Wind turbines convert kinetic energy from wind into mechanical and then electrical energy. Charles Brush invented the first electric wind turbine in 1888. While wind power provides a free and renewable fuel source, its environmental impacts such as habitat destruction and risks to birds and bats require further study. Erecting wind turbines can require clearing forests and farmland, disrupting ecosystems. Small mammals and birds are also at risk of death by colliding with turbines.

1. Wind Turbines Essay
"A wind turbine is a machine for converting the kinetic energy in wind into mechanical energy". (1) The inventor of the first electric wind turbine was
Clevelander Charles Brush, who ran his entire Euclid Avenue mansion off of one for 20 years, which later made the cover of Scientific American in
1888. (2) Although the use of alternate energy didn't rise a great deal afterward, this event did open the eyes for many environmentalists. Wind power is
only one of our several "energy source[s] whose 'fuel' is free and will never be exhausted" (3) with the pros and cons not completely weighed out as to
whether it will be truly beneficial or not. The two main issues regarding wind turbines are the environmental effects that they have and the...show more
content...
The constructions of the turbines alone are creating an effect on these mammals because of the frequency of noise that is emitted into the water. These
frequencies disrupt mammal communication, location and location of other species around them.
One other environmental factor regarding wind turbines, especially the wind farms, is that "erecting and maintaining wind turbines can also
necessitate clearing land: ridgeline installations often require a fair amount of deforestation, and then there's the associated clearing for access roads,
maintenance facilities, and the like". (7) Although we are trying to help the environment by creating a safer and cleaner source of energy, the actions
of clearing our forests, and whatever ecosystem that lived in that forest, in order to save the environment appears to be an oxymoron. "But there are
also now a great many turbines situated on farmland, where the fields around their bases are still actively farmed". (8)
The long term effects of this issue could be devastating if precautions are not taken. Small rodents are known to find shelter at the base of the large
wind turbines, luring different bird species to wind farms causing a higher death rate for the birds. The wind farms are also unfortunately located in the
migration
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2. Essay on Wind Energy
Wind Energy is a viable industry that has become a valuable energy source. The energy generated from wind is clean and efficient. The wind energy
industry helps to ensure that electric demands are met, wildlife impact is minimal, the environment is not devastated, as well as creates new jobs
during the construction of wind farms, daily operations, manufacturing components, and exporting components to foreign countries.
Development and Costs
In 1986, the National Renewable Energy Laboratories developed a wind resource assessment for the U.S. Department of Energy. The assessment
consisted of surface wind data and upper–air data. The results of this project help today's developers determine the best location for a wind farm, as
shown in...show more content...
The amount will decrease over time." The cost of 25 cents a month isn't much and the transmission line can be used by other renewable sources of
energy, such as solar.
Another necessity to building a wind farm is large areas of land. Wind turbines need a circumference around the turbine of 150 feet to 250 feet.
Access roads are needed to each turbine for routine maintenance as well as a building for the site personnel. The amount of land needed can range
from 3,000 to 35,000 acres with related equipment, roads and a buffer zone. In Colorado, reported by North AmericanWind Power, NextEra Energy
Resources is developing a wind site that will include 125 turbines on 35,000 acres of land and 40 miles of transmission line that will connect to the
electrical grid. The majority of the land is leased or right of way is purchased.
The type of turbine purchased depends on the wind speeds, the electricity the grid can absorb and the cost of the turbine. According to the United States
International Trade Commission in 2008 there were 13 turbine manufacturers with two United States manufacturers generating 50% of the market. The
chart below shows the dimensions of a turbine for three of the top manufactures.
ModelName PlateCapacityBlade†Hub ht†Total htArea sweptRpm
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3. Essay On Wind Energy
INTRODUCTION
Wind power captures natural wind and converts it into mechanical energy and then electricity. Wind energy is the fastest growing energy source in
the world; aiming to produce 20% of its electricity by wind power by 2030. We started using wind power centuries ago with windmills, they
pumped water, grounded grain and so much more. Wind turbines today are a much more evolved version of a windmill. They range in size at 80
feet tall and can power a single home. And a utility scale turbine can power hundreds of homes. It is a renewable, clean source of energy that doesn't
generate any greenhouse gases. It can possibly improve (or not) our lives at home and work.
MAIN POINT 1
Wind is caused by the rotation of the earth from the...show more content...
That is around the average percent. The survey also showed how much companies have lost from investing in renewable energy; which was not a lot.
The return of investment was not much for everyone but renewable energy is a better route. It reduced the risk of rising fossil fuel prices and prices for
electricity in general. So all in all, the technology for renewable energy is not a bad investment anymore, the only problem that may come is the amount
of money earned from an individual investment.
MAIN POINT 3
Although wind energy has a lot of benefits it has some disadvantages too. Wind energy can be unreliable. The wind could stop blowing abruptly,
causing wind turbines to stop abruptly, as well. So back up power generators must be immediately ready to replace the wind generated electricity.
This could cause a grid to collapse causing blackouts. Also, serious storms with high wind could cause harm to the turbine. They are at risk of
being shocked by lighting since they are so large. The edges of wind turbines could also be very dangerous for wildlife, especially birds and
animals flying in the range of the turbines. Not only are they unsafe for wildlife, but for people too. Damage from storms and high wind could be
very dangerous for people working near by. They could risk a blade falling on them and maybe hurting or killing them. So wind energy has a huge
downside. It may have a huge downside to why you
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4. Essay on Wind Power
Wind Power: Nature's Gift
Wind power is a clean and renewable energy that, while at times unreliable, has very low upkeep cost and is growing at a rapid rate. While there is
currently enough wind power to provide many times our current energy need, it is unfeasible in reality. Wind power utilizes the kineticenergy of air and
uses it to power a generator to produce electricity. Even though dependence on wind power is impossible, it still can provide a strong, clean, quantity of
power to supplement current energy production.
Wind energy is essentially the conversion of the kinetic energy from air molecules in motion to mechanical energy which is generally then converted
into electrical energy. People have used wind power since 700 AD in...show more content...
Wind power and solar power also tend to compliment each other; a study by the Massachusetts Maritime Academy has shown that generally, while
wind speeds are high solar power generation tends to be low and vice versa, so the two could be used in conjunct to make up for each other's
weaknesses.
The main cost of wind energy is in the initial investment in the construction of a wind turbine; the upkeep cost is generally marginal and lower than one
cent per kWhr. In general, wind power works by having air molecules move across the turbine blades transferring kinetic energy from the molecules to
the turbine, causing it to turn. As it turns, the mechanical energy can be used to perform tasks such as grinding grain. More commonly, the turbine
turns and utilizes a power generator to convert the mechanical energy to electrical energy.
While wind power is currently more expensive per unit of energy (the initial cost of construction is spread across a turbine's lifetime, generally around
20–30 years) than alternatives such as coal; wind power lacks the negative externalities that other energy sources produce, namely pollution, through the
formation of CO2, heat, and other waste materials. Once factors such as health problems, global warming, destruction of wilderness and such come
into play, wind energy becomes a very
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