World population explosion and continued industrialization drive global demand for more energy resources. Non-renewable energy resources, oil, coal and natural gas, pose environmental threats or are being driven to the brink of depletion. Global climate change and its accompanying ecological disasters have become a focus for a shift to renewable energy. Wind power is environmentally harmless and leaves no carbon footprint.
The main form of wind-generated power is by wind turbines, AKA "windmills." Wind turbines convert kinetic energy into mechanical power that can drive generators, water pumps or other devices that require electrical power. Wind turbines are far more advanced than their older counterparts and have clear advantages over non-renewable energy resources. That said, they still present challenges.
Wind power's obvious advantages are that wind is renewable and non-polluting. When the wind blows, wind power is possible and is a proven technology. Large and small scale wind-driven energy is possible. Wind is a free resource. It does not need to be accessed by fossil fuel-powered means. The cost of wind turbines, installation and maintenance, has dropped by 85 percent (see HealthLink in the Resources section below). Finally, in an uncertain economy, wind power offers new "green collar" jobs.
Wind energy presents problems. Since wind energy can be generated only when the wind blows, secondary power sources are necessary. Backup batteries are costly and must be replaced every few years. Although some claim that wind turbines are noisy, others maintain that technological advances have decreased the noise emitted by wind turbines. Then there are the birds; wildlife preservation groups are concerned that birds are adversely affected by the burgeoning presence of wind turbines on the landscape. Others insist that birds rarely die by crashing into wind turbines. Regardless of opposing views, studies often are required about bird migration paths before new wind turbines can be installed.
It is wise to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of wind-generated power. There is a great deal of information available with which to become educated about the technology and its possibilities. One must study the most likely regions to place wind turbines, based on atmospheric conditions. At the front of all considerations about wind power is that it is a renewable resource with proven advantages over oil, gas and coal. As with all decisions, it will come down to priorities. Do people choose to stay with what is known--fossil fuels and accept the burdens that use of non-renewables have placed on the environment? Or do people begin to step out of a dysfunctional comfort zone and move toward a green future? No single source of energy is perfect and it is good to know that there are a variety of renewables to complement what wind power offers.
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