Wind Energy: Another Green Energy
When the earth came into being the wind also came to serve the life. The poets have enjoyed the romance in flowing winds, the soothing aroma that flower transferred through wind(breeze) making environment so charming that energized the human spirits to love and care for mutual co existence. Wind Energy as solution to the energy has been in use since ancient times.
There is a wonderful citing to be read ,“The first windmills for grinding grain appeared in Persia more than 1,000 years ago, and later spread as far as China and northern Europe, where the Dutch developed the massive machines for which the country is still known.”[1]
Therefore, the Wind Energy can be referred as Ancient Technology for Modern Times. Lets us see how Wind Energy works. The Sun when heats the environment the air begins to heat up and rises, which is cold air enters the vacuum created by this and flow of air or air currents are created(since the earth is heated differentially i.e. more at equator less at poles). This flow of air is Wind Energy, which is passed though large fan sort structure with the specially curved large fan blades mounted on rotating shaft, to which is connected the electricity generator. These large fan structures are known as Wind Energy towers. They have varied shapes, sizes according to the ecosystem and wind convection currents available. The Wind Energy turbines are sited after detail study and careful monitoring of air currents. The practical rule for this is the wind blowing regions must have wind velocity of 10mph (17kmph).
The Wind Energy towers are of following types:
According Shore Line Perspective
1. Onshore Wind Energy Projects: Lying near to three kilometers or more of shoreline especially in hilly areas.
2. Offshore Wind Energy Projects: Lying beyond shoreline by 10 kilometers in the water area.
3. Near shore Wind Energy Projects: Lying near to shoreline within three kilometers on land and ten kms in the water area.
According to the Axis Perspective
1. Vertical Axis Wind Energy Mills: The fan blades or wings are attached to a long vertical shaft.
2. Horizontal Axis Wind Energy Mills: The fan blades are attached to Horizontal shaft.
Another perspective to distinguish Wind Energy generating projects are of commercial interest (large scale or small scale). An Interesting technology is being discussed and developed that is to derive Wind Energy from very High Altitude Suspended Turbines by Magenn Power Inc.
Wind Energy has unquestionable benefits. Paul Gipe has written, that it’s a clean fuel and regarding this a study conducted by Danish researchers says, the Wind Energy plant emits the 0.2% to 0.3% of emissions (Oxides of Sulphur, Carbon, and Nitrogen) to what Coal Energy plant emits in 25 years of life span.[2] Simplifying the quotes the ratio of emitting the pollutants is 0.002:1. Another benefit of Wind Energy is that even small windmill can be installed to generate power for homes. A detailed Guideline is available with AWEA (American Wind Energy Association) for installing small Wind Energy Mills.[3] The Wind Energy can be easily coupled with other power generating sources, like Solar Power Or Hydro-Electric Power. The other significant gains on commercial view point that Wind Energy mills are energy efficient by 17 to 35 times. The farmers can grow corn and generate the wind power at same time in the same field, so extra forestland clearance is saved.
Apart from this, some controversies are also regarding Wind Energy related to Bird causalities and aesthetic appeal of human factors like looks of Wind Energy Farms does not feel good.Overall, the Wind Energy is going to establish itself as next millennium’s power generation technology. An over view of this is presented by NREL which claims that USA generates the 10,000MW of Wind Energy, which is an optimistic figure.
(for further reading you can reffer)
[1] Source:http://www.healthandenergy.com/WindPower.htm
[2] Source: http://www.awea.org/faq/bal.html
[3Source:http://www.bergey.com/School/Cal.Permitting.Handbook.pdf
http://www.nrel.gov/wind/publications.html http://www.nrel.gov/wind/index.html?print
http://www.windpower.org(Danish Organization)
http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d04756.pdf