Wind

toc = = = = = __**Wind Energy**__ =

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 * Wind power is the conversion of wind energy into a useful form of energy, such as using wind turbines to make electricity. Windmills, which are a form of wind power, use blades to collect wind that flow over them. The blades also turn the windmill. The blades on windmills are connected to a drive shaft that is connected to an electric generator to make electricity. Electricity is produced from how the drive shaft revolves and the blades turn, the electricity then gets sent through the wires and gathered. The windmill has to be placed in a very crucial location. If it isn’t placed in a good location then there might not be accessible wind to make the windmills work. **

 ** Certain advantages of using wind energy is that wind energy is friendly for the environment and no fossil fuels have to be burnt to produce electricity. Wind turbines take up less space than the average power station and windmills only have to occupy a few square meters for the base allowing the land around the turbine to be used for multiple purposes. Wind turbines are also good for creating energy in remote locations, such as: mountain communities and in the countryside. Also, it is ideal for areas such as small islands that have no resources or space for using traditional methods. They also can range in size according to population levels. Another advantage is that wind energy, when combined with solar electricity the energy source is great for developed and developing countries to provide steady, reliable supplies of energy. This type of energy is not only renewable and toxic-free but ample as well. Lastly, one of top reasons wind energy is such a big advantage is simply because wind is a resource that we can never run out of and works with our planet rather than against it. **
 * ====Advantages ====



Disadvantages

 * Although there are many advantages to using wind energy, there are also disadvantages. Wind energy can be expensive. Wind energy is also only available to large companies. The wind speed of windmills also changes throughout the day and can kill birds. Also, residental areas near windmills isn't possible due to the large amount of noise pollution they can make. Wind energy can't be transmitted to a large area due to the wind strength either rising or falling possibly causing periodic power falures. **
 * Although there are many advantages to using wind energy, there are also disadvantages. Wind energy can be expensive. Wind energy is also only available to large companies. The wind speed of windmills also changes throughout the day and can kill birds. Also, residental areas near windmills isn't possible due to the large amount of noise pollution they can make. Wind energy can't be transmitted to a large area due to the wind strength either rising or falling possibly causing periodic power falures. **

Cost
An obvious deterrent from the use of windmills is the cost to not only build, and maintain it, but also the land around it. Costs also include transportation of the energy would outweigh the amount that would be saved. The cost of windmills mainly rests on how much energy they produce. In other words, can they produce enough energy to pay for themselves?

Unreliability
The wind is never truly predictable and can be inconsistent to produce a sufficient amount of power. Windmills due to the height of the structure are prone to weather damage including lightning as well as snow, hail, etc. This causes a higher cost to repair the damage.

<span style="color: #060606; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Environmental
<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Windmills are usually considered the cleanest form of alternative energy but pollution isn’t the only type of environmental impact. Noise is a problem when there isn’t enough wind to maintain a constant speed. Another impact is the fact that migrating birds have died from impacting with the structure. Some environmental affects are on the fish and marine animals due to the noise created by turbines which is amplified by the water they live in causing an extreme scale of noise pollution for marine life which can be fatal for a number of species.

<span style="color: #7e00ff; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> <span style="color: #7e00ff; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">These are the mechanical aspects of a wind turbine.

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 * =<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Cost to build/install =
 * **<span style="color: #6d00ff; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">from $4,000 up to $13,000 depending on size, and how much water is required, and how far the water needs to be pumped. the average is $5,500. Also the cost depends on the rotor diameter, tower size, generator size, and types of conductors built in. **
 * =<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Cost to operate =
 * **<span style="color: #6d00ff; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">It costs about 1 million per mega watt that they produce. It also costs another half million dollars to install one wind turbine. Wind turbines are designed to last 20 years so they pay themselves back in 3-8 years. **
 * =<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Are there geographic factors that are unique to this type of energy? =
 * <span style="color: #6d00ff; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">The equator is a good area because the warm air is continuously expanding and moving upward with the cool air from the poles flowing and making a vacuum. This causes a current which is wind. **
 * <span style="color: #6d00ff; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">A key geography factor is that need an area with fast wind speeds. Some key areas are mountaintops/high elevation. Some good places are the Rocky Mountains and the Appalachian mountains. Some other key areas are tornado or hurricane alleys. This is a key area but if it is to prone of an area it will get knocked down which is no good. Another good place is offshore water areas. This is good because a lot of energy is produced off the shore from the ocean air and the beaches warm air cause a vacuum like said before. **

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 * =<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">What is the impact on the population? =
 * ==<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Health ==
 * **<span style="color: #6d00ff; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Wind Turbines have had minimal problems over the years. Wind Turbine construction and assembly has resulted in a total of 40 deaths. Also the newer wind turbine models have less noise but still have complaints of dizziness, vertigo, nausea, anxiety, and sleep loss. **


 * ==<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Jobs ==
 * **<span style="color: #6d00ff; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> Creates a greater requirement for engineers and wind turbine experts. There is always a need for mechanics to repair the turbines. Also you need someone who tests the land to see if the land is sturdy enough to see if it can handle the mass of a wind mill or the mass of rows upon rows. Another thing that is needed is someone who goes and checks the land all around the wind mill all the time to make sure that it is holding up good. Also another job that would be created is that job of who every goes up and checks in parts internally every so often because it would need lubricated and that every so often. **
 * ==<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Space required ==
 * **<span style="color: #6d00ff; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Wind turbines are spaced 210 meters apart within a row and 700 meters between rows. Wind turbines can only be built on areas where the wind remains a constant speed of at least 10 mph. **

<span style="color: #7e00ff; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">

<span style="color: #7e00ff; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> <span style="color: #7e00ff; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">These pictures are about where good areas are for placing of windmills.