Wind is a renewable resource that will last as long as the Sun shines
It represents air movements from a high pressure area to a low pressure area. This is because the Sun heats the Earth unevenly, with warmer air in one location than in another. Where the Sun is shining, the air gets warmer and rises. To fill up the vacuum, cooler air flows into the territory where the warm air was. Once it does so, it is warmed and rises, and the process is repeated again and again. It is an endless thing, and that means that the wind will blow as long as the Sun shines. It is also true that as long as the wind blows, people will make use of it.
Wind energy is nothing new
People have been using it since ancient times
Ancient mariners used sails to capture the wind and ensure a comfortable transportation vehicle. Farmers used to use windmills to grind grain and pump water. Today, in turn, increasing numbers of people are using wind turbines, the number of which has been increasing by more than 25% per year. Still, despite the increasing use of wind energy, it still represents a small part of the energy resources that are extracted in the world.
Most wind energy comes from turbines that can be at the height of a 20-story building, with vanes that are 60 metres long. The turbines look like enormous aeroplane propellers stuck on a stick. The wind turns the vanes that, in turn, turn the shaft that is connected to the generator that produces electricity. Wind turbines with other structures use the same principle, only the way in which the wind is captured being different.
WindEnergy.lv supporters and friends
There can be various sizes of turbines, but
All wind turbines provide benefits
Most wind energy comes from turbines that can be at the height of a 20-story building, with vanes that are 60 metres long. The turbines look like enormous aeroplane propellers stuck on a stick. The wind turns the vanes that, in turn, turn the shaft that is connected to the generator that produces electricity. Wind turbines with other structures use the same principle, only the way in which the wind is captured being different.
Larger turbines can produce enough electricity for 600 private homes. Wind parks have dozens or even hundreds of turbines. They are sited at particularly windy places such as lowlands or the tops of mountains, where the wind speed can be higher. Even a small wind turbine in the yard of a private home can be beneficial, with just one turbine being enough to supply the house with electricity.
True, there are people who believe that wind turbines are ugly and create unpleasant noises. Slowly rotating vanes sometimes kill birds and bats, but far less often than is the case with automobiles, high-voltage power lines and tall buildings. It is also true that wind speeds change. During windless conditions, the propellers do not rotate, and so the effects of wind generators are not unchanging.
Once a turbine is installed, its usage cost is close to zero
Wind is a clean and renewable energy resource, and it does not cause air or water pollution. Because the wind is free, the use of an installed turbine costs virtually nothing. Mass manufacturing and the development of technologies mean that turbines are ever cheaper, and many countries offer tax relief to encourage the development of wind energy.
Wind energy is promising energy
The scope of wind energy is constantly increasing in the world
The wind energy sector is developing rapidly. The amount of wind energy that was obtained in the world between 2000 and 2016 more than quadrupled. At the end of last year, the amount of wind energy obtained in the world represented more than 70,000 megawatts. One megawatt is enough to provide electricity to some 250 private homes. The largest overall capacity of wind generators is found in Germany, followed by
Spain, the United States, India and Denmark. There has also been rapid development in France and China. Experts in the sector predict that if the increase continues, then by 2050, one-third of the world's electricity will come from the wind.