1. Overview Wind Energy is currently the fastest renewable power source within our reach. Through this form of energy, the wind’s kinetic force is transformed into mechanical power through a turbine. The produced mechanical power can be used for several tasks, including grinding grain or pumping water. Also, electricity can be converted through a generator for use by homes and businesses. Benefits Wind Energy is the most renewable and simply attainable energy resource available to us today. As well as becoming more and more favored over traditional methods of creating energy due to its continual price reduction of production, it is widely distributed, cheap and it reduced toxic gas emissions. The cost of producing wind energy has decreased by at least 80% since the 80’s and it may soon be the cheapest way to produce energy on a large scale. In addition, this type of energy generates no pollution and it is readily available around the world, therefore there would be no need of dependence for energy for any country. Wind Energy Is A Significant Source In Powering The Planet By: Danielle Monastiero Cost The overall cost of wind energy varies depending on several factors, including equipment, site, and ownership. The Energy Information Administration (EIA) estimate a total overnight capital cost including contingency for wind to be about $1,003.00 per kW. Disadvantages A large number of turbines have been built to generate the proper amount of wind energy, but a significant concern is the indirect contribution of noise pollution from these turbines. Since wind energy requires knowledge of the weather and wind conditions on a long term basis, it may be quite impractical due to the fact that wind cannot be predicted. Unfortunately, many potential wind farms are far away from places which wind energy is best suited. This energy is also non-dispatchable. The amount of wind supplied to an area and the amount of energy produced from it will depend on factors like the wind speeds and the turbine characteristics. Gathering There are two types of wind turbines, the egg beater style (vertical axis) and a the propeller style (horizontal axis). When the wind hits the blades of the turbine, they rotate and the shaft turns the nacelle, which is the box located at the top of the turbine. Useful Transformation Wind propels wind generators, which convert the moving energy into electricity. The rotation speed of the rotor increases to the point that the generator is then able to convert the wind energy into electrical energy using magnetic fields. This electrical energy goes into a transformer, which then transmits the converted wind energy to the grid, providing energy for any number of purposes throughout the country. Wind farms for power generation can only provide negligible useful electricity to grid supply systems. Since they only provide intermittent power, they merely displace thermal power stations onto standby mode while the thermal power stations wait for the wind to change. Wind farms make no significant reduction to pollution because thermal power stations continue using their fuel and producing their emissions while operating in standby mode. The large scale use of wind farms requires upgrading of an electricity grid, more complex grid management, and operation of additional thermal power stations to protect against power cuts in times of supply failure. These effects increase the cost of electricity supplied by the grid in addition to the capital, maintenance and operating costs of the wind farms themselves. Possibilities Wind Energy could provide 6% of our nation’s electricity or about the same as hydropower by 2020. The regional power council predicts about 85% of the Pacific Northwest’s demand for electricity in the next 20 years could be met through conservation such as investments in energy efficient equipment, buildings, and products. The council also predicts that these investments could help reduce gas emissions by 17 million tons per year by 2030, while creating 47,000 new jobs in the region as well. The global wind power capacity in 2020 is expected to be around 1,900,000 megawatts. This would continue wind energy’s lead as the most popular renewable energy source in the world. Scale Today’s utility scale wind turbines produce enough energy for 300 to 600 typical US households per turbine, are down for maintenance less than 2% of the time, and have a typical rotational speed of approximately 15 RPM. Sclae of comparison between small wind turbine and utility- scale wind turbine