Wind Energy

Pamela GMarissa V Jillian W

• Motion = kinetic energy. Wind carries kinetic energy.•Wind-electric turbines and its blades capture this energy through wind. •When the turbine blades capture wind energy they start to move.•The motion of the blades spins a shaft inside the turbine.•The shaft then powers a generator.•The generator turns that rotational energy into electricity.

Pamela G.

How Wind Turbines work

Anemometer: Measures the wind speed.

Blades: Wind blowing over the blades causes the blades to "lift" and rotate.

Controller: The controller starts up the machine and shuts off the machine at about 55 mph because they might be damaged by the high winds.

Generator: Produces 60-cycle AC electricity.

High-speed shaft: Drives the generator.

wind speed increases with height, taller towers enable turbines to capture more energy and generate more electricity.

Pamela G.

How Wind Turbines work

•Most of the turbines installed today are 2 MW in size.•Commercial-scale turbines (the big common ones) roughly cost $3.5 Million. •Smaller farm or residential scale turbines cost less, but are more expensive the more kilowatt of energy it can produce. (100 kilowatts roughly cost $3,000 to $5,000 per kilowatt of capacity)

Installation Cost

Pamela G.

• Once wind turbines are built the energy it produces don’t cause green house gases or other pollutants.•Although wind turbines can be very tall, each only takes up a small plot of land, land that can still be used, which is important in agricultural areas like farming.• For remote areas (that aren’t connected to the electricity power grid) can use wind turbines to produce their own supply of electricity.•Available in a range of sizes, means a vast range of people and businesses can use them.

Pamela G.

Positive Aspects for Wind Turbines

Negative Effects of Wind Energy•Wind turbines can get damaged or destroyed if hit by a heavy storm•Wind does not flow at the same speed all the time. The production of electricity would not always remain consistent, because wind does not flow at a constant rate•Inconsistency affects electricity supply in nearby high demand areas like cities and towns•Wind turbines, on an average make a sound of about 50-60 decibel. Slower the wind's speed, greater the sound produced.•There is no other way of storing windenergy other than using batteries.

Marissa

Wastes/By-ProductsThere is no waste or by-products of wind energy besides what is used in the manufacturing process because it uses the wind as a renewable energy source.

Marissa

Ideal LocationsThe best states for wind power are naturally

windy places. (North Dakota, Texas, Kansas, Nebraska, Minnesota, Iowa)

The Great Plains and places off the coast or near mountains are great locations for wind turbines.

Bands of strong winds stretch through these areas.

•Minnesota has the 4th largest use of wind power in the country.

Jillian

Wind Power in MinnesotaThere are no wind turbines located in Apple

Valley itself, but there are many in the area:The School of Environmental Studies (SES) has

wind turbine that was installed in 2007. There are also turbines in Blaine, Rochester and at St. Olaf and Carleton Colleges.Wind energy is used throughout the State of Minnesota to power homes, buildings etc.,Minnesota is rated 4th in the nation for wind

energy use.Jillian

Use Around the WorldThe United States uses the most wind energyTurbines are placed in large groups around

the countryIncreasing use of wind energy to break away

from foreign polluting resourcesGermany, India andSpain have becomemore recent leaders inwind energy use.Possible to have 20% of U.S. electricity come from wind turbines by 2030. Jillian

CitationsPhelps, Megan. “The Best States for Wind Power”. 2 Sept. 2009. http://www.motherearthnews.com/Renewable-Energy/Wind-Resources-United-States.aspx

“Top 10 Countries Where Wind Turbines are Used Most Efficiently”. 27 July 2012.http://www.bionomicfuel.com/top-10-countries-where-wind-turbines-are-used-most-efficiently-full/

Deshmukh, Ujwal. “Wind Energy Pros and Cons.” 1 January 2012 http://www.buzzle.com/articles/wind-energy-pros-and-cons.html

Layton, Julia. “How Wind Powers Work?”. http://www.howstuffworks.com/environmental/green-science/wind-power.htm

U.S. Department of Energy. “How Wind Turbines Work?”. November, 2011.http://www1.eere.energy.gov/wind/wind_how.html

Union of Concerned Scientists. “How Wind Energy Works?”. December, 2009.http://www.ucsusa.org/clean_energy/technology_and_impacts/energy_technologies/how-wind-energy-works.html

Windustry and Great Plains Windustry Project. “How Much Do Wind Turbines Cost?”. http://www.windustry.org/how-much-do-wind-turbines-cost

Ryan, V. “Advantages And Disadvantages Of Wind Power”. 2009.http://www.technologystudent.com/energy1/wind8.htm