Wind Energy
Wind energy - one of the most simple and accessible for the development of
renewable energy sources. According to a recent report of the Department of
Energy (Department of Energy, DOE) is currently in the United States 17 000
megawatts of wind generated electricity, this energy is sufficient to provide
1.2% of the country's electricity. It was expected that in coming years,
industry «Alternative Energy» will be developed by making greater and greater
contribution to total electricity generation. In this light, it would not be bad
to dispel some myths created around this technology.
1. Wind - cheap energy
Wind does not belong to anybody, so many people think that wind power costs less
energy, for which you want to costly fuel, such as coal or natural gas.
Nevertheless, the initial investment in wind energy is high. Initial cost of
installing wind farms producing energy is 1.5 - 2 million dollars at a rate of
over 1 megawatt, which is comparable in value with the launch of the classical
electric power, gas or coal. But the wind does not always blow, so the
efficiency of the turbines are not high: they produce energy only during 30% of
its work, which increases the time during which the project pays for itself.
Given the cost of the 20-year operation of the facility and the size of some
countries in this industry subsidies, the final cost of 1 kilowatt-hour will be
about 4 cents (according to the calculations of DOE). This is slightly higher
cost of energy coal. Nevertheless, this figure is constantly decreasing, then
there is hope that in future, wind power will not be much more expensive than
traditional power plants.
2. Only a small percentage of wind generated energy comes from the United States
In Denmark, 20% of electricity generated power of wind. In Germany, found the
largest number of wind generators. In the last year alone in China amount of
electricity generated by wind, has doubled.
You may think that the U.S. is behind them. However, when compared to indicators
of energy produced, it is in the United States wind produces the largest number
of energy (for example, in America, more windy days in the year than in
Germany).
One of the latest breaking news was reported that the Texas billionaire T. Boone
Pikens (T. Boone Pickens) intends to build in West Texas, the largest wind power
around the globe. This project is part of the so-called plan Pikensa to invest 1
billion dollars in the creation of «wind corridor» from Dakota to Texas.
3. The turbines turbines heavily noisy
The first wind turbines really quite rustled, but with each passing day more and
more engineers are making low-level noise. The new turbines are much quieter
than the previous formulation.
The most unfortunate in this respect has been built in 1978 in North Carolina
turbine, which produced low-frequency sound waves, which rattle the glass in the
windows of nearby houses, which, in turn, frightened people.
Most modern turbines rotors spin more slowly and the blades are in the direction
of movement of wind, ie before the rotor itself. According to Peta Moriarty (Pat
Moriarty) from the National Laboratory for Research on Renewable Energy (United
States), these and other improvements will significantly reduce the noise of
wind turbines.
However, people living in the vicinity of wind fields, continue to complain, and
the industry looks for new ways to solve this problem.
4. The turbines turbines kill birds
Unfortunately this is partly true. But the problem is not so great, as is common
practice to think.
This myth is bound to his appearance set Altamont Pass Wind Resource Area in
California. The problem is that the generators built exactly on the route of
migration of birds.
In addition, in 4800 small wind turbine installed in the early 80's, rotors are
low and close to each other, which, in turn, can also cause an annual loss of
more than 1000 birds.
More modern wind power is the cause of death for a smaller number of birds,
probably because their generators are located above and next to each other.
According to recent studies, the birds are killed in collisions with cars and
buildings than the blades of turbines.
5. Windmill can be installed in every home
If you do not own a suburban villa with a large plot of land, it is hardly
possible. In addition, the surrounding space must be free from buildings and
tall trees that wind power could generate enough energy.
Nevertheless, the market for small wind power grew by 14% over 2007. Some of
these generators is made for the ships, but some houses located away from power
lines.