Wind Power

By: Kady Hamilton and Emily Lowe

Primary energy source

• Wind– clean and renewable– Doesn’t release harmful gases- CO2 or nitrogen

oxides into atmosphere

History of Energy Source• 5000 B.C.- boats used wind energy• By 11th century windmills were used• 1887- first windmill built• 1931- 31 meter tower• 1941- 75 foot blades• 1980- wind farm has 20 turbines• 1991- wind farm consists of 11, 450kW turbines

Cont…• 1991- turbines produce energy for 2,700 homes

• 2008- 186 wind farms– 2,120 turbines– enough energy to power

1,523,052 homes– Saves 6,156,175 tons of carbon

Geographic Distribution

• Machines placed in greater numbers to benefit areas and more people

• Break away from dependence on foreign oil and fossil fuels which bring hazards to air

• Most popular in the United States.– Top 10 (U.S. being first)• Germany, India, France, United Kingdom, Spain, China,

Italy, Denmark, Portugal

Types of Pollutants

• Causing health problems– Flicker and noise• Ringing in ears • Headaches• Sleeplessness• Dangerously elevated blood pressure• heart palpitations• itching in the ears• eye watering, earaches• pressure on the chest causing them to fight to breathe.

How does this turbine work

• Anemometer• Blades• Brake• Controller • Gear box• Generator• High-speed shaft • Low-speed shaft• Nacelle • Pitch • Rotor • Tower• Wind direction • Wind vane • Yaw drive• Yaw motor

What’s required in making it Work

• Wind- from of solar energy– Caused by uneven heating of the atmosphere be

sun

Pros to this Option• Wind is free• No greenhouse gases• Takes up very small area• Various sizes for businesses• Job opportunities on machines• Save money on electricity• Electricity generated- 76% of S02 emissions• Doesn’t pollute air or water

Cons to this Option• Damaged in storms• Blades hit birds• Create noise from turning or blades• Interference with television reception

Environmental Impacts

• Energy supply is still dominated by fossil fuels, which contribute to the main enviornmental problems at world level.– Climate change and air pollution

Abundance of this Energy Type

• Unlimited wind

Cost of Building and Maintaining

• Costs of installing will vary depending on…– Wind resource assessment and site expenses• In 2007 costs of a commercial wind mill ranged

from 1.2 million to 2.6 million

Research Points

– The Illinois Department of Natural Resources conducted a study in 2007- far fewer instances of bird deaths from wind turbines than some feared. The mortality study, conducted at a wind energy installation, found an average of one bird per turbine was killed a year.

– http://thesouthern.com/news/article_6255fdb2-97db-5273-8510-673a6eb3e401.html#ixzz1qQhw9b8n

Work Cited• http://www.windturbine.me/prosandcons.html• http://www.buzzle.com/articles/wind-energy-pros-a

nd-cons.html• http://www.thesolarguide.com/wind-power/history

.aspx• http://windeis.anl.gov/guide/basics/index.cfm• http://www1.eere.energy.gov/wind/wind_how.htm

l• http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/oct/

17/wind-power-renewable-energy

Cont…

• http://www.electricalpollution.com/windturbines.html

• http://www.google.com/imgres?q=wind+farm• http://www.google.com/imgres?

q=wind+energy+flicker&um• http://www.google.com/imgres?

q=wind&um=1&hl