Wind Energy – Harness the Earth’s Power to Create Electricity
Wind energy has been a staple of society for thousands of years. It is a testament to the ingenuity of our forefathers that they learned to harness the wind’s power and convert it into energy. But, is wind energy a viable energy source in modern times?
Wind Energy
Wind energy is the idea that the currents around the earth that cause the wind to blow can power various 
systems. The main use for the earth now would be to convert that wind power into electricity for homes and businesses.
Wind energy is derived from solar energy. This is how it works. Solar radiation that hits the earth produces certain convection currents around the planet. It is similar to how a convection oven moves the current inside to evenly heat the food. When cool and warm air rise, fall, and meet above the earth, they produce wind currents that blow in different directions.
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Which Way Does the Wind Blow?
All wind is not created equal. A small breeze that won’t fill the sails on a dingy won’t turn on the light bulb in your home either. The breeze that we feel close to the earth has various levels where the wind is stronger at higher elevations and weaker as they get closer to the ground.
When windmills were first used they varied in size. It was more of a trial and error process back then to find a height that produced a maximum spin of the windmill blades. Compared to the traditional windmill, today’s wind turbines are twice as tall.
But, size varies depending on where the wind turbines are located on the earth. The wind turbines have to be tall enough to benefit from the stronger winds if they want to produce significant energy benefits.
Catching the Wind
It is not easy to harness wind energy. Enough wind has to be generated to power a turbine that can convert the wind energy into a more useful form to generate electricity. There are two basic designs for wind turbines in use today:
• Horizontal-axis turbine
• Vertical-axis turbine
Horizontal-Axis Turbine
The horizontal-axis turbine looks similar to the windmills used for centuries. There is a post or tower that holds a large head containing several blades. Traditional windmills had four or five blades. Current wind turbines utilize three blades.
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The large head, or rotor, has a certain diameter as does the rotor blades. On the back of the rotor is a round bump called a nacelle. It contains a gearbox and a generator. A series of cables, wires, and other equipment connect the wind turbines together and to grids.
The windmills of old were constructed almost entirely of wood. Now, wind turbines are made of steel and fiberglass. The towers are steel owing to the fact that they require stability. The rotor blades are of a lighter material like fiberglass to move with the wind with less effort.
Vertical-Axis Turbine
A vertical-axis turbine is a newer design. They are constructed using a tower but the blades attach at two points on the tower at the top and the bottom like a sail to a mast. When they move, the vertical-axis turbine resembles an old egg beater. The gearbox and generator are in the base of the vertical-axis turbine.
The majority of the wind energy turbines used on a large scale today is of the horizontal-axis design.
Is Wind Energy Effective?
Wind energy is a cheaper form of electricity in the long run. There are no byproducts of production that can harm the atmosphere. Fossil fuels do not burn cleanly and have produced the greenhouse gas effect we are currently experiencing.
Many farms and homes are utilizing wind energy. Wind energy can be converted to mechanical energy if that is the need. When windmills were used on a large scale, wind energy powered wells, ground grain, and provided electricity for the house.
Wind energy availability depends on the area and the size of the wind turbine. A larger wind turbine can produce anywhere from several watts of energy to a few megawatts of energy. That translates into enough kilowatt hours to power a large grid of homes.
The capacity factor refers to the efficiency of the wind turbine. It is a measure of the actual wind energy produced divided by the amount of wind energy that would be produced if the turbine ran all the time. Those wind turbines with a high capacity factor will produce more energy for conversion to electricity.
The Future of Wind Energy
Don’t count this renewable energy source out just yet. Wind energy can supplement our energy needs in the United States. Utilizing larger grids can tap areas with greater wind energy to power those with lesser. The major cost still lies in the construction.
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