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Wind energy offers many advantages, which explains why it's one of the fastest-growing energy sources in the world. To further expand wind energy’s capabilities and community benefits, researchers are working to address technical and socio-economic challenges in support of a decarbonized electricity future.
Learn more about ongoing research to take advantage of these benefits and tackle wind energy challenges.
Advantages of Wind Power
- Wind power creates good-paying jobs. There are over 125,000 people working in the U.S. wind industry across all 50 states, and that number continues to grow. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics , wind turbine service technicians are the fastest growing U.S. job of the decade. Offering career opportunities ranging from blade fabricator to asset manager, the wind industry has the potential to support hundreds of thousands of more jobs by 2050.
- Wind power is a domestic resource that enables U.S. economic growth. In 2022, wind turbines operating in all 50 states generated more than 10% of the net total of the country’s energy . That same year, investments in new wind projects added $20 billion to the U.S. economy.
- Wind power is a clean and renewable energy source. Wind turbines harness energy from the wind using mechanical power to spin a generator and create electricity. Not only is wind an abundant and inexhaustible resource, but it also provides electricity without burning any fuel or polluting the air. Wind energy in the United States helps avoid 336 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually —equivalent to the emissions from 73 million cars.
- Wind power benefits local communities. Wind projects deliver an estimated $2 billion in state and local tax payments and land-lease payments each year. Communities that develop wind energy can use the extra revenue to put towards school budgets, reduce the tax burden on homeowners, and address local infrastructure projects.
- Wind power is cost-effective. Land-based, utility-scale wind turbines provide one of the lowest-priced energy sources available today. Furthermore, wind energy’s cost competitiveness continues to improve with advances in the science and technology of wind energy.
- Wind turbines work in different settings. Wind energy generation fits well in agricultural and multi-use working landscapes. Wind energy is easily integrated in rural or remote areas, such as farms and ranches or coastal and island communities, where high-quality wind resources are often found.
Challenges of Wind Power
- Wind power must compete with other low-cost energy sources. When comparing the cost of energy associated with new power plants , wind and solar projects are now more economically competitive than gas, geothermal, coal, or nuclear facilities. However, wind projects may not be cost-competitive in some locations that are not windy enough. Next-generation technology , manufacturing improvements , and a better understanding of wind plant physics can help bring costs down even more.
- Ideal wind sites are often in remote locations. Installation challenges must be overcome to bring electricity from wind farms to urban areas, where it is needed to meet demand. Upgrading the nation’s transmission network to connect areas with abundant wind resources to population centers could significantly reduce the costs of expanding land-based wind energy. In addition, offshore wind energy transmission and grid interconnection capabilities are improving.
- Turbines produce noise and alter visual aesthetics. Wind farms have different impacts on the environment compared to conventional power plants, but similar concerns exist over both the noise produced by the turbine blades and the visual impacts on the landscape .
- Wind plants can impact local wildlife. Although wind projects rank lower than other energy developments in terms of wildlife impacts, research is still needed to minimize wind-wildlife interactions . Advancements in technologies, properly siting wind plants, and ongoing environmental research are working to reduce the impact of wind turbines on wildlife.
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Wind Energy: Advantages and Disadvantages
Dallas lloyd december 11, 2014, submitted as coursework for ph240 , stanford university, fall 2014, wind energy: what is it.
| Offshore wind turbines in the Irish Sea (Source: ) |
To obtain wind power, the kinetic energy of wind is used to create mechanical power. A generator converts this power into electricity so that it may be used for the benefit of mankind. Recently, different types of electricity generation have been a frequent topic of debate amongst experts. Surely, wind energy is one of the frontrunners of the technological breakthroughs that might lead to more efficient energy production. At a glance, the future of wind energy seems promising. This may be the case, but there are also some disadvantages that must be considered.
The advantages of wind energy are more apparent than the disadvantages. The main advantages include an unlimited, free, renewable resource (the wind itself), economic value, maintenance cost, and placement of wind harvesting facilities. First and foremost, wind is an unlimited, free, renewable resource. Wind is a natural occurrence and harvesting the kinetic energy of wind doesn't affect currents or wind cycles in any way. Next, harvesting wind power is a clean, non-polluting way to generate electricity. Unlike other types of power plants, it emits no air pollutants or greenhouse gases. The wind turbines harmlessly generate electricity from wind passing by. Wind energy is far more ecofriendly than the burning of fossil fuels for electricity. Currently, the United States, along with other countries, remains dependent on fossil fuels imported from unstable and unreliable nations. [1] Strains on supply (of fossil fuels) are likely to increase the prices of fossil fuel resources and leave the US economy exposed to international market volatility. Wind power has the ability to free the US from the figurative economic bondage of fossil fuels. Once turbines and energy centers have been installed, the cost of maintaining turbines and generating wind power is next to nothing. Another advantage of wind power is the ability to place turbines wherever necessary. After performing research and finding areas that have adequate wind, experts may place the turbines in desired areas. These areas are usually unpopulated (offshore wind turbines, for example). [1] In fact, offshore winds tend to blow harder and more uniformly than on land, providing the potential for increased electricity generation and smoother, steadier operation than land-based wind power systems. Fig. 1 shows offshore wind turbines harvesting energy.
Disadvantages
| Turbine blade convoy passing through Edenfield, England (Source: ) |
The two major disadvantages of wind power include initial cost and technology immaturity. Firstly, constructing turbines and wind facilities is extremely expensive. The second disadvantage is technology immaturity. [1] High cost of energy can, in part, be addressed directly with technology innovations that increase reliability and energy output and lower system capital expenses. Offshore wind energy produces more energy than onshore wind energy, but costs much more to establish. The primary costs of wind turbines include construction and maintenance. [1] New technology is needed to lower costs, increase reliability and energy production, solve regional deployment issues, expand the resource area, develop infrastructure and manufacturing facilities, and mitigate known environmental impacts. Therefore, one may argue that implementation of wind energy must be delayed until technological advancements are made. Other disadvantages include:
Aesthetic impact: Many people are concerned with the visual effects that wind turbines have on the beautiful scenery of nature. They believe that giant wind turbines distract viewers from the beautiful surroundings. Fig. 2 shows just how big wind turbines can be.
Wildlife: Wind turbines may be dangerous to flying animals. Many birds and bats have been killed by flying into the rotors. Experts are now conducting research to learn more about the effects that wind turbines have on marine habitats.
Remoteness of location: Although this may be an advantage (placing wind turbines in desolate areas, far away from people), it may also be a disadvantage. The cost of travel and maintenance on the turbines increases and is time consuming. Offshore wind turbines require boats and can be dangerous to manage.
Noise: Some wind turbines tend to generate a lot of noise which can be unpleasant
Safety at Sea: In the darkness/at night it may be difficult for incoming boats to see wind turbines thus leading to collisions.
© Dallas Lloyd. The author grants permission to copy, distribute and display this work in unaltered form, with attribution to the author, for noncommercial purposes only. All other rights, including commercial rights, are reserved to the author.
[1] W. Musial and B. Ram, "Large-Scale Offshore Wind Power in the United States," U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory, NREL/TP-500-40745 , September 2010.
What Is the Future of Wind Energy?
This article was reviewed by a member of Caltech's Faculty .
Humans have used windmills to capture the force of the wind as mechanical energy for more than 1,300 years . Unlike early windmills, however, modern wind turbines use generators and other components to convert energy from the spinning blades into a smooth flow of AC electricity.
In the video below, Resnick Sustainability Institute researcher John Dabiri discusses the future of wind energy technology.
How much of global electricity demand is met by wind energy?
Wind energy is a small but fast-growing fraction of electricity production. It accounts for 5 percent of global electricity production and 8 percent of the U.S. electricity supply.
Globally, wind energy capacity surpasses 743 gigawatts , which is more than is available from grid-connected solar energy and about half as much as hydropower can provide. Nearly three-quarters of that 651 gigawatts comes from wind farms in five countries: China, the U.S., Germany, India, and Spain. Wind energy capacity in the Americas has tripled over the past decade.
In the U.S., wind is now a dominant renewable energy source , with enough wind turbines to generate more than 100 million watts, or megawatts, of electricity, equivalent to the consumption of about 29 million average homes.
The cost of wind energy has plummeted over the past decade. In the U.S., it is cost-competitive with natural gas and solar power.
Wind energy and solar energy complement each other, because wind is often strongest after the sun has heated the ground for a time. Warm air rises from the most heated areas, leaving a void where other air can rush in, which produces horizontal wind currents . We can draw on solar energy during the earlier parts of the day and turn to wind energy in the evening and night. Wind energy has added value in areas that are too cloudy or dark for strong solar energy production, especially at higher latitudes.
How big are wind turbines and how much electricity can they generate?
Typical utility-scale land-based wind turbines are about 250 feet tall and have an average capacity of 2.55 megawatts, each producing enough electricity for hundreds of homes. While land-based wind farms may be remote, most are easy to access and connect to existing power grids.
Smaller turbines, often used in distributed systems that generate power for local use rather than for sale, average about 100 feet tall and produce between 5 and 100 kilowatts.
One type of offshore wind turbine currently in development stands 853 feet tall, four-fifths the height of the Eiffel Tower, and can produce 13 megawatts of power. Adjusted for variations in wind, that is enough to consistently power thousands of homes. While tall offshore turbines lack some of the advantages of land-based wind farms, use of them is burgeoning because they can capture the energy of powerful, reliable winds high in the air near coastlines, where most of the largest cities in the world are located.
What are some potential future wind technologies other than turbines?
Engineers are in the early stages of creating airborne wind turbines , in which the components are either floated by a gas like helium or use their own aerodynamics to stay high in the air, where wind is stronger. These systems are being considered for offshore use, where it is expensive and difficult to install conventional wind turbines on tall towers.
Trees, which can withstand gale forces and yet move in response to breezes from any direction, also are inspiring new ideas for wind energy technology. Engineers speculate about making artificial wind-harvesting trees . That would require new materials and devices that could convert energy from a tree's complex movements into the steady rotation that traditional generators need. The prize is wind energy harvested closer to the ground with smaller, less obtrusive technologies and in places with complex airflows, such as cities.
What are the challenges of using wind energy?
Extreme winds challenge turbine designers. Engineers have to create systems that will start generating energy at relatively low wind speeds and also can survive extremely strong winds. A strong gale contains 1,000 times more power than a light breeze, and engineers don't yet know how to design electrical generators or turbine blades that can efficiently capture such a broad range of input wind power. To be safe, turbines may be overbuilt to withstand winds they will not experience at many sites, driving up costs and material use. One potential solution is the use of long-term weather forecasting and AI to better predict the wind resources at individual locations and inform designs for turbines that suit those sites.
Climate change will bring more incidents of unusual weather, including potential changes in wind patterns . Wind farms may help mitigate some of the harmful effects of climate change. For example, turbines in cold regions are routinely winterized to keep working in icy weather when other systems may fail, and studies have demonstrated that offshore wind farms may reduce the damage caused by hurricanes . A more challenging situation will arise if wind patterns shift significantly. The financing for wind energy projects depends critically on the ability to predict wind resources at specific sites decades into the future. One potential way to mitigate unexpected, climate-change-related losses or gains of wind is to flexibly add and remove groups of smaller turbines, such as vertical-axis wind turbines , within existing large-scale wind farms.
Wind farms do have environmental impacts . The most well-known is harm to wildlife, including birds and bats . Studies are informing wind farm siting and management practices that minimize harm to wildlife , and Audubon, a bird conservation group, now supports well-planned wind farms. The construction and maintenance of wind farms involves energy-intensive activities such as trucking, road-building, concrete production, and steel construction. Also, while towers can be recycled, turbine blades are not easily recyclable. In hopes of developing low-to-zero-waste wind farms, scientists aim to design new reuse and disposal strategies , and recyclable plastic turbine blades. Studies show that wind energy's carbon footprint is quickly offset by the electricity it generates and is among the lowest of any energy source .
Dive Deeper
- Wind Energy Advantages and Disadvantages
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Wind energy advantages and disadvantages are important considerations when making decisions about energy with the environment in mind. A cleaner future will involve a mix of energy sources, including those that are renewable like wind power.
Wind is produced as the sun heats the earth unevenly due to the earth’s rotation and geographic features. Warm air rises to create low-pressure areas, while cold air sinks to create high-pressure areas. Air molecules typically move from high pressure areas to low ones, creating the phenomenon we experience as wind.
Harnessing wind as energy is an idea that is thousands of years old. Because it does not involve burning limited fossil fuels and because using wind energy does not decrease the amount of wind, it is considered a renewable energy source. While there are wind power advantages and disadvantages, wind energy has a valuable role to play in a climate-friendly power grid.
Advantages of Wind Energy
In considering wind power pros and cons, the advantages of wind energy are many. These are the reasons for investing in wind power generating capacity.
1. Wind is a type of clean energy
First off, how does wind energy work? It starts with a turbine that the wind turns as it blows. The wind’s kinetic energy turns a generator in the structure that creates electricity. Modern wind turbines are extremely efficient at turning even light breezes into electricity.
One of the advantages of wind energy is that it is clean energy , meaning that it doesn’t emit greenhouse gasses when generating electricity. Your carbon footprint is the total of all gasses, like carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide, that result from burning fossil fuels. If you can burn less fossil fuel for energy, replacing it with clean, renewable energy like from wind, you reduce your carbon footprint .
2. Wind is a renewable energy source
Another advantage of wind energy is that it is renewable energy. It comes from wind, which is a naturally occurring resource that doesn’t get used up. How is green energy different from renewable energy? In addition to coming from an unlimited resource, it does not produce greenhouse gasses. In these ways, wind energy is similar to solar energy .
3. Wind power has a low operating cost
Because wind power is a renewable energy source , there is no ongoing expense to acquire fuel. Once the wind turbine is installed, the only real cost is maintenance. As the world decarbonizes electricity generation in the future, wind is a clean, renewable, and low-cost option.
4. Wind turbines save space
Another factor in the wind power pros and cons equation is the fact that it is space efficient and fits well with other land uses. Wind turbines can be spread across fields with enough space between them to be productive. Because they are elevated off the ground the space below them is open to other uses, like farming.
5. Wind power generation promotes domestic economic growth
Harnessing wind power is economically beneficial beyond wind energy being inexpensive to produce. It relies on a local resource and creates local jobs . Investment in wind power is growing. In the last 10 years, wind generation capacity has increased 30 percent. Utility-scale wind plants across 41 states have created more than 100,000 jobs in the U.S.
Disadvantages of Wind Energy
We must consider both wind energy advantages and disadvantages when weighing the benefits of this renewable energy source. Indeed, there are disadvantages to wind power.
1. Wind turbines can be dangerous to some wildlife
Wind turbines can be fatal to wildlife. Birds and bats collide with them and turbines interfere with bat sonar navigation. Certain species with low reproductive rates are more impacted, as are migratory birds, but researchers are investigating innovative ways to reduce the danger to wildlife.
2. Wind turbines can be noisy
Wind turbines create both aerodynamic noise of the blades slicing through the air and mechanical noise of the power generating machinery in them. The noise can affect wildlife but is generally not a factor unless you are standing nearby.
3. Wind power is limited by location
Wind power won’t work everywhere. You need areas where wind blows strong and steady to make the investment worthwhile. Even with ideal locations in coastal areas, hills, and open fields where the wind is especially strong, it doesn’t blow all the time. Energy generation slows or stops when the wind slows or stops, a concept known as “intermittency.”
Learn More about Wind Energy from Constellation
As you make your home more sustainable , consider the residential renewable plans available in many areas, including wind energy plans. You can compare renewable energy rates and choose the option that best fit your needs. With an appreciation of wind energy advantages and disadvantages, you can make choices that benefit the environment.
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The top pros and cons of wind energy
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Wind energy refers to any form of mechanical energy that is generated from wind or some other naturally occurring airflow. There are advantages and disadvantages to any type of energy source, and wind energy is no different. In this article, we'll review some of the top pros and cons of generating electricity from wind turbines.
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Top pros and cons of wind energy
Wind energy is one of the most common types of renewable energy in the U.S. today and also happens to be one of our fastest-growing sources of electricity. However, while there are a number of environmental benefits to using wind energy, there are some downsides. Here are a few of the top pros and cons:
Pros and cons of wind energy
| Intermittent | ||
| Low operating costs | Noise and visual pollution | |
| Efficient use of land space | Some adverse environmental impact | |
| Wind energy is a job creator | Wind power is remote |
| Advantages of wind energy | Disadvantages of wind energy |
| Clean, sustainable and abundant | Variable energy source (needs wind to work) |
| Cost-effective | Not the most aesthetically appealing |
| Price continues to drop | Turbines can be loud |
| Turbines are an efficient use of land | Construction can cause local disturbances |
| Revitalizes rural economies and supports agriculture | Can negatively impact wildlife if not carefully designed |
What are the advantages of wind energy?
Like all renewables, wind energy claims a variety of advantages not only over fossil fuels , but also over other renewable energy sources. Here are some of the biggest benefits of wind power.
It’s clean, sustainable, and abundant
Wind energy is a clean energy source—the electricity it generates is free of greenhouse gas emissions. Once a turbine is built, it can entirely be powered by the wind, meaning it doesn’t have any emissions. And all the energy that it generates can be distributed across the electric grid, greening the overall electric supply. Moreover, wind is an abundant energy source, enabling it to provide substantial power supply to the electric grid. Although wind energy cannot be generated on demand, it can still generate enough electricity to power thousands of homes, businesses, and communities across the country every year.
It’s cost effective
Another major benefit of wind energy is that it’s highly cost effective. While wind turbines can be relatively expensive to install, they can easily make up that upfront investment due to their low maintenance and operation costs. Wind’s levelized cost of energy (LCOE) is lower than many other renewables and significantly lower than coal and gas. Wind costs just an average of $0.01-0.02 per kilo-watt hour generated. These low costs are not just good for investors looking to invest in the wind industry, but they’re also helping to lower the cost of energy for residents too.
The price for wind energy continues to decrease as technology improves
As technology improves, the cost of wind is dropping. A 2019 study found that the cost of onshore wind had dropped by 27% since 2013, and that trend is anticipated to continue. In fact, this is a trend that is widely common across the entire renewables industry. In 2021, renewables officially became the cheapest energy source on earth. In many markets, it’s now cheaper to build and operate a new wind or solar farm today than it is to continue to operate an already existing coal plant. This drop in price is largely due to improvements in technology which have lowered installation costs as well as operation and maintenance costs.
Turbines are an efficient use of land
Although wind turbines are massive, they take up a relatively small amount of land space. It’s entirely possible to build a wind turbine on a farm and still maintain the agricultural value of that land.
Helps to revitalize rural economies and supports agriculture
Installing wind turbines has become popular in agricultural regions of the country as a way to receive consistent income every year. Wind turbines provide a steady stream of income that can help farmers navigate the unpredictability of farming. As droughts, floods, tariffs, and fluctuating prices have become commonplace for farmers in recent years, wind energy has allowed farmers to persevere through the uncertainty. Wind energy has also helped boost the tax base in rural regions which has helped revitalize the economy in those areas, helping to fund things like new schools and new public work facilities. Installing wind turbines has also helped create jobs in these economies.
What are the disadvantages of wind energy?
It’s a variable energy source (it needs wind to work).
One of the major disadvantages of wind energy is that it is a variable energy source, meaning it cannot be generated on demand. Wind farms are dependent on wind blowing, which means on their own, wind farms are not a suitable solution for a sustainable and reliable energy grid. That being said, energy storage technology continues to improve and become more cost-effective, which is helping to stabilize energy supply and demand. For the time being, electrical grids require additional sources of power to supplement the times where energy demand is high, and the wind isn’t blowing.
Not the most aesthetically pleasing
Some people don’t like seeing turbines in the landscape. Their big rotors take up a lot of space and many claim that they’re an eyesore. Another major complaint when it comes to wind turbines has to do with the flickering shadow they cast as their blades rotate. This flickering shadow can be disturbing to both people and animals.
Turbines can be loud In addition to potentially being an eyesore
wind turbines are also fairly loud. As the rotors get spinning, they produce a lot of residual noise which can be disturbing to locals who live nearby wind farms. It’s important that wind farms are carefully designed and properly spaced out from residential homes to ensure that noise isn’t a major issue.
Construction can cause local disturbances
Once installed, wind turbines have a fairly small footprint on land. However, the process of installing wind turbines can be disruptive. Constructing wind turbines requires heavy equipment and lots of space due to the sheer size and weight of the turbines. This can be especially disruptive for farms that are hoping to grow crops around their wind turbines. The good news is that most of this disruption can be mitigated and repaired once the turbine is up and running.
Can negatively impact local wildlife if not carefully designed
Wind turbines have been shown to be disruptive to some wildlife, particularly bats and birds and even some plants. Constructing wind turbines can have adverse effects on land that can affect the wildlife that previously lived in those areas. Offshore wind turbines also can potentially have a negative impact on sea-environments, disrupting fish habitat.
Your wind energy questions, answered
The amount of energy that a wind turbine can produce depends on several factors including the size of the rotors, the type of wind turbine, and, of course, the amount of wind that’s blowing. Newer designs with larger, more aerodynamic rotors will generate more energy when the wind is blowing than smaller, less efficient turbines. Offshore turbines typically generate more energy than onshore turbines, partly because the wind is more consistent at sea versus on land.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the average wind turbine in the U.S. produces around 400,000 kWhs of electricity per month when operating at 33% capacity. This is enough energy to power 450 homes with the average monthly electricity usage (893 kWhs). The output is calculated at 33% because wind turbines typically cannot convert 100% of the kinetic energy they harness into electricity—they operate at around 30-50% of their power efficiency rating.
The most efficient wind turbine on the market is called a three-blade horizontal-axis wind turbine (three-blade HAWT). Hundreds of thousands of these turbines have been deployed across the world. In addition to having very efficient blades, these turbines are also controlled by computers to face the optimal direction to harness the power of the wind, no matter what direction it is blowing. As technology advances, wind turbines are getting more efficient, able to convert wind into electricity more effectively.
One of the major pros of wind energy is that it is relatively cheap to produce. While it can be expensive to build and install both onshore and offshore wind turbines, the maintenance and operation costs of generating wind energy is remarkably cheap.
In 2019, the average cost of building and operating a new solar farm was roughly $0.053 per kilowatt-hour, with the range varying depending on the region between $0.051 and $0.099 according to the Internation Renewable Energy Agency . These prices have dropped by 44%-78% across different regions and markets since 2010, and that trend is expected to continue as technology improves and operation costs decline. Just the cost of installing onshore wind turbines has decreased by hundreds of dollars per kilowatt-hour since 2013. Offshore wind is typically a bit more expensive per kilowatt-hour due to the higher cost of building these turbines.
Generating wind energy is emissions-free and has a relatively low impact on the environment in comparison to other energy sources. In almost all cases, operating a wind farm does not contribute to pollution and helps to reduce carbon emissions by mitigating the need for coal and gas plants to generate electricity.
The only major emissions and pollutants generated from wind energy come from the manufacturing and construction of the turbine. That being said, the overall environmental footprint of manufacturing, building, installing, and operating a wind turbine is considered to be low. Once erected, they even take up very little ground space, and the habitat that was disrupted during the construction process can be revitalized.
The future of wind energy is bright. Many experts predict that wind energy will be an abundant and affordable source of energy by 2050. As technology advances, the cost of installing and operating wind turbines will continue to decrease. At the same time, wind turbines will also become more efficient, allowing them to convert more wind power into usable electricity. This means more affordable, cleaner electricity for homeowners and businesses.
Additionally, technological and scientific advancements can mitigate some of wind energy’s current disadvantages. Tech innovations have already led to new wind turbine designs that are less unsightly and, in some cases, can even capture wind indirectly in ways outside of the wind blowing—such as from the air displaced by a driving a car.
The benefits of the wind industry extend beyond just increasing the amount of renewable energy generated across the electrical grid too. The wind industry is predicted to generate 600,000 manufacturing, maintenance, and installation jobs by 2050. Wind energy also helps stabilize energy prices, and as wind becomes more popular and prevalent, it should help reduce the occurrences of rate spikes and volatile electricity prices. In summary, wind is well-positioned to play a crucial role in our renewable energy revolution.
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Advantages and Disadvantages of Wind Power
As society moves away from an energy system dominated by fossil fuels, we must implement sustainable and renewable energy sources. Most people are familiar with wind power, but do the benefits outweigh the costs of its use? The following are many of the advantages and disadvantages of using wind power as an energy source.
Advantages of wind power
Unlike costly fossil fuels, the wind is free and all around us, whether we harness it for our energy use or not.
- Clean and Renewable Energy Source
Unlike fossil fuels, the production of electricity from the wind does not pollute our air, water, or land with particulates or greenhouse gases. Wind is a renewable energy resource that we won’t run out of.
- Independent Energy Resource
Wind energy systems can be set up independently of a grid, so wind turbines are ideal for the production of electricity in rural areas or in developing countries that lack substantial infrastructure[sc:1].
- Range of Sizes
Wind turbines come in a variety of sizes, and therefore can be retrofitted to fit a variety of sites, including residential, business, and municipal sites[sc:1].
- Local and Domestic Energy Resource
Wind power is a domestic energy resource and does not require the importation of fuel resources from other nations as fossil fuels do[sc:2]. This is very good for national security and energy independence, as nations can produce their own energy without having to rely on outside resources[sc:3].
Wind farms are normally locally owned and managed, providing many opportunities to create both short-term and long-term locally-generated jobs, and the wind farms help to boost and diversify rural economies[sc:3].
- Cost-effective Energy Production
Once wind farms have been constructed, they produce energy very inexpensively. It is estimated that wind power can currently be produced for approximately 2.5 -5 cents/kWh, which is very price-competitive with conventional energy sources[sc:3][sc:comma][sc:4].
- Wind farms can be built on existing farms and ranches and they help to preserve space
Wind turbines have a very small footprint on a given piece of land, and can therefore be combined with other land uses, such as farming or grazing[sc:3].
- Price Stability
While fossil fuel prices are extremely volatile, the price of wind as an energy resource is generally consistent and stable[sc:3].
- Mining and fuel transportation decreased
Wind power requires no fuel that needs to be mined or transported, decreasing our overall demand for these activities[sc:3].
Disadvantages of wind power
- Unpredictable availability of wind
Wind doesn’t blow continually, and therefore is not constantly available as an energy source. To compensate for this, the supply of wind is monitored and compensated by wind energy providers similarly to how changes in conventional electricity demand are monitored and compensated for over a 24-hour period[sc:3].
- Wind farms alter natural landscapes and can create visual and noise “pollution”
To some, wind turbines negatively alter natural landscapes that should be preserved in their natural states. Others find the aesthetics of wind turbines undesirable. Wind turbines produce some noise when they are running, but as wind turbine technology has evolved, they now produce less noise than in the past. Modern wind turbines should not disrupt everyday activities such as softly conversing with one’s neighbors[sc:1].
- Large wind farms are needed to produce a significant supply of electricity
In order to produce a lot of energy, many turbines are required. For instance, one large turbine is needed to supply enough energy for 475 homes, so larger communities would need many turbines to supply all of their electricity[sc:1].
- Some pollution may be produced during turbine manufacturing
While the electricity that is generated by wind power is non-polluting, there may be some pollution that is produced during the manufacture of wind turbines[sc:1].
- Good wind sites are rural, while electrical grids are in cities
Ideal wind power sites are situated in rural areas where there is ample wind[sc:2]. The grids of many cities may be far away from this power source, requiring wind-generated electricity to be transported long distances before it is consumed.
- Profitability
Other land uses may be more profitable than wind farms are, and their development may have to compete with other potential economic uses of land[sc:2].
- Potential wildlife damage
While there have been reports that birds have been killed by flying into the rotors of wind turbines in the past, many of these incidents have been dramatically reduced by the proper siting of wind farms. Technical advances in equipment that have reduced the spinning of the turbine blades to only 15x/minute have also helped to reduce bird-turbine collisions[sc:3].
- Shadow Flicker
The shadows that are cast by wind turbine blades may be disruptive to some communities. Developers of wind farms seek to avoid these issues through optimal site placement where shadow flicker will not be problematic for extensive periods of time[sc:3].
- Construction
During the construction of a wind farm, heavy machinery is used that may cause erosion and damage to the landscape. To reduce the impacts of construction, roads should not be graded and site restoration should occur after construction[sc:3].
- Expensive to Construct
Wind farms often require an expensive up-front capital investment to construct them, but the turbines should pay for themselves over time with the electricity that they produce[sc:5].
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Sample Essay on Advantages and Disadvantages of Wind Power
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Environmental pollution is one of the major global concerns due to the rapid rate at which it is increasing and the irreparable and massive damage that it causes on earth. Today, a large part of the overall environmental pollution comes from the established power plants especially coal. According to Goffman (2008), the amount of pollutants that were produced by power plants in the United States in 1997 were as follows. Sulfur dioxide 70 percent, nitrogen dioxide 33 percent, carbon dioxide 34 percent, toxic metals 23 percent and particulate matter 28 percent. All these affect the environment adversely. The effects of these pollutants include cancers, miscarriages, chemical poisoning, birth defects and lung diseases among others. As such, replacing non-renewable energy sources with renewable energy sources as a way of reducing harmful emissions as well as minimizing their effects becomes imperative. Alternatives that include wind power should be adopted. In a study conducted in England in 2002, the researcher observed that a single wind turbine with a rate of 660kW and a capacity factor of 28% prevents about 5, 300 SO2 pounds, 18000 Nox pounds and 1, 100 CO2 tons from being produced (Goffman, 2008, p.6). This study explains how energy is produced using wind turbines as well as the cons and pros of using wind power.
Wind Turbines and Functioning
A report on the United States wind energy was produced in 2010. In this report, Wilburn explains the process of producing energy using wind turbines. There are three major parts of the contemporary wind turbines. These are the tower, blades and nacelle. The blades and equipment that generate energy are held by the tower. The tower also raises them so that they can capture smoother and stronger wind currents. The engine or the heart of a turbine is the nacelle which holds the rotor, the generator and the gearbox. All these produce energy by working together (Rensselar, 2010). The rotor appends the blades so that winds can be turned to them when it flows on the rotor. There is a connection between the main shift of the generator and the rotor. The generator is operated by the shaft and this produces electricity (Kinzel, Mulligan, & Dabiri, 2012). Here are some of the disadvantages and advantages of this energy.
According to Minneapolis Wind Industry (n.d), there are no harmful pollutants produced by wind turbines. This implies that unlike other energy sources, wind energy is clean. Additionally, wind energy is renewable. Water resources are also conserved when people use wind energy. To produce a similar amount of electricity produced using wind, it can take approximately 60 times of the required amount of water while using nuclear power and approximately 500 times amount of water while using coal (Wind Industry, n.d, p.3). According to an article by the Need Project (2007), wind is available freely. As such, producing wind energy is economical. Wind energy is renewable and cheap. Operational costs are the only costs that are incurred while producing wind energy. Otherwise, producing wind energy is free. According to Goffman (2008), natural resources are not depleted when producing this energy. This is not the case when producing energy using oil or coal. Wind energy also does not cause side effects like the ones that are produced by oil while transporting it. According to the European Wind Energy Association, wind power helps in the creation of more job opportunities. This association noted that every megawatt of energy produced using wind creates between 15 and 19 jobs either indirectly or directly. As such, producing and using wind energy helps in the creation of green jobs. Nevertheless, there are side effects of wind power that should be considered as well.
Disadvantages
An article by the Wind Industry notes that the unpredictability of wind is one of the major disadvantages of this energy. Turbines require blowing wind to produce electricity. Thus, the amount of power that is produced is affected by the changes in the amount of the blowing wind. Additionally, building turbines is quit costly. The turbines also occupy a huge area to install which necessitates destruction of the natural vegetation. Turbines are only constructed in places where strong winds blow constantly. Such places are sometimes near people residences or workplaces. This leads to the other shortcoming of the wind energy production which is the noise produced by the turbines. The noise produced by the turbines causes discomfort among the locals. This triggers resistance from the people. A study conducted by Jeffery, Horner, Aramini and Krogh (2012) indicated that the blades cause noise which cause adverse effects on the humans. The wildlife is also affected by wind turbines especially bats and the birds that try to fly through the blades. However, studies have shown that the number of the birds that become victims of the blades is negligible especially when compared to other activities of humans that kill animals. Nevertheless, in the United States alone the number of the birds that are killed by blades amounts to thousands (Mittal, Sandhu & Jain, 2010).
The benefits that are realized when wind energy is used makes it worth supporting. Such benefits include the fact that producing it is relatively cheaper, it is renewable and clean as well as the minimal amount of environmental pollution that it causes. Additionally, it facilitates jobs’ creation. Nevertheless, there are negative effects of wind turbines to the wildlife more so the bats as well as the birds that attempt to fly through them. Constructing wind turbines is also costly and the amount of the produced energy is dependent on the amount of the blowing wind. The noise that is produced by the turbines also causes discomfort among the local people.
Sample Essay on Advantages and Disadvantages of Wind Power: Reference
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Goffman, E. (2008). Capturing the Wind: Power for the 21st Century. ProQuest Discovery Guides. Retrieved from https://www.csa.com/discoveryguides/wind/review.pdf Kinzel, M., Mulligan, Q., & Dabiri, J. (2012). Energy exchange in an array of vertical-axis wind turbines. Journal of Turbulence, 13(38), 1–13. Krogh, C, Jeffery, R., Aramini, J., & Horner, B. (2012). Wind turbines can harm humans: a case study. Inter-Noise, August 2012. Mittal, R., Sandhu, K., & Jain, D. (2010). An Overview of Some Important Issues Related to Wind Energy Conversion System (WECS). International Journal of Environmental Science and Development, 1(4), 351-363. Need Project. (2007). Exploring Wind Energy. Retrieved from https://www.need.org/needpdf/ExploringWindStudent.pdf Rensselar, J. (2010). The elephant in the wind turbine. Tribology & Lubrication Technology. Retrieved from https://www.gyrotechnologies.co.nz/pdfs/The%20Elephant%20in%20the%20Wind%20Turbine_06-10.pdf Wilburn, D. (2011). Wind Energy in the United States and Materials Required for the Land-Based Wind Turbine Industry From 2010 Through 2030. Scientific Investigations Report 2011–5036. U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia: 2011. Wind Industry Minneapolis, MN. (n.d). Wind Basics: Why Wind Energy. Retrieved from https://www.windustry.org/sites/windustry.org/files/2.8%20Wind%20Basics%20PDF.pdf
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Advantages & Disadvantages of Wind Energy
This article explores the different advantages and disadvantages of wind energy. Discover what makes the wind one of the most popular renewable energy sources in use today. Learn about the controversy that surrounds the use of wind turbines and whether this is justified.
Advantages of Wind Energy
The wind has a wide range of benefits and has been used by man for thousands of years in sailing and milling. Nowadays, one of the main uses of wind is for the production of clean and renewable electricity. Let’s jump right in and take a look at the different advantages that wind energy has.
1. Wind Energy Is Renewable & Sustainable
The wind is both a renewable and sustainable resource. Unlike reserves of fossil fuels (such as coal, oil, and gas) it will never run out. This makes wind turbines a viable option in helping to meet our future energy demands.
2. It’s Good For The Environment
Wind energy is one of the most environmentally friendly energy sources known to man. This is based on the simple fact that wind turbines don’t create pollution whilst generating electricity.
Most non-renewable energy sources need to be burnt. This process releases gases such as carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) and methane (CH 4 ) into the atmosphere. These gases are known to contribute to climate change . In contrast, wind turbines produce no greenhouse gases when generating electricity.
We should note that both noise and visual pollution are two environmental disadvantages of wind turbines. However, these factors don’t have a negative impact on the earth, water table or the quality of the air we breathe.
3. It Reduces Fossil Fuel Consumption
Generating electricity from wind energy reduces the need for us to burn fossil fuels. This not only reduces carbon emissions but also helps to conserve dwindling supplies of the earth’s natural resources. As a result, reserves of fossil fuels like coal, oil, and natural gas will last much longer.
4. Wind Energy is Free
Unlike non-renewable energy sources , the wind is readily available and free for everyone to use. People use the wind each and every day for recreational purposes (such as sailing and windsurfing.) Utility companies use it to power wind turbines which are often installed as part of onshore or offshore wind farms.
Wind farms can feature hundreds of turbines and generate vast amounts of renewable electricity. Utility companies are able to sell this on to customers at a competitive price.
5. Wind Turbines Have A Small Footprint
Wind turbines have a relatively small land footprint. Although they can tower high above the ground, the impact on the land at the base is minimal. They are mostly found in fields, on hilltops, or out at sea. At these locations, they pose hardly any inconvenience to the surrounding land. Farmers can still farm their fields, livestock can graze the hills, and fishermen can still trawl the sea.
6. Both Industrial & Domestic Wind Turbines Are Available
Wind turbines aren’t just limited to large wind farms. Smaller, less powerful turbines can be found in many places. They are a good fit for farms, factories, and large private residences. Portable wind turbines are also available and can power small devices on the go.
Small domestic wind turbines can help to provide part of a building’s electricity supply. Such installations are often coupled with other renewable energy technologies. You can often find them installed alongside solar panels and geothermal heating systems.
7. Wind Energy Can Provide Power to Remote Locations
Wind turbines can play a key role in bringing power to remote locations. This can benefit everything from small villages to remote research facilities. It might be impractical or too expensive to connect these locations up to a mains electricity supply. In such cases, wind turbines may have the answer.
8. Wind Technology is Becoming Cheaper
The first-ever wind turbine became operational in 1888. Since then, they have become more efficient and much more affordable. As a result of this, the wind power industry has boomed. Nowadays, wind farms and standalone turbines can be found in most countries.
Government subsidies are also helping to reduce the cost of wind energy technologies. Lots of countries across the world provide incentives for the construction of wind turbines.
9. Wind Turbines Are Low Maintenance
Wind turbines are relatively low maintenance with modern turbines lasting several months between maintenance checkups. Although older turbines can experience reliability issues, technological advancements are helping to improve this.
10. Wind Energy Has Low Running Costs
As wind energy is free to use, its running costs are low. All utility companies need to do is purchase, install, and maintain their wind turbines. They can then benefit from a free source of energy instead of having to buy fuel.
11. It Has Huge Potential
Wind energy is all around us making it widely accessible. Wind turbines do require significant wind speeds to be efficient and therefore the placement of a turbine is important. However, most regions contain locations suitable for wind turbines and wind farms.
The important aspect here is that wind energy is less limited than some other renewable energy sources. For example, geothermal power plants are most efficient where there is significant geothermal activity close to the surface of the Earth. Another example is hydroelectric dams which require a suitable river and catchment area to form a reservoir.
12. It Can Increase Energy Security
By using wind energy to generate electricity, we are helping to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. In most cases, countries source coal, oil, and/or natural gas from other countries. War, politics and overall demand for such commodities dictate their price. This can sometimes cause serious economic problems and/or supply shortages.
By using local renewable energy sources, a country can reduce its dependency on external supplies of natural resources. As a direct result of this, the country can increase its energy security.
13. The Wind Energy Industry Creates Jobs
The wind energy industry has boomed since wind turbines became commercially viable. As a result of this, the industry has created jobs all over the world. Jobs now exist for the manufacturing, installation, and maintenance of wind turbines. You can even find jobs in wind energy consulting.
According to a report by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) , the renewable energy industry employed over 10 million people worldwide in 2017. Of these jobs, 1.15 million were in the wind power industry. China leads the way in providing over 500,000 of these jobs. Germany is in second place with around 150,000 jobs and the United States is a close third with around 100,000 wind energy jobs.
Disadvantages of Wind Energy
We’ve taken a look at the advantages, so now let’s look at the disadvantages. Wind energy has a number of drawbacks with the NIMBY (not in my backyard) factor playing a key role.
1. The Wind Fluctuates
Wind energy has a similar drawback to solar energy in that it is not constant. Although the wind is sustainable and will never run out, wind speed does change. This can cause serious problems for the efficiency of a wind turbine. Utility companies invest a significant amount of time and money in researching which locations are suitable for wind power.
For a wind turbine to be efficient, it needs to have an adequate supply of wind energy. For this reason, we often find wind turbines on top of hills or out at sea. In these locations, there are fewer land obstacles to reduce the force of the wind.
2. Wind Turbines Are Expensive
Although costs are reducing, wind turbines are still very expensive. First, an engineer must carry out a site survey. This may involve having to erect a research turbine to measure wind speeds over a period of time. If deemed adequate, a wind turbine then needs to be purchased, transported and installed. All of these processes contribute to the high cost of buying and installing wind turbines.
When we take the above into account for offshore wind farms, the costs become much greater. Installing structures out at sea is far more complex than on land. Some companies have even commissioned bespoke ships capable of transporting and installing wind turbines at sea.
3. Wind Turbines Pose a Threat to Wildlife
We often hear that wind turbines pose a threat to wildlife – primarily birds and bats. However, researchers now believe that they pose less of a threat to wildlife than other manmade structures do.
Installations such as cell phone masts and radio towers are far more dangerous to birds than wind turbines. Nevertheless, wind turbines still contribute to mortality rates among bird and bat populations.
4. Wind Turbines Are Noisy
One of the main disadvantages of wind turbines is the noise pollution they generate. You can sometimes hear them from hundreds of meters away depending on the wind direction. Combine multiple wind turbines with the right wind direction and the audible effects can be much greater. This issue is one of the biggest impacts of wind energy .
Noise pollution from wind turbines has ruined the lives of many homeowners. Although steps are often taken to install them away from populated areas, they do sometimes get built too close to where people live. This is why new wind farms often come up against strong public objection.
5. Wind Turbines Create Visual Pollution
Another drawback of wind turbines is the visual pollution they create. Although lots of people like the look of wind turbines, others don’t, with many seeing them as a blot on the landscape. This, however, tends to come down to personal opinion. As we build more wind farms, public acceptance is becoming more common.
So there we have a list of the different pros and cons of wind energy. Whilst there are many disadvantages to consider, the wind remains one of the cleanest and most environmentally friendly sources of energy available today.
Whether you love or loathe the presence of wind turbines and their blades, this technology is key in our fight against global warming. By generating more of our power from the wind, we are able to reduce our reliance on conventional power plants that consume fossil fuels and pollute the earth.
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Advantages And Disadvantages Of Wind Energy: A Realistic Alternative?
As we continue to slowly move towards a planet powered by sustainable and clean energy, much more focus is concentrated on renewable sources like wind energy. But what are the real advantages and disadvantages of wind energy?
Wind energy dates back thousands of years when ancient mariners used sails to harness the wind's power to propel their vessels. And though the use of wind to produce electricity seems like a recent development, the first wind turbine was developed as far back as 1888.
In 2018, wind energy accounted for approximately 5% (591 GW) of the world's total energy production, and although this may not seem like much, it is the second-largest source of renewable energy and continues to grow at an exponential rate.
It is increasingly implemented by large energy companies and industries and is even gaining popularity as a domestic source of electrical power. This inevitability raises the question as to what the real advantages and disadvantages of wind energy are.
Before taking an in-depth look at the benefits and drawbacks of wind energy, one first needs to establish what exactly wind energy is.
What Is Wind Energy?
Wind energy is a form of renewable energy where the kinetic energy produced by wind is converted into electrical power by a wind turbine.
As the wind passes through the turbine's blades, it causes them to rotate and develop kinetic energy, which, in turn, is converted into electrical power.
Advantages And Disadvantages Of Wind Energy
The benefits and drawbacks of wind energy (and all renewable energy, for that matter) are one of the most hotly debated topics in the world today. And the views and "facts" vary wildly, depending on which side of the aisle you are sitting on.
The best way to get a full and objective view of wind energy's advantages and disadvantages is to highlight the various benefits & drawbacks first and then take a closer look at each one individually.
Wind Energy Advantages
The table in the previous section highlighted the key advantages of wind energy. To better understand them, one needs to take a closer look at each benefit individually.
1) Renewable Source Of Energy
Like solar, geothermal, and hydro energy, wind energy is constantly renewing itself over a relatively short period of time . Depending on weather and location, it can replenish itself daily or even hourly without any human intervention.
This, combined with a few other characteristics, makes wind energy one of the most sustainable energy sources available anywhere in the world.
(Learn more about the differences between renewable and sustainable energy in this article .)
2) Clean Source Of Energy
Wind energy is a result of atmospheric conditions like weather patterns, the movement of air masses, and storm systems. As a result, it doesn't need to be specifically produced and use up other natural resources like the coal and oil used in the fossil fuel industry.
(Learn more about wind and how it is caused in this article .)
This makes it one of the cleanest sources of energy available with no waste products and minimal impact on the environment.
3) Low Operational Cost
Although energy production from the wind has a high initial cost, wind turbines have a relatively long lifespan (20-25 years) with a low maintenance cost compared to other power sources like coal or nuclear power stations.
This, combined with the fact that wind is freely available and doesn't need additional resources, makes wind energy very cost-effective and sustainable.
4) Small Footprint Using Existing Land
Although wind turbines themselves are quite large and wind farms can occupy vast areas of land (up to 47 000 acres or 19 020 hectares) , they have a very small footprint and only use a fraction of the land they occupy.
This allows the land below them to be used for other purposes, specifically agriculture. Energy companies often rent land for wind turbine placement from existing farms. This not only allows typical farm activities to continue but also provides an extra income to farmers.
5) Versatility And Freedom Of Placement
The ability of wind turbines to be placed almost anywhere the wind blows makes them very versatile. Whether it be remote desert locations, mountainous terrain, or even the ocean, wind turbines can be placed almost anywhere wind activity justifies its placement.
Although it is more costly than its onshore counterparts, offshore wind turbines are actually much more efficient since wind generally blows more consistently and at a greater velocity over ocean waters compared to land.
6) Can Be Sized According To Requirements
Utility-scale wind turbines are large and have an average height of 80 meters (262 feet) with a single rotor blade up to 49 meters in length. (The tallest wind turbine in the world is a staggering 246.5 meters or 809 feet tall.)
However, depending on the need, wind turbines come in different sizes for utility-scale, medium, as well as micro applications. A small wind turbine with a rotor diameter of 1.6 meters can easily be assembled in your backyard or rooftop to supplement existing power.
7) Creates New Job Opportunities
As already mentioned, wind turbines have a very high initial cost. This a largely due to their size and complexity, which require expertise from a wide range of fields, including engineering and construction.
This created a whole new industry with employment opportunities for engineering and construction companies specializing in renewable energy projects. The need for proper training in this specialized field also opened up the sector for even more job opportunities.
8) Provides Power To Remote Locations
The versatility of wind turbines to be placed almost anywhere where enough wind activity justifies their installation allows them to be placed in remote locations that normally would not have access to electricity "from the grid."
This is especially beneficial to locations like small rural villages, which are far removed from developed areas and not connected to the national power grid. (The benefits for developing countries are especially evident.)
Wind Energy Disadvantages
The table in the previous section also highlighted the key disadvantages of wind energy. To better understand them, one also needs to take a closer look at each individual drawback.
1) Potential Damage To The Environment
Wind energy is one of the cleanest and most sustainable energy sources on the planet. The wind (its fuel) is completely free, maintenance is low, and it produces no emissions or toxic waste that can harm the environment.
However, it does pose some dangers to local wildlife. The large, slow-rotating blades of wind turbines are responsible for killing birds and bats when flying into them. Some environmentalists see this as a huge problem.
However, before erecting wind turbines, energy companies now perform environmental impact assessment studies in locations where wind farms are planned to avoid harming large or endangered bird species and not be in the path of migrating flocks of birds.
Combined with technological advancements, this has lead to a dramatic decrease in the number of fatalities caused by wind turbines. (Even simple practices such as painting one of the turbine's blades to increase visibility are already having a very positive effect.)
2) Unpredictable & Inconsistent Availability
Unfortunately, the wind is not as predictable and reliable as other sources of renewable energy like solar & geothermal energy. The sun shines every day and is available for a set period of time. Although clouds may cause some disruption, it's still fairly predictable.
This is not the case with wind. Even on the most "efficient" offshore wind farms where the wind is almost always present, it can still die down without much warning. In some locations, periods of no wind activity can last for hours or even days.
Naturally, without wind, no energy can be produced. It puts a serious question mark next to the sustainability of wind energy. As a result, wind power is currently supplementing other forms of power generation and is not used as a standalone power source.
(In general, wind turbines operate at 30-45% of their maximum capacity.)
3) High Initial Cost
One of the biggest criticisms against wind energy is the large costs involved in building and installing wind farms. ("Wind farm" is the term used to describe the location where an array of wind turbines are installed together to generate electricity from wind energy.)
A single utility-scale wind turbine producing an average of 2 MW of power costs between 2.5 - 4 million US dollars. (Approximately $1.5 million per megawatt.) An average wind farm has anything from tens to thousands of wind turbines on location.
As a result, it is not hard to calculate just how costly the building of an average-sized wind farm can be. For example, in 2009, the Shepherds Flats Wind Farm in the United States was commissioned at an estimated cost of $2 billion, containing 338 wind turbines.
(This is by no means the biggest wind farm in the world. The Jiuquan Wind Power Base in China takes the prize with a total of 7 000 wind turbines planned (3 500 already completed) and will have a total output of 20GW.)
It becomes very evident that building and installing a wind farm with a similar output to a conventional fossil fuel-based power plant is extremely costly.
However, what is often not taken into account is that it requires no additional fuel to produce electricity, and maintenance costs are also minimal compared to conventional power plants. Over time wind farms will recuperate much if not all of the installation costs.
4) Problematic Where Space Is Limited
In large countries with vast open spaces and plenty of farmland, utilizing wind energy does not pose much of a problem. The same applies to countries with large coastlines, offering ample space for offshore wind projects.
However, in smaller countries with limited space or hostile terrain (like mountains or dense forests), which makes the installation of wind turbines impossible or extremely expensive, it can be very problematic.
In this case, making use of wind energy on a large scale to supplement or replace traditional power sources may not be a viable or practical solution.
5) Noise Pollution
Another complaint against wind turbines is the amount of noise they produce. This criticism is not without any merits. A utility-sized wind turbine makes the same amount of noise as a medium-sized family saloon traveling at around 75 miles per hour.
An argument can be made that the collective noise of hundreds of wind turbines can result in a serious noise pollution problem. However, in the vast majority of cases, wind farms are located in remote areas where the noise produced are not close to any human population.
Closer to urban regions, the noise from smaller wind turbines is often masked by the wind itself as it blows through trees and around buildings. Advances in wind turbine technology have also resulted in modern wind turbines producing much less noise.
6) Visually Unaesthetic
There is no debate about the fact that wind turbines are huge. With an average height of over 80 meters (262 feet) and a rotor diameter of approximately 100 meters (328 feet), they can easily dominate the landscape.
For many nature lovers and purists, they are an eyesore that spoils the natural beauty of the surrounding landscape. It is an "unaesthetic artificial monstrosity" that spoils the tranquil and relaxing nature of the natural environment.
Although many see wind turbines as an interesting and fascinating addition to the landscape, it is understandable that many outdoor enthusiasts who want to escape the mad rush of urban life want to enjoy nature in its unspoiled splendor.
7) Problematic Disposal
Much emphasis has already been placed on the clean energy that wind power produces. However, the use of wind to produce energy is not devoid of any impact on the environment. It becomes apparent when looking at the disposal of wind turbine blades.
The blades are made of fiberglass, and unlike the steel towers they rest on, the material can't be recycled. As a result, thousands of blades that reached the end of their lifespan end up as landfill.
With each blade larger than a Boeing 747's wing, the space a number of turbine blades will occupy in a landfill becomes very obvious. It also has to be chopped up into at least three pieces before it can be transported away for disposal.
(This also adds to the fuel costs of transporting them since only one blade can be carried at a time by a single regular rig. Indirectly, it also adds to the carbon footprint of wind energy.)
As a result, a landfill site can quickly fill up as more of these massive structures are being deposited each year as older winder turbines reach the end of their life.
8) Wind Technology Still Evolving
Like most other technologies, wind turbines are constantly evolving with new advancements making them cheaper, more efficient with less impact on the environment.
Although they have been around for decades, wind turbine technology is still relatively new and evolving at a rapid rate.
Due to their size, though, wind turbines cannot be quickly replaced when new developments emerge. Their planning and installation take months and years, and as the previous section explained, their disposal is just as big an undertaking.
As a result, it takes much longer for newer, more efficient wind technology to replace outdated, less efficient wind turbines, which may also be more costly to maintain.
As this article clearly illustrated, it is hard to dismiss the numerous advantages of wind energy. Not only is it a renewable and sustainable source of energy, but also has very little impact on the environment.
With that said, it is also clear that utilizing wind energy has some very real disadvantages. This article highlighted both the benefits and drawbacks of harnessing the power of the wind to provide a realistic overview of the impact of wind energy.
Home / Essay Samples / Environment / Wind Energy / Wind Power: Advantages And Disadvantages
Wind Power: Advantages And Disadvantages
- Category: Environment
- Topic: Natural Resources , Wind Energy
Pages: 1 (629 words)
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Advantages of Wind Power
Disadvantages of wind power, overcoming intermittency through energy storage.
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