Wind Energy
Wind power or wind energy is a form of renewable energy that harnesses the power of
the wind to generate electricity. It involves using wind turbines to convert the turning motion of
blades, pushed by moving air (kinetic energy) into electrical energy (electricity). This requires
certain technologies, such as a generator that sits at the top of a tower, behind the blades, in the
head (nacelle) of a wind turbine. Wind Energy captures the natural wind in our environment and
converts the air’s motion into mechanical energy. Wind is caused by differences in atmospheric
pressure. Wind speeds vary based on geography, topography and season. As a result, there are
some locations better suited for wind energy generation than others. In general, wind speeds are
higher near the coast and offshore since there are fewer objects like vegetation, mountains and
buildings to slow them down. Wind energy is actually a byproduct of the sun. The sun’s uneven
heating of the atmosphere, the earth’s irregular surfaces (mountains and valleys), and the planet's
revolution around the sun all combine to create wind. Since wind is in plentiful supply, it’s
a resource for as long as the sun’s rays heat the planet.
Types of Wind Turbines
The majority of wind turbines fall into two basic types:
Horizontal-Axis Turbines and Vertical-Axis Turbines
Horizontal-Axis turbines
Horizontal-axis wind turbines
are what many people picture when
thinking of wind turbines. Most
commonly, they have three blades and
operate "upwind," with the turbine
pivoting at the top of the tower so the
blades face into the wind.
Vertical-Axis Turbines
Vertical-axis wind turbines come in
several varieties, including the
eggbeater-style Darrieus model, named
after its French [Link] turbines
are omnidirectional, meaning they don’t
need to be adjusted to point into the wind
to operate.
Applications of Wind Turbines
Land-based wind, Offshore Wind, distributed wind.
Land-based wind
Land-based wind turbines range in size from 100 kilowatts
to as large as several megawatts. Larger wind turbines are
more cost effective and are grouped together into wind
plants, which provide bulk power to the electrical grid.
Offshore Wind
Offshore wind turbines tend to be massive, and taller than
the Statue of Liberty. They do not have the same
transportation challenges of land-based wind installations,
as the large components can be transported on ships instead
of on roads. These turbines are able to capture powerful
ocean winds and generate vast amounts of energy.
Distributed wind
When wind turbines of any size are
installed on the "customer" side of the
electric meter, or are installed at or near
the place where the energy they produce
will be used, they're called "distributed
wind.
Wind Energy in Agriculture?
We need a large scale change to reduce polluting energy production. We are using up
fossil fuels at a rate that will run out by the end of this century. To add to this, we are creating
carbon emissions that cause a number of environmental problems. So, now we need to find
alternative energy sources, wind energy is the best alternative to fossil fuel. Across the world, we
now generate a total of 591,594 MW from wind power. While this is only a percentage of the
total, wind power is growing by around 9% each year. This growth is in tune with its forecast
and growing role helping to reduce carbon emissions and our reliance on non-renewable energy
sources. In our race to reduce polluting fossil fuel sourced energy wind power is going to
become one of the main sources of energy that we rely on.
Many farmers already produce renewable energy by growing corn to make ethanol. An
increasing number of farmers and ranchers are now adding to their incomes by harvesting the
wind that blows across their land to make electricity. And new options are becoming available.
Renewable energy and farming are a winning combination. Wind, solar, and biomass energy can
be harvested forever, providing farmers with a long-term source of income. In traditional
agriculture in many places, farmers grow trees along the edges of fields, a technique that slows
the wind and stirs up the air, benefiting the crops in the field. For centuries wind power was used
on farms to grind grain into flour and pump water from wells. However, in recent years support
for renewable energy has increased. Some farmers in windy and areas with sun now have the
opportunity to raise crops or livestock while simultaneously using their lands to host wind
turbines.
