View: An Intro to Wind Energy
View: An Intro to Wind Energy
This resource includes the following information:
Wind Energy is ENERGY that is obtained from turbine engines powered by the natural movement of the air. Wind energy is as a form of solar energy because wind is caused by variations in the amount of heat that the sun sends to different parts of the earth. It may be converted into electrical or mechanical power through the use of a wind.
Wind Energy is:
Green energy and does not produce air pollution
Highly reliable and very efficient
Cost are not prohibitive
Decreases level of demand on the power grids and enhances reliability
A completely renewable fuel source
As stated by the Canadian Wind Energy Association: Using wind to produce enough power for over 200 homes (2,000,000 kWh) of electricity instead of burning coal will leave 900,000 kilograms of coal in the ground and reduce annual greenhouse gas emissions by 2,000 tonnes. This has the same positive impact as taking 417 cars off the road or planting 10,000 trees.
Wind is the fastest growing energy technology in the world with 1999 world wind industry involving 3,900 megawatts (MW) with an increase to 8133 MW four years later and in 2004, there was approximately 40,000 MW of wind installed around the world
In certain cases it may be feasible for home-owners to install a wind powered generator to supply renewable energy. A wind turbine is installed on top of a tall tower. It converts the wind’s kinetic energy into electricity. Rarely does a home operate solely on wind generated electricity. More often, a home is served simultaneously by the wind turbine and a local utility.
A turbine needs a minimum wind velocity in order to generate power. If wind speeds are less than 4.5 - 7.5 km/hr, no electricity will be generated by the turbine. All residential electricity must be purchased from a utility when there is inadequate wind.
As the wind’s speed increases, turbine output increases to a maximum level. The more power generated from the turbine, proportionately less power is purchased from the utility. When the turbine produces more power than the house needs, the extra electricity can be sold to the utility through a net metering system. This is all done automatically. There are no batteries in a modern residential wind system.
A wind turbine can lower electric bills by 50 to 90 percent although this may vary monthly. The amount of money a small wind turbine saves will depend upon its cost, the amount of electricity generated, the amount of electricity needed, and the average wind speed at the site.
Wind resource data published by Environment Canada is sufficient for an experienced evaluator to estimate a wind turbine’s performance. In very hilly or mountainous areas, however, it may be best to collect wind data before purchasing a system to ensure that your site is not in a sheltered area.
The economics of a wind system are sensitive to the average wind speed in the area, and the cost of purchasing electricity. Generally, for a wind turbine to be of economic benefit, a home owner needs at least a 10 - 15 km/hr average wind speed year round.
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