Wind Energy

What is wind energy? Wind energy is a renewable energy source fueled by the sun that generates electricity. Wind is air in motion caused by uneven heating of the earth's surface by the sun.

Since the earth is covered by about 70% water, the land and sea heat up differently. At night, the air above the water cools slower than the air over land. The warm air over the sea expands and rises, and the heavier, cooler air rushes in to take its place, creating winds. During the day, the land heats up faster than the water. The warm air over the land expands and rises, and the heavier, cooler air rushes in to take its place, creating winds.

Wind energy generates electricity by using blades on wind turbines to collect the wind’s kinetic energy. Wind turbines slow down the wind which flows over the airfoil shaped blades creating lift, and causing them to turn. The blades are connected to a drive shaft that turns an electric generator and produces electricity.

There must be a proper amount of planning for establishing a wind energy site. A lot of thought needs to go into where the wind turbines will be located. If a turbine is positioned wrong, then it will not generate wind power. Wind speed, wind direction, and seasons all play a vital role in the generation of wind energy. Wind speed increases with altitude and over open areas with nothing to block it. Wind speed varies greatly across this country and this world. In certain areas, winds blow more in summer and in other areas, it blows more in winter.

Some good sites for wind power are: mountain gaps that create wind funneling, open plains, the tops of smooth, rounded hills, and shorelines.