Wind

Energy

Ananth Salagundi and

Harley Busfield
Block 2 POE
http://giphy.com

What Is Wind Energy?

Converts natural wind in the atmosphere to mechanical energy, then to
electricity.
Wind- a form of solar energy; result of earths rotation, uneven heating of
suns atmosphere, and the irregularities of earths surface
Classified as inexhaustible as it uses the wind to drive the turbines to create
http://modernfarmer.c
electricity

om/wp-content/uploads
/2013/06/wind-farm-he
ro.jpg
http://thelincolnite.c
o.uk/wp-content/upload
s/2013/01/wind_farms.j
pg

How it works
wind pushes the turbines to spin,
which creates electricity in the
generator
the electricity is distributed to a
battery supply, home, or an
electricity grid in the area to be
used by the public

google images

Costs of Wind Energy

According to the USDOE 2014 Wind Market Report:
US 2014 average wind Power Purchase Agreement price: 2.35 cents per kWh.
In 2014, over $8.3 billion was invested in the future of Americas clean energy.

According to the Bloomberg New Energy Finance

research units report:
Average overall cost of electricity (LCOE- levelized cost of electricity) generated
by wind farms throughout the world (on land) dropped to $83/MWh (as of 2nd
half of 2015)
Countries with more aggressive carbon emission policies tend to have
cheaper costs

Costs of Wind Energy

(continued)

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http://energy.gov/eere/articles/eere-2014-wind-technologies-market-report-finds-wind-power-record-low-prices

Usage of Wind Energy and

Special
US: wind energyNeeds
consumption is 4.9% of total energy demands
Over 74,000 wind turbines were distributed in the US, including
Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands
In US, Texas is the leader in installed wind capacity: more than
14,000 MW
To have most efficient use of wind energy, including cost, need
places that are, on average, very windy, and countries that have
aggressive carbon policies
http://www.planete-energies.com/en/medias/explanations/future-wind-power

Environmental issues
Land Use: wind turbines take up space depending on region
Recent government survey showed: large wind farms use 30-141 acres/MW
But, only less than 1 acre permanently disturbed; only less than 3.5 acres temporarily
disturbed during construction.

Wildlife and Habitat: collisions with wind turbines cause bat and bird
deaths
National Wind Coordinating Committee conducted survey on bats and bird deaths
Found no major threat to population of the species

Public Health and Community: sound and visual effects seem to be the
http://www.ucsusa.org/clean_energy/our-energy-choices/renewable-energy/environmental-impacts-wind-power.html#.VhUDx4KrRgc
key

Emerging Technologies
Offshore Wind Farms
Winds are stronger and more reliable on seas
Now, turbines anchored to seabed at most at 30m.
Scientists finding ways to use artificial islands and floating foundations anchored to seabed
at 60m
Re-use oil platforms that are coming to the end of their lives and build turbines on top of
the platforms

Airborne Wind Turbines

Scientists are developing high-altitude wind turbines capable of harnessing the strong
winds in atmospheres
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0a/Sund_mpazdziora.JPG

References
"Department of Energy." Department of Energy. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Oct. 2015.
http://www.awea.org/resources/statefactsheets.aspx?itemnumber=890
http://www.energy.gov/science-innovation/energy-sources/renewable-energy
/wind
http://www.awea.org/Resources/Content.aspx?ItemNumber=900&navItemN
umber=587
http://giphy.com/search/windmills/3
http://fortune.com/2015/10/06/wind-cheap-coal-gas/

References
http://energy.gov/eere/wind/maps/wind-vision
http://www.ucsusa.org/clean_energy/our-energy-choices/renewable-energy/
environmental-impacts-wind-power.html#.VhUDx4KrRgc
http://www.planete-energies.com/en/medias/explanations/future-wind-power