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WIND POWER

WIND POWER. Alysse Riggs and Julie Davis. General Information . In reality, wind energy is a form of solar energy The sun's radiation heats different parts of the earth at different rates when different areas absorb or reflect at different rates.

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WIND POWER

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  1. WIND POWER Alysse Riggs and Julie Davis

  2. General Information • In reality, wind energy is a form of solar energy • The sun's radiation heats different parts of the earth at different rates when different areas absorb or reflect at different rates. • Hot air rises, reducing the atmospheric pressure at the earth's surface, and cooler air is drawn in to replace it. • Air has mass, and when it is in motion, it contains the energy of that motion("kinetic energy")

  3. The Main Goal • To create alternative energy that was renewable • That did not create pollution in the air and water • That could replace nonrenewable sources and pollution in the near future http://www.4ecotips.com/eco/img0906/Quietrevolution.jpg

  4. Making A Difference • It is a clean source of renewable energy that does not create air or water pollution • The biggest wind turbines can power over 600 houses • Global capacity was approximately 70,000 megawatts (1 megawatt can power over 250 homes) • By 2050 the answer to one third of the world's electricity needs will be found blowing in the wind. http://windeis.anl.gov/guide/photos/photo2.html

  5. The Wind Turbines • Two Groups of wind turbines: horizontal-axis turbine and vertical-axis turbine (egg-beater) • Turbines are made of steel. The blades are made of fiberglass-reinforced polyester or wood-epoxy. • The output of a wind turbine depends on the turbine's size and the wind's speed through the rotor. http://windeis.anl.gov/guide/basics/index.cfm http://www.sextonwindpower.com/files/wind_turbine_drawing(1).gif

  6. Wind Turbines Cont. • A wind energy system transforms the kinetic energy of the wind into mechanical or electrical energy • Electricity production and consumption are most commonly measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh). • A kilowatt-hour means one kilowatt (1,000 watts) of electricity produced or consumed for one hour. • Ex: One 50-watt light bulb left on for 20 hours consumes one kilowatt-hour of electricity (50 watts x 20 hours = 1,000 watt-hours = 1 kilowatt-hour). http://www.solarnavigator.net/images/wind_turbine_aalborg.jpg

  7. Technological Obstacles • Wind turbines - Below 8-10 mph wind speed they do not generate and have to cut out for safety reasons above 56 mph. Their maximum generation is reached at about 30 mph. • Wind Farms - generate some power for 70-75% of the time but this is often a mere trickle, so the total electricity produced is only about 26% of their full potential. • The electricity produced cannot be stored and feeding it into the national grid is complex and costly – a bill ultimately paid by the consumer. • Coal or gas-fired power stations are essential to maintain uninterrupted supplies of electricity when the wind is not blowing • Developers claim a turbine lifespan is 20-25 years but many are being replaced after just 9-12 years – with yet larger turbines

  8. Political / Economic Obstacles • The electricity produced cannot be stored and feeding it into the national grid is complex and costly , which is ultimately paid by the consumer. • Wind turbines are being replaced every 9-12 years which is costing more money

  9. Negative Environmental Impacts • A turbine 375 feet high requires a base of some 1000 tons of reinforced concrete, to say nothing of the materials needed to build service roads. Together with peat destruction on peat-rich sites, this means that wind farms can take years to pay back the carbon dioxide they release during and after construction, reducing even further their contribution to climate change. • Birds unaware of wind turbines often crash into them and are killed as a result. http://www.freewebs.com/jwpaudubon/WIND%20TURBINE%20BIRDS.jpg

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