Wind power

Wind power: worldwide installed capacity

Fenton Wind Farm at Minnesota.

Wind power is the conversion of the energy in wind into a more useful form of energy, like electricity. It is a renewable source of energy that helps to cut down on the pollution of earth's air.

At the end of 2009, wind power supplied about 1.3% of the world's electricity consumption. Wind power is widely used in European countries, and more recently in the United States and Asia. Wind power accounts for approximately 19% of electricity generation in Denmark, 11% in Spain and Portugal, and 9% in the Republic of Ireland.

How it works

Wind power stations use the wind to turn a turbine which turns a magnet inside a coil (a type of generator. The wind has kinetic energy (movement energy) which is changed into mechanical energy by the blades on the turbine. The turbine then turns a generator which creates electrical energy (voltage). The turbine is usually connected by a gearbox to help control the speed it turns the generator at.

Advantages

Wind Power Stations have the advantage over Fossil Fuel Power Stations as they do not produce any greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide or water vapour. They also do not produce gases that help make acid rain such as sulfur dioxide.

Disadvantages

Wind Power Stations have to be carefully placed. They must be in positions where there is a constant, steady supply of wind. In fact the wind must not become too strong or it may damage the turbine. Because wind is unpredictable, so is the amount of power that wind turbines will produce, making them an unreliable source of energy. Some people also consider wind turbines to be ugly and unsightly.

Other pages

• List of large wind farms

Other websites

• The Climate Change Guide easy-to-understand information on Wind power