|
Home | Technology
Wind Energy Generators - Free electricity from mother nature. Why we could install it now
By: Peter Bakersfield
Wind powered turbines are one of the most ancient forms of alternative power sources in the world. They are designed to create energy by converting the kinetic energy of the wind into mechanical energy, which is then either used directly (in the case of windmills, for example, which were used to make flour from grain, or to pump water for irrigation) or coupled to a generator that provides a direct current electrical output that can be used in a more general sense. In this article we will be talking about the type of wind turbines that produce electric power, as this is more useful to us.Wind turbines are basically large windmills, with large blades that rotate as a result of the wind and manufacture energy from the conversion of the winds power. Wind turbines are made from fiberglass, copper, steel along with various other space age materials.Wind generators can have a few negative impacts on the environment. They are obviously very visible, and very unsightly since they must be put in proximity to windy, open terrain to be feasible - recent attempts to position them out to sea have been greeted with a lot of success. Wind Turbines also require a great deal of energy in their production, energy which is fossil-based, and therefore it can take considerable amount of time before they are beneficial in terms of total carbon emissions - this time can be anywhere from four to six years. They are often associated with the mauling of birds that can be mutilated as they pass through the turbine blades during transitory passages.With all of the negatives aside, wind turbines should be a logical inclusion when talking about a broad plan for renewable power, in those areas that are well suited to them. Once erected, wind turbines are really efficient in a larger sense - they produce electricity from a natural, sustainable renewable resource, without the social or environmental costs that we incur in the consumption of fossil fuels - theres no need to mine for fuel or to transport it - there arent any pollutants created, and no need to store, treat, or to dispose of wastes.At the low end of the spectrum, turbines can be as small as five feet in diameter and might be capable of only a few hundred watts. On the large end of the scale, turbines can be as massive as 250 feet in diameter and are capable of generating two to four megawatts of power.Like with photovoltaic solar electricity generation, there will usually be rebates available for construction, and energy in excess of that which we are consuming can be sold back to the utility company.Wind velocity is impacted by topography and increases with altitude, so wind turbines are usually mounted on tall towers. For a typical installation, the wind turbine sits on top of a tower and generates direct current which is used to charge batteries - this stored power is ultimately utilized by routing it through an inverter that transforms the direct current energy into higher voltage AC energy for use in household applications. By concentrating a lot of turbines into wind farms a massive amount of electricity can be stored and harnessed, perhaps for a whole city or town.Because the wind doesnt blow all of the time in most areas, wind turbines are used in hybrid configurations with many different technologies like photovoltaic solar panels, and diesel generators to generate a consistent source of electricity.Unlike coal stations, wind generators are clean and green - they do not manufacture the CO2 emissions that are thought to be causing global warming or the SO2 emissions that cause acid rain. Modern day wind turbines are divided into two major categories, namely horizontal turbines and vertica turbines. Modern horizontal axis wind machines are actually far superior at capturing the wind than vertical axis machines given the same amount of swept blade area (i.e. the diameter of the circle traced by the tip of the blades).
Article Source: http://www.ezarticles.info
|
