| Wind powered generators are one of the most | | | | no greenhouse pollutants generated, and no |
| ancient kinds of alternative power sources on | | | | need to store, process, or to deal with toxic |
| the planet. They are made to manufacture | | | | wastes. On the low end of the spectrum, |
| energy by transforming the kinetic energy of | | | | turbines can be as small as five feet in |
| the wind into mechanical energy, which is | | | | diameter and might be capable of only a few |
| then either tapped directly (in the case of | | | | hundred watts. At the high end of the scale, |
| windmills, for example, which were used to | | | | turbines can be as huge as 200 feet in |
| make flour from grain, or to pump water for | | | | diameter and may be capable of generating 2 |
| irrigation) or coupled directly to an | | | | to four megawatts of power. Like with |
| electrical generator that creates a DC | | | | photovoltaic solar electricity generation, |
| electrical output that can be used in a more | | | | there may be incentives available for |
| general sense. In this publication I will be | | | | construction, and energy in excess of that |
| talking about the type of wind generators | | | | which we are using can be sold back to the |
| that produce electrical power, as this is the | | | | power company. Wind speed is impacted by the |
| most useful to us in our daily lives. Wind | | | | local topography and increases with height |
| turbines are basically large windmills, with | | | | above the ground, so wind turbines are |
| gigantic blades that turn as a result of the | | | | generally installed on large towers. For a |
| wind and create energy from the conversion of | | | | typical installation, the wind turbine sits |
| the winds energy. Wind turbines are | | | | on top of a tall tower and generates low |
| manufactured using fiberglass, copper, steel | | | | voltage DC that is used to charge a battery |
| along with many other space age materials. | | | | store - this stored electricity is harnessed |
| Wind turbines have many negative impacts on | | | | by passing it through an inverter which |
| the environment. They are obviously very | | | | transforms the low voltage direct current |
| visible, and very ugly since they must be | | | | power into higher voltage AC energy for use |
| located in close proximity to windy, fairly | | | | in household applications. By concentrating |
| open terrain to be useful - recent attempts | | | | numerous turbines into wind farms a |
| to position them offshore have been greeted | | | | substantial amount of power can be stored and |
| with great success. They also require energy | | | | utilized, perhaps for a whole city or town. |
| in their production, energy which is | | | | Due to the fact that the wind doesnt blow all |
| fossil-based, and therefore it takes | | | | the time in most areas, wind turbines are |
| substantial time before they are beneficial | | | | used in hybrid systems with many different |
| in terms of greenhouse gas emissions - this | | | | technologies like photovoltaic solar panels, |
| timeframe can be anywhere from three to six | | | | batteries, and diesel generators to provide a |
| years. They are often linked to the mauling | | | | consistent source of electricity. Contrary to |
| of birds that can be shredded as they pass | | | | fossil-fuel power stations, wind turbines are |
| between the turbine blades during transitory | | | | clean - they do not manufacture the CO2 |
| passages although this issue is heavily | | | | emissions that are thought to be causing |
| debated. With all of the negatives aside, | | | | greenhouse gases or the sulfur dioxide |
| wind turbines should be a choice when talking | | | | emissions that cause acid rain. Modern day |
| about a broad strategy for green energy, in | | | | wind turbines are divided into 2 major |
| those areas that are well suited to them. | | | | categories, namely horizontal axis turbines |
| Once up and running, wind turbines are very | | | | and vertica axis turbines. Modern horizontal |
| efficient in a larger sense - they produce | | | | axis wind turbines are actually better at |
| electricity from a natural, sustainable | | | | capturing the wind than vertical axis |
| renewable resource, without the hidden social | | | | machines given the same amount of swept area |
| or environmental costs that we incur with the | | | | (i.e. the diameter of the circle traced by |
| burning of fossil fuels - there is no need to | | | | the outside tip of the blades). |
| mine the fuel or to transport it - there are | | | | |