Wind power is gaining popularity every single days. Many governments and even ordinary people are starting to realize how switching to this natural energy can be beneficial to them in the coming years. When thinking about wind power, there are several advantages and disadvantages of wind power that can sway you to either use or not use it. In this article we are going to be looking at some of these more closely.
4 Advantages Of Wind Power
1. Natural Resource
One of the advantages of wind power is that it is a natural resource therefore making it free and friendly to the environment not harming or depleting the ozone layer. No fossil fuels have to be burned in order for us to generate electricity. This is very important when you consider the current levels of global warming and how they are beginning to affect our weather patterns from Antarctica to Africa.
2. Requires Less Space
Because of the fact that wind turbines only take up a few meters of space, they are a lot better for space when compared to power plants leaving more room for the environment and agriculture or for the land to be used for other purposes. It also means that a lot more wind turbines on can be set up to generate same amount of power that the big power plants produce.
3. Easily Power Remote Areas
Wind turbines are also a better resource to use in remote locations like the mountains or the country side. They can come in many different sizes so that they may accommodate different levels of population. Each remote town or individually can set up their own wind turbine or generator no matter where in the world they are. They do not have to worry about setting up power lines or having access to them in order to have power.
4. Pairs Well With Solar Energy
Finally another great thing about wind power is that you can combine it with solar power and upon doing this they can be a source of energy for developed and developing countries. So even on days when there is no wind, you can easily switch to solar energy to provide power. Both energy sources can be set up to charge the same batteries or power storage system.
4 Disadvantages Of Wind Power
Now as stated above there are many different advantages and disadvantages of wind power. It is now time to look at the disadvantages. Although they may not be as serious as some of the other energy sources currently being used worldwide, it is important to take these into consideration. Especially when it comes to deciding whether to set up a wind farm in a particular area or not.
1. Unreliable
wind power is unreliable, you are never sure just exactly how much power you are going to get therefore making solar energy a better alternative sometimes. Although often before they set up a wind farm in a certain area, years of research is carried out on the reliability of the wind in that area. However, this is a natural resource we can not control it, not only can the wind die down for long periods or time. It is possible that in the future that particular area could have lower wind speeds.
2. Construction Time & Cost
The construction of a wind turbine can last a long time about a year to be exact and can be quite costly. They are currently refining the set up process and the equipment being required lowering both cost and time, often increasing output and efficiency. Even though with all this in play, setting up wind power systems is currently more expensive than most other sources.
3. Noise Pollution
One of the biggest disadvantages is the fact that they create a lot of noise which is fine if u live a few miles away but not so good if you are closer to the turbines. Again the major wind energy companies are working on designing wind turbine blades that generate lower levels of noise as they rotate. The amount of noise produced will increase proportionally to the number of turbines installed in the area.
4. Local Wildlife & Weather Impact.
Studies have been carried out that the space that these large turbines take up can often result in some animals being displaces. As for birds, the blades can be very dangerous both by being in the way and altering the wind flows in an area. As for weather, there was some research released a couple of years back that claimed that the wind turbines lowered the night time temperatures of the immediate area around them.
So as you can see there are many pros and cons on whether or not wind turbines are truly effective mechanisms to use to generate energy. Personally I would say that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages, but one would say that I am biased. As we become more familiar with this energy source different advantages and disadvantages of wind power will surface in the coming years.