Advantages and Disadvantages of Wind Energy

Wind energy offers many advantages, which explains why it's the = fastest-growing energy source in the world. Research efforts are = aimed at=20 addressing the challenges to greater use of wind energy.

Advantages

Wind energy is fueled by the wind, so it's a clean fuel source. = Wind=20 energy doesn't pollute the air like power plants that rely on = combustion=20 of fossil fuels, such as coal or natural gas. Wind turbines don't = produce=20 atmospheric emissions that cause acid rain or greenhouse = gasses.

Wind energy is a domestic source of energy, produced in the = United=20 States. The nation's wind supply is abundant.

Wind energy relies on the renewable power of the wind, which = can't be=20 used up. Wind is actually a form of solar energy; winds are caused = by the=20 heating of the atmosphere by the sun, the rotation of the earth, = and the=20 earth's surface irregularities.

Wind energy is one of the lowest-priced renewable energy = technologies=20 available today, costing between 4 and 6 cents per kilowatt-hour,=20 depending upon the wind resource and project financing of the = particular=20 project.

Wind turbines can be built on farms or ranches, thus benefiting = the=20 economy in rural areas, where most of the best wind sites are = found.=20 Farmers and ranchers can continue to work the land because the = wind=20 turbines use only a fraction of the land. Wind power plant owners = make=20 rent payments to the farmer or rancher for the use of the = land.

Disadvantages

Wind power must compete with conventional generation sources on = a cost=20 basis. Depending on how energetic a wind site is, the wind farm = may or may=20 not be cost competitive. Even though the cost of wind power has = decreased=20 dramatically in the past 10 years, the technology requires a = higher=20 initial investment than fossil-fueled generators.

The major challenge to using wind as a source of power is that = the wind=20 is intermittent and it does not always blow when electricity is = needed.=20 Wind energy cannot be stored (unless batteries are used); and not = all=20 winds can be harnessed to meet the timing of electricity = demands.

Good wind sites are often located in remote locations, far from = cities=20 where the electricity is needed.

Wind resource development may compete with other uses for the = land and=20 those alternative uses may be more highly valued than electricity=20 generation.

Although wind power plants have relatively little impact on the = environment compared to other conventional power plants, there is = some=20 concern over the noise produced by the rotor blades, aesthetic = (visual)=20 impacts, and sometimes birds have been killed by flying into the = rotors.=20 Most of these problems have been resolved or greatly reduced = through=20 technological development or by properly siting wind = plants.

Printable=20 Version