Wind is considered to be the second largest renewable resource after solar. The total worldwide wind energy potential is estimated to be somewhere around 3600 TW, in other words, enough to supply the entire humanity’s energy need 200 times over! In this article you will find a list over the most important pros and cons of wind energy.
What is wind energy? By the term wind energy, we mean the kinetic energy (motion) in the wind. There are several methods we can use to harness this energy. Wind power is converting wind energy into useful types of energy. This article is mainly about the advantages and disadvantages of generating electricity with wind turbines (one aspect of wind power). However, many of the same principles apply to wind power in general.
How can we generate electricity with wind energy? This is a complicated technology, but here’s a very short version of the basic principles: Wind turbines convert kinetic energy from the wind into mechanical energy (rotating turbine blades), which again is converted into electricity by a generator sitting inside the hub of the structure.
If you want to learn more about the two questions above, go to How Wind Turbines Generate Electricity where the topics are covered more in-depth.
Advantages of Wind Energy
- As mentioned in the introduction of this article, wind energy has an incredible potential. The estimation of 3600 TW sounds incredible, but beat in mind that not everything is profitable.
- Wind energy is a green energy source. Harnessing wind energy does not pollute the environment as fossil fuels, coal and nuclear energy does. Other than construction and installation, generating electricity with wind energy does not involve any emissions of climate gases whatsoever. However, there are some environmental impacts of wind energy that we will discuss in the disadvantages section.
- Wind energy is a renewable source of energy. Wind is naturally occurring and there is no way we can empty the resources (it naturally comes back). Wind energy can be source back to the nuclear fusion processes that takes place on the Sun. In other words, as long as the Sun keeps shining, we can harness wind energy on Earth (according to scientists, another 6-7 billion years!).
This is not the case for fossil fuels, which we heavily rely on today (e.g. oil and gas). - Although some places are better suited, harnessing wind energy can be done almost everywhere. However, whether or not a resource is financially viable, comes down to the following question: “Can we generate cost-competitive electricity with current technology in this particular area?” Offshore wind turbines expand exploitable resources even further.
- Prices have decreased significantly (as much as 60% since the 1980’s according to some sources). Technological advancements and higher demand is expected to continue to push the prices down even further.
- People can generate their own electricity with wind power in much the same manner as people do with solar panels (photovoltaics). Some companies specialize in residential installations and there are also several DIY wind power kits on the market. It is possible to save money in the long run with residential wind turbines. Then there’s the feeling of contributing towards fighting global warming on a more personal level.
- Residential wind turbines open up for the possibility for people to become completely energy self-sufficient (often in combination with other solar power and geothermal heating and cooling systems). This means that you are not reliant on electricity from the utility grid, which protects you from blackouts and fluctuating energy prices.
Disadvantages of Wind Energy
- Wind is unpredictable and the availability of wind energy is fluctuating. Wind energy is therefore not suitable as a base load of energy source (breakthroughs in energy storage technologies might change this in the future). This is why wind turbines have to be used together with other renewables or even non-renewables to meet the power demand.
- The cost-competitiveness of wind power is highly debatable. In most cases, projects rely heavily on incentives to give wind power a fair chance to compete against already well established the power sources such as fossil fuels and coal.
- Living close to wind turbines is a potential problem when it comes to noise. New designs show significant improvements compared to older ones.
- Some complain about the aesthetics of wind turbines. A solution to this problem is to position wind farms at places where the population density is low. It can also be solved with offshore wind farms. I personally like the way wind turbines blend in with the environment.
- Wind turbines are responsible for avian fatalities. In other words, flying creatures such as birds and bats can be killed by the impact with the rotor blades. However, this issue seems to have been blown out of proportions. A study from 2009, comparing the causes of avian mortality in the U.S., found that wind turbines are responsible for 20 000 annual deaths. This number might seem like a lot, but not in comparison to annual avian deaths caused by transmission lines (175 000 000!).
The future of wind energy looks very promising. Big offshore wind farms, taking the technology of wind power even further, are being built right now as you read this. This will enable us to harness stronger and more stable wind resources, which will change the reality of many of the disadvantages you learned about in this article. It will be interesting to see how far we’ve come ten years from now. Read 5 Mind-Blowing Wind Energy Facts if you want to learn more about wind power.
You might want compare this article to the rest of the pros and cons series:
Solar Energy Pros and Cons
Hydroelectric Energy Pros and Cons
Tidal Energy Pros and Cons
About the Author
taylo
January 4, 2012 at 6:00 pmi think wind enrgy can help alot if we run out of fossil fuels
as a result to the matter we would only have wind and solar
Jeff Whiting
January 10, 2012 at 8:32 pmI don’t understand how an energy can be of any value if it is not reliable. In times when the turbine is not spinning, another power source on the grid needs to be there to supply the power—IOWs if another power source is needed to be there when Wind is not supplying power, then why do we need wind at all? If we need to rely on a supplemental power source to wind, say a Coal Plant, then the Coal Plant needs to be running at this high level at all times to be available when we need it. Wind turbines simply create ‘double’ the costs to supply the same amount of power as without.
Mathias
January 10, 2012 at 11:09 pmThat’s a good question Jeff.
But when they actually generate power, using renewable and green energy sources is certainly better than using the non-renewables? Since the renewables still are only a tiny part of the entire power generation (less than 2% in the United States), the fluctuating is not a huge problem.
Hydroelectricity (also a renewable) and natural gas are good options to generate power to meet peak demand. This is because the output of these energy sources can be adjusted in a relatively short period of time.
However, the renewable energy sources will steadily replace the non-renewables – fluctuating will eventually be a larger problem. This is where energy storage comes in:
Most Promising Utility/Grid-Scale Energy Storage Technologies
Hope this makes sense
janv
May 8, 2012 at 3:24 amOf course these turbines and solar panels are built using fossil fuels so they are just another ‘pie in the sky renewable resource.” The building of these turbines has nothing to do with renewable energy! This is just another money making, tax payer handout, ploy to take all of our money and keep us distracted from the fact that industrial civilization is coming to an end while the grotesquely wealthy continue to hide in their multi million dollar homes.
william rose
January 20, 2012 at 10:02 pmThat is true about why have it if we need a back up, but we need to use it so that we wont be in a rush when we run out of coal. So use what we can renew, and save what could run out.
JohnnyP
January 22, 2012 at 10:09 pmI live in Narragansett RI, next to this monolith that I’m told generate electricty for the campers. Well the campers are long gone but I have to listen to the thing hum and whoosh all day and all nite. Worst than that is during the day it strobs out the neighborhood. The flicker is very disturbing and at time I have to sit down to regain my balance. I would be the first to endorse green energy, but not next to a residentual area. It also towers over a play ground.
Beware there may be one comming to your neighborhood…
Luis Ramos
February 7, 2012 at 7:08 pmIf the United States obtains 20 percent of its electricity from wind power by 2020, it will reduce global warming emissions equivalent to taking 71 million cars off the road or planting 104 million acres of trees.
Jeremiah H.
February 7, 2012 at 10:19 pmWind energy would be a great start for finding a solution to the high demand for electricity. We also have more than enough natural gas (Not the same as gasoline and coal) here in Oklahoma you can change to liquid form if you get down to a certain degree and you could also make a engine that could use natural gas. and i dont think the wind turbines would be a problem the blades move slow enough that the wouldnt get hit because of the emense size of them.
at least most people understand that we as humans need to change our old ways
catherine
February 14, 2012 at 9:32 pmi believe if we accually do run out of fossil fuels then this and solar panels will be the base of our energy.
Roy Ferguson
February 15, 2012 at 5:29 pmInteresting to note that wind power is crucial in Spain, accounting for 21% of the country’s energy production. And gaining annually in importance.
Jacob Hood
March 2, 2012 at 6:54 pmI’m not sure why nobody has pointed this out, but if the power from the turbine is immediately put into a battery than you would have an unlimited amount of power if the energy is let out evenly into the grid without a problem. Also the noise pollution could be easily stopped with implement of many smaller wind turbines.
Tara
March 28, 2012 at 5:50 amHello, my name is Tara. I’m a senior at North Rockland High School and I am doing a research paper on wind energy. I found your articles about wind energy to be very useful in my research and was wondering if I could ask you a few questions for a sort of “e-mail interview”.
You mentioned a significant amount of advantages and disadvantages to using wind energy. Are you for it or against it?
Are there any other alternative energy sources that you would say are better than using wind?
Do you believe that wind will become a more popular energy source in the near future?
If you could answer these questions to the best of your ability I would truly appreciate it. Thank You
Tara
Mathias
March 28, 2012 at 5:51 amHi Tara,
Glad you liked the articles.
I’m for wind energy since it’s a renewable and green energy source.
I think solar is another big one. In my opinion, which one is better all comes down to costs – and this varies from where in the world you are located.
Wind and solar are currently the fastest growing renewable energy sources. There’s no doubt that wind will play a part in our future, but to which extent can only be speculated in. Offshore wind farms holds a lot of promise and solves some of the issues with conventional wind power. Essentially politics is what drives the growth of these renewable energy sources. Most of them are highly dependent on governement/state finances to become cost-competetive on par with fossil fuels, coal, nuclear and so on.
Calvin
March 30, 2012 at 11:01 amI am a student at the Environmental and Adventure School in Kirkland, WA. I am currently working on a culminating project related to an environmental issue. We gather information on our issue, take notes, write a persuasive issue, give a 20-30 minute oral presentation and take a side. If it isn’t too much trouble may I ask you a couple of questions? This will greatly aid my research. I want to thank you for considering my request.
1) To what extent should the US government subsidize wind farms?
2) Are wind farms noisy?
3) Can wind farms provide enough power for a large city?
Mathias
March 30, 2012 at 11:03 am1) Incentives should be in place to make renewable energy cost-competitive to conventional coal and fossil fuels. This will kick-start the development, which will lead to lower prices of green sources of energy in the future.
2) Wind farms are noisy. That’s why they usually are built outside populated areas. On the other hand, the noise they produce is less disturbing than traffic, flights and many other things. Noise is not an issue with offshore wind farms.
3) It depends on how big the wind farm is. The World’s largest wind farm, Roscoe Wind Farm, is located in U.S and has a total installed capacity of 781.5 MW. This is estimated to power about 250 000 average American households.
There are many upcoming wind farm projects that will crush the previous record. Gansu Wind Farm, which is currently under construction, is expected to have 20 000 MW installed by the end
Ally
April 17, 2012 at 4:19 amThank you for your website, it was so very useful in a research project I had to do for my school. I found everything I needed in this website. Wind energy is so cool, and it was interesting to read about, especially on your website. I’m definably going to come to this website more often. Thanks again!!
Miss Swag
April 28, 2012 at 6:30 pmcant belive wwind is a form of solar energy. go figure
KIMBERLY
April 29, 2012 at 1:30 amwhat do we use wind energy for?
Mathias
April 29, 2012 at 5:40 amRead What Is Wind Energy and How Can We Generate Electricity With It? to find out what we use wind energy for.
Emmett
April 30, 2012 at 11:08 pmWind power is so awesome! Why can’t someone just find a way to keep the turbines spinning when there is no wind?
tee nick
May 2, 2012 at 5:33 pmHi, Im doin my research in south africa and wanted to ask just one question , if wind is not available does it mean there wont be any electricity or is the energy stored in a battery like solar energy?
Mathias
May 2, 2012 at 9:34 pmThe energy from wind turbines can be stored in a battery like solar (common for small residential wind turbines). It can also be stored as pumped-hydro or other forms of energy storage. Large wind farms usually send the electricity directly onto the grid where it is used in real time.
Michala
May 17, 2012 at 2:58 pmDear Mathais
hi my name is michala and i’m a physics student and ive found youre site quite helpful (so thankyou (: ],also i live near an island that is completely powered by wind energy so this spikes my interes
i have a couple questions that hopefully you’ll be able to answer;
1. How long have you been doing research about wind powerm, and what type of tests have you done to prove your facts?
2. what is the best renewable energy source in your opinion?
3.do you think that it would be possible for the world to run off of just solar and wind power or is that too risky?
4. and on a personal note, why are you so dedicated? and have you, yourself done anything to change the ways you use non-renewable enegry
thankyou very much (:
michala
Mathias
May 18, 2012 at 6:42 amGlad you liked the site:)
1) I haven’t been doing any research or done any tests on wind power. I study renewable energy and have collected information from credible sources to make this article. I’m working on referencing all my articles.
2) and 3) I think a combination of many of them – and I’m sure they will power all our energy needs one day.
4) This is what I chose to study, so I figured making this website would help me learn more. I’ve done a lot in terms of improving energy efficiency/conservation at home.
Toni
May 17, 2012 at 11:39 pmHi, my name is Toni and I am doing a newspaper article for a school assignment.
I live up in Ontario, Canada and we have turbines, but the government is putting them up where people live, and no one likes it. But the government will not listen or pay attention to the studies.
Anyway, I have a few questions and I was hoping you wouldn’t mind answering them.
1) If a turbine has ice stuck on the blades and it causes property damage or kills someone, who pays for it?
2) Do the vibrations and the sound of the “whoosh” affect people’s hearing and their health?
Thank you.
Mathias
May 18, 2012 at 6:36 amHey Toni
I’ll do my best to answer your questions:
1) “Ice can end up at places other than exactly at the base of the turbine, but it’s a myth that a turbine will (and can) operate at high speed with ice on it and fling ice for miles,” said Ron Stimmel of the American Wind Energy Association
On the other side you have people who claim that ice is a bigger issue. In my opinion, ice-throwing should be taken into account in the planning stages of a wind farm.
I would assume that the company behind wind farm would be held responsible in case of accidents.
2) According to Dr Nina Pierpont, a leading New York paediatrician, noise from wind turbines can cause heart disease, tinnitus, vertigo, panic attacks, migraines and sleep deprivation. The closer to the wind turbines, the loader, and the worse the effects are.
This is an extremist point of view. I don’t think wind turbines are nearly as a problem for people’s health as some claim they are.