Wind energy is form of renewable energy. This 'new' source of energy is getting more popular and not without reason. In various parts in the world big wind turbine parks are placed by corporate businesses yielding big quantities of energy that can be sold as environmental friendly or 'green' energy. Wind energy is a big business. Big companies profit from renewable energy but also invest substantially in this new energy source.
As you can mention before wind energy is very environmental friendly. In the search for alternatives for fossil fuels this energy source turned out to be very lucrative. This energy source makes us less dependent on traditional fossil fuels. It is important to lessen the dependence on traditional fuels. There are many reasons why here we will inform you with the most important once. The traditional fuels are predominantly in the hands of countries in troublesome areas. Therefore you are not sure if the amount of crude oil you request will be delivered due to instability in the region. Also the price for these old fuels is increasing and the current reserves are diminishing. But most of all these old energy sources pollute our planet. But as always the beautiful story of wind energy has not only positive sides. Let's look at some of negative points as well.
In the Netherlands a windmill park is located in the north of the country. Although the local people here were in favour of the windmills they changed their minds when the mills were actually placed. The residents were complaining about a constant noise during the night that could be compared to a Boeing taking of. These complaints were not taking serious by the corporate business owners. Therefore the residents decided to research their complaints by the local university. The outcome of the research was that the residents were right and their complaints should be taken seriously. It turned out that the windmills produced more noise in the evening and night than during daytime due to a higher turbulence at night caused by very specific changes in the upper air layers. During the day there is less turbulence and the sounds that are produced by the windmills are diminished by the noise of local traffic and wind blowing through the trees. All specifics can be read in this paper: The Sound of High Winds: The Effect of Atmospheric Stability on Wind Turbine Sound and Microphone Noise by Frits van den Berg.
In Germany wind mills where placed in the North Sea. Although the location for this purpose is very good, the park doesn't seem to produce the calculated amount of energy. The windmills often don't work properly due to malfunction. Whilst the location is good and wind is blowing almost constantly the windmills often just don't work. The mills were not moving at all and therefore not producing electricity. This project turned out to be very disappointing, but the project is still running and it is believed that it will function according to plan in the future.
In the United States in Vermont the local residents were opposed by the planning of a new wind turbine park. The locals felt that the wind towers would ruin their beautiful landscape. It is a landscape that many generations have fought to preserve and the current residents our proud of. It is hard to convince people to share their landscape with large wind towers that disturb these beautiful views. The plans for building the windmills in Vermont are of the table.
Although is it a good and economical of energy, wind energy is taking some real blows. The advantages are clear and the disadvantages are becoming clear as well. When placed in a surrounding where the landscape is cherished by the people who live there, one could argue not to place them because it might ruining the beautiful landscape and spoil the beautiful views. Locals and tourist would find these turbines just plain ugly. Also it should be kept in mind that wind turbines with these sizes can produce a lot of noise during the evening and night. Beside these considerations it has shown that wind energy is not always a big success and there is more progress to be made. Technically there are some steps to be made, but a lot of people are working hard in this. Let's hope that wind energy is here to stay and we will find proper ways to utilise this form a way that we all can benefit from it.
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Will Wind Energy Be Blown Away?
Alternative Energy Sources Of Solar And Wind Power
Many scientists today agree that global warming is a serious issue and that the cause of global warming is carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere when fossil fuels are burned. Politicians, too, are being swayed as they see increases in property damaged, injuries, and even deaths due to natural catastrophes which appear to have gotten worse in recent decades.
Because fossil fuels appear to be the source of worldwide atmospheric change, people have began to look to other methods of producing energy. In addition to causing atmospheric change, there's the reality that we will run out of fossil fuels. The world's economy is based on fossil fuels but they are a finite resource. Eventually we will run out of them. Fossil fuels are not a sustainable resource. Two methods of producing energy which have little impact on the environment and are sustainable are solar and wind power.
First, we'll take a look at solar power. Solar power is, of course, power derived from the energy of the sun's rays. The limitation with this energy source is the sun itself. The sun will never run out, except at night. Solar power sources have been designed to compensate for the downtime of night or cloudy days, but solar power works best in sunny climates.
Solar power is generally used in one of three ways: to generate heat, to generate electricity, and to desalinate salt water. Solar powered heating systems are usually either active or passive in design. An active solar heating system uses pumps to circulate water which has been heated by the sun. Passive solar heating systems use the nature of water to create circulation. This method relies on the fact that heat energy wants to move into areas of lesser heat.
In generating electricity, solar power is harnessed by photovoltaic cells which convert the suns energy into electricity. These cells have been widely used to power calculators for decades. In solar desalination, the power of the sun is used to evaporate water to separate it from the salt and other undesirable minerals.
Another type of clean, renewable power comes from the wind. Wind power, while growing in popularity, still accounts for barely 1% of the world's power supply. This is hard to believe considering how much the wind blows! Wind power is usually harnessed using wind turbines.
A centuries old version of harnessing wind power is the windmill. These lovely structures used the wind to grind grains and pump water. Today's wind turbines are advanced machinery employing the latest technologies.
More and more "wind farms" are sprouting up around the world. These huge arrays of wind turbines can be found on land and offshore. The biggest ones in the US are land-based farms in California, Oregon, and Washington. There are also more and more popping up the Midwest. Because of energy costs and damage done to the environment, alternative energy sources are receiving a great deal of interest. Two of the most promising are solar and wind power.
Lower Your Utility Bill
Are you concerned about your home energy bill? Has it increased the past years to numbers you could not even have imagined back than? Do you feel like it is time to turn this around and start paying less? Of course you do! You don't have to throw out all your appliances and devices, nor will you have to live like a night creature in the dark. What you can do is to invest in one or more home energy generation systems.
A home energy generation system can be the solution if you were eagerly searching for a way to lower those bills. Such a system provides you with the best way to get the maximum financial freedom on home energy. It will give you the opportunity to utilize alternative energy. However this will mean that you will have to invest in these systems, because they don't come cheap. But it will be worth every penny you have spent! Among all types of alternative energy that can be used, wind energy and solar energy are the most common. Let's review them briefly here.
Let's start with wind energy. Wind energy is becoming more and more popular and for good reasons. Wind energy is accessible for many households and is very abundant in many parts of the country. Thus, many household can capitalize on the use of wind as a source of home energy. On the downside wind varies vary on a daily basis. Thus, it may be blowing strong today but tomorrow can be different. And even on the breeziest places, you can never tell when will be the next strong wind blow occurs. Even though this is true is, it also a known fact that wind pattern exist. Summers will bring less wind than winter, then the winds are strong and will keep your turbine spin most of the days.
If you are really interested in wind turbines it is note worthy to make sure that the local zoning allows wind turbine. You must also ensure that there is a good source of wind on most days. A wide and open space, at least 1 acre, would be ideal for wind turbines. And, if you are paying more than $150 monthly, then it may be a good option for you. If you are living in the suburbs than the 1 acre space can be big problem. Although there are new and improved smaller wind turbines available, you would still have to get permission to install the turbine. That's were the next alternative energy source comes in.
The next source that is widely used all over the world is solar energy.
Solar panels can be placed on your roof. It can be argued if the solar panels ruin the view of the homes in the neighbourhood. It is purely a matter of taste. But it is not likely that you would not get permission to place them on your roof. The early panels used to reflect a lot of sunshine and could block vision. Just like a mirror reflecting sunlight and could be blinding the eyes. But that was long ago. Today's solar panels don't have that mirroring effect anymore and the efficiency has been improved also. When they first were produced the efficiency was around 5 %, today the efficiency has tripled to 15%.
The modern panels are lightweight, safe and most of all, easy to install. These are essential in order to place them above your roof.
Your roof is also susceptible in UV exposure. The solar panel eliminates this. Also your roof will be protected from weather.
Another benefit is that solar panels contribute in keeping your house well insulated. They provide extra covering and enable you to save as much as 30% on heating expenses.
Drilling holes in your roof is very risky. The interlocking solar panels eliminate this risk.
Solar panels come in different sizes. This means that you can buy a solar panel no matter what the size and shape of your roof is.
Solar panels are installed without requiring you to modify your roof. It will adapt instantly.
Solar panels can be used on every home with a roof. That means that you don't have to live in the country to profit from this energy source.
And you don't even need a full day of sunshine to profit from this energy source. It doesn't matter if it is cloudy or raining day, these panels work on light. The generated power will be less than on a sunshiny day, but it will generate energy.
You can use these panels for electricity and hot water. The hot water can be used for central heating and running hot water. The electricity can be used for your appliances.
Solar power and wind energy can reduce your utility bill tremendously. A combination of both would be the best solution. Although these systems are expensive it would be worth every penny. If you are really serious about alternative energy sources than don't forget the tax credits and other benefits for installing these devices.
Alternative Energy Solutions In A Time Of Power Crisis
There's a buzz going around the world: it is very likely that there will be an energy crisis in the future. We all know energy is a big issue in the contemporary world, and we have been convinced that humanity is at a crucial crossroads in its history because we face an energy shortage. Many experts believe this problem can only be solved by the use of alternative energy solutions.
By energy, I mean the fuel that drive our cars, give us electricity and enables us to enjoy modern amenities we feel so vulnerable without. Fossil fuels have been the prime source of energy for human society since the beginning of the industrial revolution. These fossil fuels have been the muscles, which have enabled us to progress and develop to such dizzying heights. We face a problem in the 21st century because our stocks and reserves of these fossil fuels are running low; this news is worsened by the fact that these reserves cannot be renewed. Many governments and private agencies have started promoting Alternative Energy Solutions to overcome the looming energy crisis caused by the depletion of the non renewal's sources of energy that all fossil fuels - coal, all oil and natural gas - represent.
Alternative Energy Solutions include all prime movers that can use a renewable natural resource to produce energy. This may be wind, thermal energy from the earth, and wave action in the shores and solar energy from the sun. Alternative energy resources can also include new technology like fuel cells. However the primary fuel humanity has long depended on has been oil. We now know from our own projections that the oil reserves in the world are slated to be unviable by 2050. Simply put, the world is running out of gas! In addition, not to mention, time.
The utilization of other forms of energy is therefore very important. When we speak of alternative energy, it usually means the production of electricity via the use of some natural and renewable resource. What are these renewables, one may ask. Someone else may extend this line of questioning and say: Are these renewable resources as efficient as the fossil fuels? Below are some answers.
Wind energy is the word that comes to mind whenever people talk of renewable energy sources. Humans have harnessed the wind to drive machines since medieval times. In the 21st century we use wind turbines to produce electricity. As a source of power, wind is an excellent option. Wind turbines generate electricity by rotary motion that is caused by the airflow.
Some of the negatives associated with wind energy and wind turbines lie in the unpredictability of wind. For example, no wind means the turbine does not rotate and electricity is not generated. Sites are another problem; rows and rows of wind turbines are just not feasible in a city of a few million people. The most important issue however lies in cost effectiveness, most power companies are still reluctant to invest in or buy their power from companies that use wind turbines. This is changing as governments around the world have started subsidizing power generation through alternative sources like wind.
There are other possible sources of renewable energy; tidal energy uses the energy of the ocean and is an effective though rather geographically limited source of power, thermal energy from the earth taps geysers and other underground sources of heat. This is a very important source of energy in places like Iceland - it is also geographically limited in its suitability. Nuclear energy can be considered a potentially inexhaustible source of power. However, it could have many dangerous complications and most environmentalists fear its use.
New technological innovations like fuel cells are still a long way off from truly becoming substitutes to the fossil fuel powered internal combustion engines that have driven us all this far down the road. Indeed looking at all the possible sources of alternate energy and especially renewable, wind and hydroelectric projects are the only two viable long term sources, solar power is a potentially huge alternative source of energy but it has a technological handicap-we do not posses the engineering expertise to make better solar cells. Solar cells are also very costly to produce and are not cost effective - even less so than wind.
Given all the setbacks we currently are unable to overcome, it will still be some time yet before we can throw away the polluting but efficient, fossil fuel guzzling machines that we so fondly know as cars. The use of alternative energy sources is a very important area of research and demands humanity's attention.
As soon as fuel supplies run out on us, we may have to go back to that ultimate transport machine to take us places: our legs.
Solar Energy Facts
Most power plants in the United States and all over world are using fossil fuels to operate and generate electricity. They have been used as an energy source as long as man has learned to generate power. These traditional fuel sources have been around for ages and when man started using this energy sources no one though about the consequences. Fossil fuels will eventually run out and there will be a shortage of it in near future. This shortage in will have its affect on our daily live and various industries. Today we see some of these affects already, prizes are raising and electricity is becoming more expensive. Although these fuels are more scares, the need will still be here and will not decrease in near future. To solve this shortage we will need to look for other possibilities for our energy demand.
Fortunately, alternative energy sources are growing in interest. For instance, locations with high water falls are experimenting on building a hydro-electric power plant, which turns out to be successful. Other locations with high wind speed make use of a power wind mills that can convert wind power into electricity. Also thermal and tidal powers are good alternatives.
Solar energy is also one of the energy sources that is gaining in interest. This form of energy has steadily been growing. Today it is widely used in the US and other parts of the world and the advantages are numerous. Our solar energy source, the sun, its life span is estimated to be another 4.5 billion years. It is fair to say that this energy source is almost endless.
Rate of Energy from the Sun
The sun's radiation reaches a certain unit of area in space in the region of the Earth's orbit and is estimated to be at 1,400 watts per square meter. Out of this, photovoltaic cells (also known as solar cells) can capture 19 to 56 watts per square meter (for 15% efficiency) or an equivalent of 0.45 to 1.35 kilowatt per hour (kWh) in an annual day and night average.
Therefore, if there would be more area that will be covered by several solar panels, these panels can produce slightly more energy in the form of electricity than what is currently available from oil, gas, and other sources of energy combined (assuming 8% solar cell efficiency).
Conversion of Solar Energy
There are two ways of conversion of solar energy. First is the direct solar energy which involves only one conversion into a usable form. For instance:
* Sunlight hits the solar cell, converting it into electricity.
* Sunlight hits the absorber surface of a solar thermal collector, converting into thermal energy which can be used to heat homes during cold season.
The second is the indirect solar energy which involves more than one conversion to reach a usable form. For instance:
* Plants use photosynthesis to transform solar energy to chemical energy, which can be burned later as fuel to generate electricity (also known as bio-fuel technology).
* Hydro-electric dams and wind turbines are indirectly supplied by solar energy through its interaction with the Earth's atmosphere.
Pros and Cons of Solar Energy
Just like any other types of energy resources, this energy source has its pro's and cons.
Pros:
* Pollution-free.
* Solar facilities can be run with little extra input or maintenance.
* It is abundant. As mentioned earlier, most of the inhabited areas here on Earth can be reached by sunlight.
Cons:
* Although it is abundant, some areas receive little sunlight. Thus, power that will be produced in these locations is a minimum.
* Only available during daytime, thus a need to conserve to energy for use in night time.
* Photovoltaic cell technologies generate direct current (DC) power which needs to be converted to alternating current (AC) power used in distribution grids.
Once massive development of the use of solar energy is materialized, expect that every household or industry in the world will now be powered by solar energy. It is not just a dream, it will be a dream come true.
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Micro Wind Turbines For Cities
When discussions of renewable energy are undertaken, the focus is often on large scale projects. In truth, the answer may be platforms developed for a more local application.
When renewable energy is discussed, most people picture large structures. With solar, it is a valley full of solar panels glittering in the sun. With wind power, most think of large turbines gracefully twirling in the wind as they sit in valleys or up on hills. As more money is put into renewable energy research, the research results are producing an entirely new spectrum of devices.
With wind power, one of the issues is finding optimal places for placing turbines. Monetarily, this can be problematic. The best wind locations are often located smack dab in the middle of developed areas. Even for areas that are available, the cost of setting up transmission lines for the resulting energy can be obscene. Given this catch-22 situation, many have started working outside the box on wind power platforms.
Oregon State University and AeroVironment, Inc, have come up with a unique solution for the wind power problem. Their idea is to abandon the wind farm idea completely. Instead, they are looking to applications that can be used on a per structure basis. In this case, the solution is micro wind turbines.
Micro wind turbines are essentially wind turbines on a scale of a couple of feet in height instead of thirty or forty feet. The idea is to place the turbines on the roofs of buildings to capture the wind that is often found rushing over the edge of roofs. The turbines are designed to be modular, meaning they can be added to the roof on an as needed basis. This is accomplished by using a track system similar to lighting in a home as the base for the turbines. Depending on the energy needs of the structure, one, ten or 100 turbines can be installed.
Admittedly, a row of little wind turbines may look a bit odd on your average office building. On industrial buildings and warehouses, however, the structures would make little or no difference to the appearance. Heck, they would probably be an improvement. More importantly, the turbines would represent energy independence for many of the businesses using the buildings. Unlike solar, the turbines would generate power during both the day and night, meaning power could be stored in batteries or the utility grid at night to cover high energy use periods during the day.
Micro wind turbines may or may not become part of the solution to the energy issues before us. What is clear, however, is talented people are starting to focus on the subject and come up with innovative solutions.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Richard_Chapo
Wind Turbines - How to Harvest the Wind
Wind is produced from the uneven heating of the atmosphere and irregularities in the earth’s surface. The air movement between these areas is what we refer to as wind. Just as we can use flowing water to turn turbines, we can harness the power of the wind with wind turbines to create electricity.
Wind turbines have been in use since the 1920. Their earliest use was to provide electricity in remote areas that didn’t have access to a large utility company. Today there are fewer areas that are "off the grid" but wind power can now be used to supplement traditional power sources.
Wind turbines can be used individually to provide power for a household, or they can be used in arrays to provide electricity on a large scale. These arrays of industrial sized turbines are called "wind farms" and are usually situated in areas that receive consistent strong winds. Coastal areas, hilltops, and mountain passes are common areas for wind farms.
Thanks to advances in wind turbine technology we are now able to use the wind as an affordable alternative to fossil fuel for producing power. New technologies make turbines more efficient and modern production techniques bring the cost of turbines down.
When used as a supplement for residential electricity, wind turbines are connected to the breaker box provided by the power company. The power produced is available for immediate consumption, and if the wind turbine produces more electricity than is needed the excess is fed back into the utility grid for a credit on the homeowners power bill.
For those interested in living "off the grid" wind power can be used in conjunction with other alternative energy sources such as solar power. These two methods of producing electricity complement each other, when the sun is strong, the wind may be low, and the wind may be stronger on cloudy days.
Also, since solar power is not produced at night, a wind turbine can provide the electricity at this time.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Hans_Dekker
Wind Farm Efficiency
Wind power is an incredibly clean renewable power source. To capture the energy in wind, wind farms are used. So, how about wind farm efficiency?
Wind Farm Efficiency
Wind power is the process by which wind is used to generate power or electricity. The power of the wind is actually a form of solar power – wind change and variability is caused by uneven heating of the ground by the sun. In order to fully use the power that the wind is capable of generating, many countries have set up wind farms. In a wind farm, many different wind turbines (a structure that uses a propeller-like blade to take in the wind's power) are set up in an area. With all the wind turbines working at the same time, it's thought that these farms are a great way to produce large amounts of electricity.
To determine the efficiency of wind farms, you need to know how a wind farm works. The wind turbines collect the power of the wind in two steps: the propeller blades are turned by the gusts of wind, and the propeller then turns a shaft. This turning shaft is connected to a generator. The spinning action cranks the generator, which then produces electricity. The process is exactly like hydropower, but with wind acting as the energy source instead of flowing water. Just one wind turbine set up in an area will not produce very much electricity, and is not very good for powering large areas - these small turbines are usually used to power just one farm or house or occasionally to pump water.
Wind farms, on the other hand, are more powerful because there is a large grouping of the wind turbines in one area, all working in unison to produce electricity. The energy can then be run to whole communities through existing utility grids or stored in battery-like storage cells. Wind turbines can be set up to face the wind or face away from the wind. Modern wind turbines can also turn to catch the wind as it gusts from different angles, a factor which makes them far more efficient than before. The larger the turbine's blades and the taller the turbine's height will increase the efficiency as well.
The exact efficiency of wind farms is nearly impossible to pinpoint. The problem is found in the factors that go into the analysis. The terrain, amount of wind, size of turbines and so on varies from wind farm to farm. There is no constant, which makes it difficult to nail down general efficiency ratings. In general, a single wind turbine will convert about 20 percent of the energy in wind to electricity. The most efficient production occurs between five and 20 miles an hour of wind speed. This general 20 percent efficiency rating is roughly seven to five percent more efficient than solar power, but sunlight is constant whereas wind is not.
While wind technology has not yet progressed to a point where no energy is lost while harnessing it, it is fair to say that the platform is favorable compared to other renewable sources. It may take a while for the whole world to catch on to using the power of the wind, but it's definitely fast becoming an important alternative energy source. Countries such as Germany are certainly investing a lot into the platform.
Improve Your Home With A Residential Wind Turbine
What if I said you could cut your electric bill by 50 to 90 percent? Well, you can by installing a small, residential wind turbine on your property.
Improve Your Home With A Residential Wind Turbine
When you combine the cost of fossil fuels with the pollution and climate problems they create, it can all get a bit overwhelming. It is easy to find oneself wondering where to start when dealing with these problems. Given the state of fear attitude portrayed in most media, this is hardly a surprise. Surprisingly, the answers are fairly simple if you wade through the hype.
Wind power is a renewable energy source with a lot going for it. It produces electricity by converting the inherent energy in wind through a generator in a wind turbine. It produces no pollutants of any sort and will be available to us for as long as wind exists, to wit, a very long time. Given this fact, you are probably wondering if you are supposed to build a bunch of turbines in your yard. Nope!
As a conscientious person, you can do your part for the environment while saving some serious money on your utility bill. Residential wind turbines are the answer. Often given the nickname “small wind”, these turbines are designed to work on a per home basis. Given the right conditions, a residential turbine can produce all of the electricity you need and more. In fact, the generator will be hooked up to the utility grid and you can actually sell power to the utility if you produce more than you need.
Now, the word turbine can be a bit intimidating. When I think of a turbine, I picture something large and loud. In the case of small wind, this is not the case. The machinery makes a bit of noisy, but nothing substantial. Although sizes vary, your little power producer will be roughly three to five feet wide from the tip of one propeller to the other.
The one area where residential wind power may be a problem involves height. To make electricity, your turbine needs to get 10 miles an hour of wind. This may sound like a lot, but it often is not if you go 20 or 30 feet up in the air. To this end, you can do a search for small wind information to find out the statistics for your area.
Assuming wind power makes sense for your home, you should be able to greatly reduce or outright eliminate your electricity bill.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Richard_Chapo
Wind Energy – Germany
When many people think of German, they think of a large oil based industrial nation. In truth, Germany is a leader in wind energy. Here is a guide to wind energy in Germany.
When looking at countries that use wind energy, Germany tops them all. The world's largest wind energy producing country, Germany has pioneered the use of wind to produce much of their electricity needs. While the countryside and area of Germany that can be used for wind energy production may seem small compared to the size of some other countries, such as the United States and Canada, Germany has managed to make the most of the area they have, incorporating wind farms into their rural areas as well as in off-shore locations.
With wind energy, Germany is able to produce 3.5 percent of their electricity needs for the country. While this may not seem like much, compared to other countries that only produce a fraction of a percent of their electricity with wind – Germany is definitely on the right track. The country also predicts that they will be producing more and more electricity through wind energy in the years to come. For instance, in the year 2001, Germany accounted for half of the world's production of wind turbines.
Germany is also being heralded as a forefather of the wind energy revolution, because of their plan to add 5,000 wind turbines to a wind farm located off the north coast of the country. Some of the wind turbines would be located up to 45 miles out at sea, a feat never before tried by a wind energy consuming country. The wind at sea is more powerful as well, therefore Germany sees the potential to produce even more electricity by using off-shore wind farms.
The turbines being developed for use in this sea-based wind farm are much larger than conventional wind turbines, so that they will be able to fully use the wind energy that is found in the water. Germany expanded their wind powered electricity production by 44% in the time between 2001-2002, with more and more turbines being added constantly. Germany already has about 11,000 wind turbines in use. The cost of wind electricity can be as low as $.03 per KW hour, which is less than half that of the next cheapest electricity producing energy source.
While it's first in wind energy, Germany has no plans to stop there. The country plans to continue expanding their wind farms and use of renewable energy sources, which will both benefit the environment and cost less for the consumer. Other countries in Europe are starting to take notice as well, with estimates that over 50 million consumers could be receiving wind powered electricity in the next 10 years.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Richard_Chapo
The Wind Farm Debate
Wind power is proportional to the cube of the wind's speed, so relatively minor increases in speed result in large changes in potential output. Individual turbines vary in size and power output from a few hundred watts to two or three megawatts (as a guide, a typical domestic system would be 2.5 - 6 kilowatts, depending on the location and size of the home).
Uses range from very small turbines supplying energy for battery charging systems (e.g. on boats or in homes), to turbines grouped on wind farms supplying electricity to the grid.
In Saddleworth, near Greater Manchester, an eco-war about wind turbines is waging. United Utilities want to build seven 350 foot wind turbines.
These will generate enough power to supply the average electricity needs of 8,500 homes in the local area. This wind farm is not situated out to sea but in the picturesque hills of the Saddleworth Moors and would be visible for miles around. Government targets state that 10% of the UK's energy should be supplied by renewable resources by 2010 and developments like the Saddleworth Moor turbines would contribute towards that total. Leading environmentalists from across the country have previously convened in Saddleworth for the first ever National Forum opposing the creation of wind farms on rural beauty spots.
World renowned TV botanist, Professor David Bellamy, joined former Downing Street press secretary, Sir Bernard Ingham and hundreds of activists at the National Wind Farm Group Conference. There were a total of representatives from over 50 environmental groups from across the country attending this event. It aimed to raise awareness about the perceived dangers of wind farms and bring environmental groups closer together in their fight against the government.
The Saddleworth Moors Action Group says the turbines would have a negative impact on a unique landscape. The group also insist their campaign is not prompted by "not in my backyard" sentiments, but through a genuine desire to preserve the character of the local area.
One could argue that the government is not bothered about the environment then they are continually financing the construction of coal fired power stations in the third world and building more airports and more motorways in Britain? As tensions are mounting in Iran and Nigeria leading to increased oil prices, is now not the ideal time to exploit wind power both on land and at sea via grants to companies? With labour slipping up at the local elections in 05/06 and the Conservatives pushing the eco argument, is not in Labours interest to follow the Conservatives lead and not to pay lip service to wind farms as they currently do?
OR
Will the people that have to live near wind farms and see the things every day change their minds and believe that wind farms form a concerted effort to save the environment or just another commercial money making scheme for the companies involved?
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Davinos_Greeno