Efficiency of Wind Energy

Modern developments have increased the efficiency of wind energy, making it a more viable power source. Wind energy is the fastest growing power source globally.

Wind energy is an increasingly popular energy source.

Wind energy, also known as wind power, is the means of harnessing wind and turning it into electricity. This is done by the use of turbines, working in the manner of old fashioned windmills with blades turning in the wind. As the blades turn, the energy produced is collected as electricity. Wind turbines are used as part of a wind farm where wind is collected to provide electricity to a community and provide power back to the national grid. Additionally, single units may be installed by individuals to support their traditional power supply.

Wind energy is a supplemental power supply, working in conjunction with other power sources. No power supply is 100 percent effective, as traditional power plants experience outages, so wind power cannot be guaranteed to provide electricity 100 percent of the time. The use of energy from different sources, depending on conditions, ensures the most effective use of resources.

Wind energy, along with solar power is often referred to as an alternative, renewable energy source.

There are many ways of measuring the efficiency of wind energy:

One of the key features of wind energy is the fact that it is free and will never run out. It is completely renewable as an energy resource. A problem that occurs, however, is that wind is not available all the time and, since it's a natural phenomenon, man has no control over ensuring a constant supply of wind. Wind will blow at different speeds, meaning that power is generated at inconsistent levels. A turbine typically does not start to generate electricity until the wind speeds are around 10 miles an hour and reach maximum power output at around 33 miles per hour. At very high wind speeds, for instance gale force winds at 50 plus miles per hour, wind turbines shut down.

The positioning of a turbine or wind farm is of paramount importance. The turbine needs to be in a position where it gets maximum benefit from the wind available. The combination of research with modern technologies means that wind farms can now be sited in positions with optimum wind conditions. Therefore, while wind supply cannot be guaranteed, smart siting of wind farms ensures that available wind is gained.

Wind energy is effectively free. Once the cost of manufacture and installation have been taken into account, there are no costs involved in producing electricity from wind power. Most modern turbines installed today are estimated to have a 20 year life. During this time, some minor parts may need replacing, however the major components have been designed to run 24 hours a day during this time period. This means that electricity from this source can be a very economical alternative to traditional power generators.

The amount of electricity a modern wind turbine produces is dependent on wind speed. According to the awee.org "A wind turbine at a typical location in the Midwestern U.S. should run about 65-90% of the time". During this time a turbine will not be operating to full capacity all the time and will generate about 30 percent of the theoretical maximum output. This is known as its load factor. The load factor of conventional power stations is on average 50 percent although according to awee.org, vary between 40 percent and 80 percent depending on fuel type and other factors.

Many people are considering installing a residential wind turbine. This works in exactly the same way as the wind turbines used in wind farms, and is used in conjunction with traditional power supply. The benefit is that wind energy is used when available and therefore the need to use traditional energy is vastly reduced.

This can be an excellent alternative energy supply for people living in rural areas. A wind turbine, even for domestic use, can be quite large, making it unsuitable for use in heavily built up urban areas.

It costs more to produce energy than it does to save it. Therefore, when considering any efficiency program, looking at energy saving methods and running an energy efficient home is equally important. Additional energy savings can be made by considering hybrid cars or installing solar panels.

• awea.org: American Wind Energy Association
• gwec.net: Global Wind Energy Council.

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