James Kingston

Annotated Bibliography
English 1010
11/4/14
Which renewable energy is most efficient?

I decided to do this topic because I am interested in energy and how it could be used. I
think solar power is most efficient renewable energy, but other ones seem about the same
efficient too, such as wind or nuclear power. I will focus on wind and solar power.
Wang, Walter. Solar or Wind Power: Which Is More Efficient? CleanTechies."CleanTechies., May 1,
2012. Web. 19 Nov. 2014.

Cleantechies.com says which energy represents more value for money, wind or
solar power. Then it says But they are exactly the same in terms of efficiency, that is,
how much electricity they can produce? It says that an experiment arrived at the
conclusion that solar is more efficient. They compared a 35 foot turbine with a solar
panel array. Cleantechies.com states that Apparently the solar array generated five
times more than the wind turbine mainly because of the varying wind speeds that stops
the turbine from generating power. It states that solar is less intermittent than wind.
One advantage of solar panels is that they are easier to integrate architecturally, but
wind will do a better job than solar under some conditions and vice-versa.
The author is Walter Wang. He is the founder and managing director of
Sunflower Tax, a renewable energy tax and finance consultancy. I think he is a little

credible because he didnt have any sources cited. His key points were whether solar
power or wind power is more efficient. The author states They compared a 35-foot
wind turbine with a solar panel array, making sure that both could generate the same
amount of electricity under optimal conditions.
This article was helpful to me because it helped me to know that solar power
would probably be more efficient.
Alternative Energy. Alternative Energy
Web. 19 Nov 2014

Altenergy.org explains how carbon dioxide causes the effect of global warming
and how one answer is to replace those energy resources that emit carbon dioxide with
alternative energy resources. It also explains what alternative energy is. The article also
states that solar power is the best thing going from an environmental perspective.
Altenergy.org also says that mankind is crazy to not harness the energy from the sun. It
basically says we should take advantage of solar power and use a grid tied PV system.
The article explains that it would be arguably greener to use. It tells us that we should
grid connected solar panels by saying many people with grid connected houses are
choosing to install grid interactive solar systems, as they do not create any greenhouse
gases when generating electricity, unlike other coal-fired power plants. It states that it
will repay its debt within two years. It explains how wind energy is used. It says that
wind energy is pollution free, but it does have some drawbacks. It says building and
maintaining can be costly.

I think that the author is credible because its from a website thats only about
renewable energy. The article explains why you should get solar panels and how wind
power is a good energy source but costly to maintain.
I think solar energy is more efficient and cost effective because wind turbines are
costly to build and maintain.
Boxwell, Michael "Wind Turbines vs. Solar Panels." Wind Turbines vs. Solar Panels.
Web. 21 Nov. 2014.

Michael Boxwell, a technical architect and designer, is often asked which is

better out of wind turbines or solar modules. Michael Boxwell says both have their
benefits and drawbacks, and which technology is best depends very much on the
application and the location of the system. Boxwell states that For large scale
applications - such as for commercial scale power production for the national grid - wind
turbines are the most obvious solution. He says that large scale wind turbines are
efficient and effective. He states that they can generate enough power to power over
2000 homes. On small scale systems, turbines can be a good alternative to solar power,
but more often than not achieve their best when implemented together with a solar
system: a small wind turbine can generate electricity in a breeze even when the sun is
not shining, whilst the solar modules can generate electricity during the daytime when
the wind is not blowing. Boxwell explains how wind turbines have disadvantages and
have to be in a good location to provide enough electricity. Michael Boxwell states that
Wind turbines work best near the coast, or in open exposed areas where average wind
speeds are high. He explains where you can find small wind turbines and how you can

measure wind power. Solar arrays can be in most locations while wind turbines have to
be in a windy location.
I think that this site was very credible because the author is a technical architect
and designer, and he wrote two books on electricity. His key points were solar panels,
wind turbines, and where to put them.
This articles viewpoints were that you can use wind turbines or solar panels, but
it depends on the location. I would probably use wind and solar power for my
renewable energy source because it depends on their location for either of them to be
more efficient.
"Clean Line Energy Partners." Wind and Solar Energy.
Web. 22 Nov. 2014.

Cleanlineenergy explains that renewable energy is clean and creates jobs.It

explains how wind energy is one of the most effective energy resources in the United
States. Solar energy can also help meet the energy demand in America. It explains how
wind energy works and the costs and benefits. It also explains how solar energy works.
There is concentrated solar energy and photovoltaic solar energy. Additionally, it tells
the benefits of solar energy.
This article told what solar energy and wind energy does and the costs and
benefits. I think that its credible but it doesnt have any viewpoints.
This article had similar information than my other ones because Cleanlineenergy
has an incentive to build more solar panels and wind turbines. It states that Clean

Line's direct current (DC) projects will deliver thousands of megawatts of renewable
energy from the windiest and solar-rich areas of the United States to communities and
cities that lack access to new, low-cost, clean power.
"Wind vs. Solar Power - Energy Matters." Energy Matters.
Web. 22 Nov. 2014.
Energymatters.com states that When considering a off grid or grid connect power
system; the two main choices for renewable energy equipment are wind turbines and solar
panels. It depends on your geographical location and energy requirements, and says that its
critical to select the right system for your needs from the outset. It explains the reasons that
you should get a solar power system and says it depends on your needs as to the type of system
you should choose.
This source is a little credible because it is a company website.
This article was about solar power and wind power, but was mainly about solar power.

"Wind Energy vs. Solar Energy - Generate Electricity with Wind or Solar."Solar Energy vs Wind
Energy in Maine. 18 Feb. 2014.
Web. 22 Nov. 2014.

Revisionenergy.com explains that there are restrictions for wind turbines and it
is hard to find a spot for them. It says that one of revision energies customers, Jim
Weston, settled for a wind turbine and a solar array. Jim Weston had solar panels at his
house and later replaced his old wind turbine.

This was a little credible. It told how a customer bought a hybrid system of wind
and solar power. The customer told how he didnt have to pay a power bill for almost a
whole year.
This article shows that wind and solar power work well
together.
In conclusion, I learned that wind power and solar power work best in certain conditions
and locations so I think it would be most efficient to get a hybrid system of both renewable
energy sources.

Work Cited
http://cleantechies.com/2012/05/31/solar-or-wind-power-which-is-more-efficient/
http://www.altenergy.org/
http://solarelectricityhandbook.com/Solar-Articles/wind-turbines.html
http://www.cleanlineenergy.com/technology/wind-and-solar
http://www.energymatters.com.au/components/solar-vs-wind/
http://www.revisionenergy.com/solar-energy-vs-wind-energy-maine.php