Not many of us particularly love the wind, blowing our hair everywhere and swaying us sideways, however, believe it or not, winds can actually be very useful to us. Wind Power uses
wind turbines to harness wind energy and turn it into electricity. Though
there is an infinite supply of wind, wind power often fluctuates between and
within regions and seasons. This may mean that it is not always completely
reliable. Many wind farms and wind projects have already been established in
the developed world and from the following graph (International
Energy Agency, 2009) we can see that the US, China, Germany, Spain and
India, are already quite invested in wind power.
The next table shows some more recent data of wind capacity
throughout various regions in the world:
From this table, it is clear that Europe, Asia and North
America have the most firmly established wind power markets (Nelson,
2014). Nelson also notes that on-shore wind power is a not a great deal more
expensive than fossil fuels and some energy sources are much more expensive than wind power, such as photovoltaic and solar energy. However, costs can vary depending on the
winds that regions can harness, which may often fluctuate. Coastal regions
have an advantage, as wind is also wave generated, which is why on-shore
wind power is cheaper than off-shore wind power. So, what do you think? Have I swayed you? Are you blown away at the realisation of how useful winds can be? I'll stop with the puns now, but do comment below and voice your opinion!
Next up: Solar Energy!
Next up: Solar Energy!
Wind is free. We do not need to manufacture wind. I think we should be using this. I think we should be investing more to harness wind in the cheapest way possible. This is got to be the way forward!!
ReplyDeleteI personally think the answer to a more sustainable future, is investment into all feasible alternative energies. Wind perhaps has a more significant role to play as it is fairly cheap to implement and efficient. However, wind power does vary globally and it is not always reliable.
DeleteIt is however safe to say that this is an area in which coastal regions have an advantage and can really capitalise on their geographical location.
I think at the core though, we need to invest in greener mindsets and ways of thinking. In our everyday life, with every action, globally, every individual should be thinking 'is there a sustainable way to do this?'. Particularly in developed nations who have significantly contributed to the rise in carbon emissions and indeed global warming!