Wind Power

By: Danforth HolleyKendal Effinger

& Daisy Bledsoe-Herring

Uses of Wind Power

Primarily electricity Heats, lights, and cools homes Runs cars, appliances, and the technology of

the future Also mechanical energy

Grind grain, pump water

How do windmills work?

Wind spins the rotor blades Which turns a gearbox Attached to an electrical generator Which creates electrical energy Which is then distributed through

power cables

WHAT WOULD WIND REPLACE?

Non Renewable Fossil Fuels Mainly coal Natural Gas

Coal Plants

(“NY Times”)

(Miller Textbook)

Advantages Over Coal

High Efficiency Low

Environmental Impact

Would lower electricity costs

Quick construction

(Miller Textbook)

(“Scruffy Dan Blog”)

More Advantages… Clean

No air pollution No CO2 Emission

reduced by 99% when wind replaces coal

reduced by 98% when wind replaces natural gas

Abundant Reliable Affordable Safe

(“Yes2Wind”)

(“Renewable Energy Sources”)

Wind Power in the USA

Wind farms generate electricity in 28 states.

Most wind production in: Texas, California, Iowa,

Minnesota, and Oklahoma. Areas with most potential:

Midwest US “Saudi Arabia of Wind”

(“Miller Text”)

Dakotas/Texas Most turbines in California

(“AWEA”)

(“Wind Action”)

A Case Study: Stateline Wind Energy Project

Location Vansycle Ridge-

boarder between Washington & Oregon

399 Turbines Wind comes from

Columbia Ridge 16-18 mph average

Capacity: Produces enough

energy for 26,500 Homes (“Wind Energy: The Facts”)

(“BPA.GOV”)

A Case Study: Stateline Wind Energy Project PROS

Helps local/national econ Eliminates need for some

fossil fuel plants Environmental Review

shows that impact is low Low land use Technology to protect

environment/safety

(“Wikipedia”)

(“RNP”)

A Case Study: Stateline Wind Energy Project CONS

Very few cons Inevitably some birds

will be effected Areas were

temporarily disturbed during construction

Some roads must be built to access facilities=habitat destruction

(“Wikipedia”)

(“BPA”)

Becoming Mainstream Increased 50% US overtook Germany in 2008

Variability relies on the wind to blow Not completely reliable

Low startup and maintenance costs Barriers: Current coal-powered plants

Industries based on these

Mainstreaming Wind Power

Infrastructure

Wind Turbines Sites to place

turbines High wind, land

use, value of energy, etc.

Transmission line availability

State of State Address

Reduce reliance on coal-burning power plants by 45% Solar and wind energy

Wind Turbines in the Great Lakes Use money saved from importing

coal to build wind turbines Manufacture parts in Michigan—

creating jobs

Denmark Denmark gets 19% of their electricity

from windmills. Near Copenhagen, Denmark has the

world’s largest off shore wind farm.

Sources

American Wind Energy Association. 05 Feb. 2009 http://www.awea.org .

"Review of the major Wind Power Turbine Manufacturers - Part 2 |." Renewable Energy Sources. 05 Feb. 2009 http://www.renewable-energy-sources.com/2008/04/14/review-of-the-major-wind-power-turbine-manufacturers-part-2/ .

"Wind Energy." Energy Information Administration - EIA - Official Energy Statistics from the U.S. Government. 05 Feb. 2009 http://www.eia.doe.gov/kids/energyfacts/sources/renewable/wind.html .

"Www.windaction.org | Horse Hollow Wind Plant." Www.windaction.org | Welcome. 05 Feb. 2009 http://www.windaction.org/pictures/6534

YES 2 Wind. 05 Feb. 2009 <&iuml;&macr; http://www.alternative-energy-news.info/technology/wind-power >.

YES2WIND: How to say yes to wind energy in your area. 05 Feb. 2009 http://www.yes2wind.com .