What is Wind Power and How Does It Work?
Wind power is known to be the answer to the world’s ever-increasing need
for electricity. Wind power is a source of clean, renewable energy and a better
way to generate electricity than plants fueled by coal, hydro (water) or nuclear
power.
Wind power is a form of solar power, caused by heat from the sun. Different
surfaces on earth - reflect and release heat at different rates, warming the
earth during daylight hours and cooler at night. The air above the Earth’s
surface also warms and cools at different rates. Hot air rises, reducing the
atmospheric pressure near the Earth’s surface and draws in cooler air
to replace it. This movement of air is called wind.
Wind power is versatile
Wind power is known to have kinetic energy that can be captured and converted
to other forms of energy such as electricity or mechanical power. That is why
the earliest windmills in Persia, China and Europe used wind power to pump water
or grind grain. Today, utility-connected wind turbines and multi-turbine wind
farms use wind power to generate clean, renewable energy to power homes and
businesses.
Wind Power is Clean and Renewable
Wind Power generates clean, renewable Energy. It is a natural source of power
that produces electricity in contrast to traditional power plants that rely on
fossil fuels.
Increasing worldwide use of wind power faces an obstacle, that is : wind farms
has to be located on large tracts of land or along coastlines to capture the
greatest wind movement. Therefore it can conflict with other priorities, ie.
agriculture, urban development, or waterfront views from expensive homes in
prime locations.
Future Growth of Wind Power
Wind power will become increasingly feasible as a major source of electricity
and mechanical power due to following reason:
* Need for clean, renewable energy, the necessity to find an alternative
to limited supplies of oil, coal and natural gas.
* The continues decline of cost of wind power, due to technology improvements
and better generation techniques.
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