects of this energy source. These aspects include the advantages, disadvantages and the general view of energy from academic and professional perspectives.

The power of wind can be converted into electrical and mechanical energy. It can be used to pump water when the correct combination of equipment is used, propel ships or generate electricity for use in homes and industries. Big wind farms comprise of many wind turbines. The turbines are then linked to the transmission network. The energy produced here is sufficient to run a big manufacturing plant. However, smaller turbines can produce sufficient electricity for domestic use (Archer & Jacobson, 2007).

The earliest use of wind energy was in Persia where it was used to power a machine. The windmill would be used for pumping sea water for making salt. They were also useful in grinding cereals. In the United States, water-pumping windmill permitted animal farming and irrigation in areas where water was not freely available. Other conventional sources are destructive to the environment. Additionally, these sources are decreasing and will be exhausted over years.

As a renewable energy resource, wind power guarantees the human race a stable source of electricity for centuries. In consideration that most conventional resources will be exhausted over time, it is essential for humankind to develop technology that enables maximum utilization of this inexhaustible resource.

Fossil fuel resources such as gas and coal will at some point be exhausted no matter how many generations it will take. In fact, before the discovery of storing electrical energy in cells, wind energy was used for thousands of years to steer sailboats and sail ships. Modernly, with technological application wind energy can still be used to drive large ships. Turbines can be fixed atop the ship and the same concept used in wind farms applied to produce electricity in the ship (Fthenakis & Kim, 2009).

Contemporarily, there are more than 155,000 wind turbines erected globally in more than 95 countries. The renewable source of energy presents the opportunity to conserve the ecosystem while preserving conventional energies for technologies that must use these conventional energies.

The power of fast moving air creates a form of viable energy. Naturally, the sun does not heat the earth surface equally. The equator tends to receive more heat energy than the poles due to the proximity to the sun. Similarly, dry earth surfaces absorb and release sun heat faster than water bodies and vegetated areas (Niciporuc, 2012). The differences in temperatures lead to the flow of air from cold areas to fill warm or hot areas.

The moving air can be tapped to rotate turbines proficient in the generation of electricity. The most apt locations for erecting turbines for tapping wind are the high altitude areas that are open including surroundings that are devoid of buildings or trees. Areas close to large water bodies are also appropriate as wind usually blows with more force.

Most of the traditional sources of energy pollute the environment contributing to global climate change. In contrast to these sources particularly fossil fuel energies, wind energy does not emit toxic wastes. It does not account for even the smallest amount of pollutants and carbon dioxide emissions. That is, it is friendly to the ecosystem. Other conventional energies emit substantial amounts of carbon dioxides that have far-reaching negative impacts on the ecosystem.

Wind energy is renewable and practically inexhaustible. All renewable energies will be in existence so long as the sun shines. Scientists project this to about five billion years. Besides, if this is to happen then the earth will be dilapidated long before that time. In addition, this source of energy is virtually free of charge. T

he only costs to be met in producing wind energy is the cost of equipment for harnessing wind, wind turbines for converting the energy and photovoltaic panels for storing energy. Contemporary technologies are making the production cost of wind energy cheaper. The advantage is effectively passed to the consumer. The plants once established present employment opportunities to the community.

Moreover, individuals’ lifestyle is improved and national economy is boosted. The cost of wind energy compared to conventional energies is comparatively stable. This owes to the fact that wind energy does not involve the increasingly fluctuating cost of fuel. Most oil and gas-fired power generation plants encounter huge operating costs.

The space required for the construction of facilities used for the production of conventional energies is huge compared to that required for establishing a wind energy production plant. Despite the fact that wind farms occupy big chunks of land, the turbine towers only take a small space which in most cases entails a few meters for the base. Considerable space is left for utilization in other methods around the turbines. The area can be used for cultivation or animal farming (Alina-Florentina, 2012).

Despite the many advantages of wind energy with regard to costs and prevention of climate change, there are several drawbacks that create inconveniences. One hindrance is the fluctuating speed of wind. In fact, the speed of wind is determined by a number of factors including the intensity of sun. This means that there may be limited supply of wind energy when the speed of wind is low which may impact on the activities in the manufacturing plants and lighting in homes.

In addition, there are few suitable locations where huge turbines can be erected to produce electricity sufficient to run a national economy. Ecologically, wind energy production plants can be destructive to the ecological system. Typically, the blades that harness wind have sharp edges. These edges are lethal for birds and bats during migration. Migratory birds may find their trajectory to such plants (Subramanian, 2012).

The turbines used for producing wind energy produce irritating noise and vibrations. When erected near residential areas they affect the occupants. In the United States, there have been court cases against wind energy producers. The complainants claim that noise pollution leads to the devaluation of their property thus effectively driving away potential investors.

The equipment used for generating electricity is simple. Wind rotates blades attached to a pivot in the turbine. A rotating shaft is connected to the pivot while the shaft is passed through a gear box to increase the rotating speed. The high speed shaft is then connected to a generator that produces electricity. In order to mitigate the damaging of blades when the speed of wind is very high, the turbine is fixed with a braking system (Goldstein, 2013).

Wind power is an efficient, viable and reliable source of electricity for domestic and industrial use. The energy is ecosystem-friendly. In the production of this form of energy, no carbon dioxide is produced. It is among the cleanest means of producing electricity. Depending on the speed of wind in a specific region, the power generated can run a huge manufacturing plant.

Wind energy is an appropriate alternative to the reduction and destructive fossil fuel energies. Extensive use of wind energy will reduce the impact of conventional energy on climate change. Thus, to minimize pollution through greenhouse emissions, protect environment and prevent climate change, it is essential for the stakeholders to invest in wind energy.

Alina-Florentina, C. (2012). Social and economic impacts of wind power in correlation with the financial crises. JEL, 28(4), 62-68.

Archer, C. & Jacobson, Z. (2007). Supplying base-load power and reducing transmission requirements by interconnecting wind farms. Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology, 46(11), 1701–1717.

Fthenakis, V & Kim, C. (2009). Land use and electricity generation: A life-cycle analysis. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 13(7), 1465-1467.

Gipe, P. (1993). The wind industry’s experience with aesthetic criticism. Leonardo, 26(3), 243–248.

Goldstein, L. (2013). Theoretical analysis of an airborne wind energy conversion system with a ground generator and fast motion transfer. Energy, 55(1), 987–995.

Lucian, P. (n.d). Energy for Romania from renewable resources. Studies in Business and Economics, 1(1), 111-113.

Niciporuc, T. (2012). Developing the wind energy sector in dobrogea. Economics, Management, and Financial Market s, 7(4), 544-549.

Subramanian, M. (2012). The trouble with turbines: An ill wind”. Nature, 486(7403), 310–311.

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IvyPanda. (2018, November 28). Wind Energy as Forms of Sustainable Energy Sources. https://ivypanda.com/essays/wind-energy/

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IvyPanda . 2018. "Wind Energy as Forms of Sustainable Energy Sources." November 28, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/wind-energy/.

1. IvyPanda . "Wind Energy as Forms of Sustainable Energy Sources." November 28, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/wind-energy/.

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Wind energy offers many advantages, which explains why it's one of the fastest-growing energy sources in the world. To further expand wind energy’s capabilities and community benefits, researchers are working to address technical and socio-economic challenges in support of a decarbonized electricity future.

Learn more about ongoing research to take advantage of these benefits and tackle wind energy challenges.

Advantages of Wind Power

• Wind power creates good-paying jobs.  There are over 125,000 people working in the U.S. wind industry across all 50 states, and that number continues to grow. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics , wind turbine service technicians are the fastest growing U.S. job of the decade. Offering career opportunities ranging from blade fabricator to asset manager, the wind industry has the potential to support hundreds of thousands of more jobs by 2050.
• Wind power is a domestic resource that enables U.S. economic growth. In 2022, wind turbines operating in all 50 states generated more than 10% of the net total of the country’s energy . That same year, investments in new wind projects added $20 billion to the U.S. economy.
• Wind power is a clean and renewable energy source. Wind turbines harness energy from the wind using mechanical power to spin a generator and create electricity. Not only is wind an abundant and inexhaustible resource, but it also provides electricity without burning any fuel or polluting the air. Wind energy in the United States helps avoid 336 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually —equivalent to the emissions from 73 million cars.
• Wind power benefits local communities. Wind projects deliver an estimated $2 billion in state and local tax payments and land-lease payments each year. Communities that develop wind energy can use the extra revenue to put towards school budgets, reduce the tax burden on homeowners, and address local infrastructure projects.
• Wind power is cost-effective. Land-based, utility-scale wind turbines provide one of the lowest-priced energy sources available today. Furthermore, wind energy’s cost competitiveness continues to improve with advances in the science and technology of wind energy.
• Wind turbines work in different settings. Wind energy generation fits well in agricultural and multi-use working landscapes. Wind energy is easily integrated in rural or remote areas, such as farms and ranches or coastal and island communities, where high-quality wind resources are often found.

Challenges of Wind Power

• Wind power must compete with other low-cost energy sources. When comparing the cost of energy associated with new power plants , wind and solar projects are now more economically competitive than gas, geothermal, coal, or nuclear facilities. However, wind projects may not be cost-competitive in some locations that are not windy enough. Next-generation technology , manufacturing improvements , and a better understanding of wind plant physics can help bring costs down even more.
• Ideal wind sites are often in remote locations. Installation challenges must be overcome to bring electricity from wind farms to urban areas, where it is needed to meet demand. Upgrading the nation’s transmission network to connect areas with abundant wind resources to population centers could significantly reduce the costs of expanding land-based wind energy. In addition, offshore wind energy transmission and grid interconnection capabilities are improving.
• Turbines produce noise and alter visual aesthetics. Wind farms have different impacts on the environment compared to conventional power plants, but similar concerns exist over both the noise produced by the turbine blades and the  visual impacts on the landscape .
• Wind plants can impact local wildlife. Although wind projects rank lower than other energy developments in terms of wildlife impacts, research is still needed to minimize wind-wildlife interactions . Advancements in technologies,  properly siting wind plants, and ongoing environmental research are working to reduce the impact of wind turbines on wildlife.

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• Wind Energy

Introduction to Wind Energy

As fossil energy supplies dwindle, the development of alternative energy sources has become a necessity. Simultaneously, global energy demand is increasingly rising, placing the planet on the brink of a global energy crisis. Furthermore, the widespread use of traditional energy sources pollutes the atmosphere and leads to global warming. Wind and other renewable energy sources, on the other hand, are feasible and clean alternatives to fossil fuels. Wind is one of the most cost-effective and efficient renewable energy sources because of its low operating costs and broad availability. One of the fastest-growing clean energy technologies is wind power. Globally, consumption is growing, partially due to lower prices.

According to IRENA's latest statistics, global installed wind-generation capacity onshore and offshore has increased by nearly 75 times in the last two decades, from 7.5 gigawatts (GW) in 1997 to 564 GW in 2018. Wind energy production more than doubled between 2009 and 2013, accounting for 16 per cent of all renewable energy generation in 2016. Wind speeds are high in many parts of the world, but the best locations for producing wind power are often remote. Offshore wind power has a lot of promise.

What is wind energy?

Wind power is a type of energy conversion in which turbines transform wind kinetic energy into mechanical or electrical energy that may be utilized as commercial wind turbines generate electricity by harnessing rotational energy to power a generator. They are composed of a blade or rotor and an enclosure known as a nacelle, which houses a drive train atop a tall tower. The biggest turbines can generate 4.8–9.5 megawatts of electricity, with rotor diameters that can exceed 162 meters (531 feet), and are mounted to towers that may reach 240 meters (787 feet).

Wind energy is the most established and mature renewable energy source. It creates electricity by using the kinetic energy created by the influence of air currents. It is a clean and renewable energy source that decreases greenhouse gas emissions and protects the environment. 

Wind turbines

Wind power has been utilized since antiquity to propel sail-powered vessels or to power mill gear that moves mill blades. Wind turbines have been used to generate electricity since the early twentieth century. The wind propels a propeller, which turns the rotor of a generator, which generates power, via a mechanical system. Wind turbines are frequently clustered together in wind farms to maximize energy efficiency and reduce environmental impact. The machines have a twenty-year lifetime.

Wind energy, also known as wind power, is generated by employing a wind turbine, which is a device that harnesses the strength of the wind to generate electricity. The wind blows the turbine's blades, which are linked to a rotor that further rotates a generator. Wind turbines are classified into two types: horizontal-axis wind turbines (HAWTs) and vertical-axis wind turbines (VAWTs) (VAWTs). The most prevalent form of the wind turbine is the HAWT. They often feature two or three long, thin blades, similar to an airplane propeller. The blades are oriented to face straight towards the wind. VAWTs feature shorter, broader curved blades that resemble electric mixer beaters.

Individual wind turbines may generate 100 kilowatts of power, which is enough to power a house. Small wind turbines are also employed in locations such as water pumping facilities. Wind turbines that are slightly bigger perch on towers that can reach 80 meters (260 feet) in height and have rotor blades that can reach 40 meters (130 feet) in length.  Wind turbines with rotor blades that are more than 162 meters (531 feet) long can be seen sitting on towers that rise 240 meters (787 feet) tall. 

Uses of wind energy

Some of the uses of wind energy are mentioned below.

generating electricity.

milling grain.

pumping water.

powering cargo ships (via kites)

reducing carbon footprint.

windsurfing.

land surfing .

Once created, power can be utilized, linked to the electrical grid, or stored for later use.

Working principle of a turbine

Wind turbines operate on a simple principle: rather than using energy to create wind (like a fan does), wind turbines utilize the wind to create power. Wind moves a turbine's propeller-like blades around a rotor, which spins a generator, which generates energy.

The wind is a type of solar energy created by three simultaneous events:

The sun heats the atmosphere unevenly.

Surface irregularities of the Earth

The earth's rotation.

The words "wind energy" and "wind power" both refer to the act of harnessing wind energy to create mechanical power or electricity. This mechanical power can be employed for specific activities (such as grinding grain or pumping water), or it can be converted into energy via a generator.

Small wind turbines are commonly employed in scattered applications. Single tiny wind turbines with a capacity of fewer than 100 kilowatts are primarily utilized for residential, agricultural, and small commercial and industrial uses.

FAQs on Wind Energy

1. What is a Wind Turbine?

Wind energy is converted into electricity by a wind turbine, which can then be used to power electrical devices, stored in batteries, or distributed over power lines.

2. What is the Mechanism of a Windmill?

Windmills transform wind energy directly into mechanical energy for activities like milling grain—the term's origin—or pumping water, which is what most windmills on farms are used for. A windmill's spinning vanes turn a camshaft, which is connected to the work machinery through gears and rods. The job receives all of the force.

3. What is the Difference Between Wind Turbine and Windmill?

A wind turbine is not the same as a windmill or a wind generator. Windmills and wind pumps have existed for centuries. Windmills have been used to grind grain, and wind pumps have been used to pump water from the ground and drain it to make room for new growth. Wind turbines produce electricity in the same way as hydroelectric dams and nuclear power plants do, and new wind turbine technology has put them in a class of their own. Aside from a few mechanical features, the only thing they have in common is that they're all driven by wind.

4. What is the cause of wind energy?

Wind is created by the sun's uneven heating of the earth's surface. Because the earth's surface is made up of various types of land and water, the sun's heat is absorbed at varying rates. The daily wind cycle is one example of this inconsistent warmth. Wind energy is now mostly utilized to create power. Windmills that pump water were historically common across the different nations, and some are still in use on farms and ranches, mostly to give water to cattle. Wind energy is an optimum replacement for hazardous fossil fuels.

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Origin Energy chief executive Frank Calabria says the country’s largest electricity utility will minimise the company’s ownership of wind and solar generation assets as part of a strategy to boost investor returns.

The strategy, unveiled in a briefing for Origin investors on Wednesday, is a marked departure from plans outlined by Brookfield last year. The Canadian investment giant, which made a $20 billion takeover bid with EIG Global Energy Partners, said it would invest up to $30 billion to double the company’s renewable generation portfolio.

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December 2023 summary

• September 2023 summary
• New Zealand Energy Quarterly – June 2023
• New Zealand Energy Quarterly – March 2023
• New Zealand Energy Quarterly – December 2022
• New Zealand Energy Quarterly – September 2022
• New Zealand Energy Quarterly – June 2022
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• New Zealand Energy Quarterly – December 2021
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This is the web version of the New Zealand Energy Quarterly December 2023 Summary.

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New Zealand Energy Quarterly December 2023 summary [PDF, 403 KB]

New Zealand Energy Quarterly December 2023 summary [DOCX, 925 KB]

Increased renewable generation capacity for December quarter

The renewable share of electricity generation was 90.3% for the October to December 2023 quarter.

Electricity generation from wind reached a record high of 977 GWh for the quarter and represents an increase of 32.9% compared to the same period last year. There was also a record of 125 GWh of electricity generation from grid connected solar for the quarter.

The Harapaki Wind Farm and the Kaitaia solar farm began operation this quarter, which contributed to the increase in renewable generation. Grid connected solar capacity increased from 2.1 MW to 23.7 MW, and wind capacity will increase by 176MW once the Harapaki Wind Farm is fully operational.

The renewable share of electricity generation remained high, despite hydro inflows being lower than average. Hydro generation was 12% lower than in the previous year’s December quarter, largely due to low rainfall.

The lower hydro inflows resulted in an increase in coal and gas use to meet demand. Despite this, coal and gas-based generation made up just 3.5% and 6.1% of total generation respectively. 

Greenhouse gas emissions from electricity generation increased by 352 kt CO 2 -e (93%) when compared to the same period in 2022. This increase was driven largely by the increase in coal-fired generation.

International aviation fuel use increased 51% on the previous year’s December quarter. This continued the longer term trend and recovery from the drop caused by travel restrictions in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Read more information on energy use in New Zealand

Electricity generation from hydroelectric and geothermal sources

Text description – Electricity generation from hydroelectric and geothermal sources

A time series chart showing electricity generation from hydroelectric and geothermal sources, from 2014 until 2024. Hydroelectric fluctuates in a band of about 1000 GWh, trending up from about 6000 GWh in 2014 to about 7000 GWh by 2024. Geothermal is much flatter and has remained at about 2000 GWh.

Electricity generation from solar and wind sources

Text description – Electricity generation from solar and wind sources

A time series chart showing electricity generation from solar and wind sources, from 2014 until 2024. Wind is fluctuating but trending upwards over time, with a dramatic increase in 2023-2024 to reach nearly 1000 GWh. Solar is much lower and flatter, but increasing slowly over time to reach about 125 GWh in 2024.

Electricity generation from coal and gas

Text description – Electricity generation from coal and gas

A time series chart showing electricity generation from coal and gas, from 2014 until 2024. Coal generation has largely fluctuated around 500 GWh, with the notable exception of 2021, where it rose to about 1300 GWh. Gas has trended downwards from about 1700 GWh in 2014 to about 700 GWh in 2024, but with significant fluctuations of up to 1100 GWh.

Electricity from renewable sources

Text description – Electricity from renewable sources

A time series chart showing electricity generation from renewable sources, from 2014 until 2024. Electricity generation from renewable sources has trended upwards from about 80% in 2014 to about 90% in 2024, but with significant fluctuations, especially around 2021-2022 with fluctuations of more than 10%.

CO2-e emissions from electricity generation

Text description – CO2-e-e emissions from electricity generation

A time series chart showing carbon emissions from electricity generation, from 2014 until 2024. Carbon emissions have trended downwards from about 1250 kt in 2014 to about 750 kt in 2024. There have been considerable fluctuations, the most notable being a dramatic drop of nearly 1500 kt in 2021 after a gradual increase to about 2000kt in the year beforehand.

Jet fuel consumption

Text description – Jet fuel consumption

A time series chart showing domestic and international jet fuel consumption, from 2014 until 2024. International jet fuel trends upwards until dropping dramatically in 2020 from nearly 2.5 million barrels to just over 0.5 million barrels. Plateauing until 2022, it then trends upwards to reach 2 million barrels in 2024. Domestic jet fuel also experienced a drop in 2020 but recovered much faster and has otherwise gradually trended upwards from 0.5 million barrels with minimal fluctuations to reach about 0.8 million barrels in 2024.

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