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Sustainable Living

Nowadays sustainable living is becoming high priority, low impact on the environment is essential. Therefore with a small amount of investigation you can decide if the advantages of wind power as an alternative energy, would work for both your budget and your lifestyle.

Fossil fuels have been proven to have a hugely negative impact on pollution of land, air and sea, instead of subsiding this is increasing at an alarming rate. One note of interest is that, if the entire universe were to implement the use of alternate energy sources, (such as wind power), then the affect on the environment in producing materials to support these energy providers, would be only marginal.

Viability

Although the cost of wind energy installation is high, a big advantage of such an energy source is the ability to save money in the long term. Factors affecting personal advantages of wind power vary but include
1) Your wind resource
2) The size of turbine itself.
3) Your tower height

Do- It-Yourself

If you are into home-improvements, installation of a wind turbine can be a fun and challenging project. There is no experience more exhilarating than personal satisfaction seeing your turbine generating power for your home. The first time I constructed a wind turbine it took me ages, but compared with the satisfaction I gained when it was completed, if it had taken twice as long it would have been worth it!

The internet has hundreds of sites which describe the process of what you need, and how to construct your own wind generator. Have confidence and self-belief and before long you will be building your own functional and money-saving machine yourself.

What If It’s Not Windy?

A genuine concern for many people considering the installation of wind power. If you live somewhere which is not windy for 365 days of the year, how can you generate enough energy to completely power your home? It is possible to incorporate a battery back-up for days when there is not enough wind. Further advantages of wind power include your self-reliance, no longer affected by mains power cuts, you will not have to use electricity generated by a pollutant such as a power station ever again.

Money Back Guarantee

With the installation and functioning of wind power, other advantages are reaped. Increase in property value for example. Because wind power is becoming more popular by the day, people are recognising the value of having it in their house. If you talk to any estate agent they will say that a home with built in energy increases the value the property.

Following the explanation of the advantages of installing a wind energy system, it is possible to see how choosing this as an energy provider could be an excellent decision. For whatever reason you use to justify your choice; whether it be for reduction in energy costs, environmental concerns, to add value to your property or to become self- reliant, the process is straight forward and achievable. For the correct advice contact your local wind power specialist about the options you have, and within a short time you will see your ideas and visions turning into reality.

To learn more about how to cut your energy bill investing in green energy to power all or part of your house, download my free 23-page guide here: http://renewableenergyforyourhome.co.uk/house-renewable-energy-alternative-renewable-energy-resources “Renewable Energy And Other Money Saving Secrets For Your Home”.

“Agree? Disagree? Please just tell me what you think by commenting below….

Many countries in the world have started to tap in to the rich energy resource known as wind energy. While some of these places are just starting up their wind farms and wind energy harnessing technology, other countries have a fully formed plan to use this renewable resource to energy their homes and cities. When it comes to wind energy, Canada has one of the world’s biggest and most well formed plans to use this energy.

The first use of wind energy Canada can trace back to is in the 1800′s, when windmills were placed in various parts of North America in order to harness the energy created by wind. Up until the 1930′s, many rural areas still used windmills to produce their electricity, but the extension of national energy grids in the US and Canada made the use of windmills in this capacity obsolete. It wasn’t until the later part of the 20th century that the potential of wind energy was again discovered.

There are wind turbines and wind farms installed in most provinces of Canada at this time, with the province of British Columbia being the exception. These wind farms currently produce 1,049 MW of electricity, which is about.1% of the country’s needed electricity supply (Canada estimates their needed amount of energy to be about 1,000,000 MW). Canada has some of the best potential for wind energy of any country in the world, due to the many miles of coastline and the largest prairies of any country.

The Canadian Wind Energy Association estimates that the northern part of the province of Quebec, for example, has the potential to produce 40% of Canada’s energy needs. The association also estimates that the cost of producing electricity from wind energy is about six to twelve cents per KW h, which is more expensive than some other current methods of producing electricity, but that the cost of using wind energy electricity will decrease by three to five percent every year.

As energy sources in the country go, wind energy in Canada produces is far less than any other. Additionally, while the potential is great for Canada to use wind energy, the federal incentives to businesses, cities and homes to use wind for their energy is not great. Once the government gets fully on board with wind energy, it can definitely be a great source of electricity for the entire country.

Wind energy is clean, abundant, and fairly cheap, especially when one includes its minimal environmental costs. Resource surveys to settle on the number and quality of other assets which may be impacted and soil and geographical sampling for wind turbine foundations may be issued under the same authorization if the activity is conducted by the same creature. Ever since it comes with an ongoing economic crisis and the expense of all is rising, it is highly suggested that people look for renewable power sources that people can use.

Wind energy is a unbound, renewable resource , so no matter how much is used today, there will still be the identical supply in the future. Wind projects also contribute to state business, sales, property, and income taxes.

In addition, wind projects benefit rural economies by providing local jobs, from temporary construction jobs during the initial phases of a predict to permanent wind smith jobs. Wind Power is the fully revised and expanded edition of Paul Gipe’s conclusive 1993 book, Wind Power for Home and Business. Because it is not generated by any particular instrument specific to any particular country, but rather by the overall effect of the sun’s rays falling on our planet and the way that the earth continually turns on its axis, wind energy is therefore a truly democratic means of generating electricity.

Over the last five years wind power was the world’s greatest mounting energy source, with an annual average growth rate of over 31%. Green renewable energy assets are an supreme recipe over non-renewable resources in the same way as they are frequently replenished.

The theme of future alternative energy on the site was brought up, but it would carry out to be determined if that use is consistent with the goals of the further funders and the Town otherwise it could be part of the easement. The assessment will detect needed methods to continue or increase the comparative competitiveness of the alternative energy marketplace within this Commonwealth.

This apply for is for funding of the initial installation of solar panels, wind turbines, metering / recording technology, and the wiring capacity for this and upcoming alternative energy installations, and for seed funding of the extended term development of sustainable programs by students that resolve in part be worn in the recent and future sustainable and alternative energy classes at NSCC. Are there environmental tribulations facing wind power?

Even though wind power plants come up with relatively little impact on the environment compared to fossil fuel power plants, there is more or less concern over the wildlife habitation impacts, noise produced by the rotor blades, aesthetic (visual) impacts, and bird and bat mortality. Wyoming is ranked No.8 along with states for wind power capability, and wind developers, potential suppliers and other businesses are working fast to help assemble a wind manufacturing to benefit Wyoming profitable for years to extend.

After nine years of shared opposition and regulatory struggles, the Cape Wind conclusion emboldened wind-power enthusiasts all over the country. Nearby is presently no officially established wind energy siting idea or criteria, applied in harmony throughout Massachusetts and offshore that would underestimate environmental crash of wind energy development.

The official website of the American Wind Energy Association is a rich source of information for anyone paying attention in events related to wind power. Since the late 1980s the significance of wind energy has been rising and manufacturers have steadily been growing the unit size of the wind electric generators.

For several years, environmental protection has attracted much interest and, consequently, several technologies have developed. This is the case of wind energy. Previously, we used this source of energy for pumping water or grinding wheat to make flour. Today, this energy source is still used to pump water but it is mainly used to produce electricity, without any adverse effect on the environment. The increase in operating costs for nuclear and fossil fuels have also allowed wind power to become much more competitive.

“The turbine Wind vertical developed by Canadian has more advantages. ”

Wind energy is used for a very long time. It is obtained when the wind pushes against a propeller slightly bent. This forces all to turn and pump well water or turns a generator to produce electricity. There are two types of wind turbines, vertical axis turbines and those horizontal axis. Most wind turbines are horizontal. They have some disadvantages, among others, the generator is located at the top of the tower, which makes difficult the maintenance and repair. The vertical wind turbine, developed by Canadians, has several advantages. First access to the generator and the main mechanical components are located at the foot of the tower. Moreover, no system to direct the turbine into the wind direction is required. This turbine is still developing, but it is anticipated that when fully functional, it will mean a significant commercial

Wind energy is extracted from the wind through a turbine and then be converted into electricity by a generator. The generator current is sinusoidal and when plugged into the electricity grid, its frequency must be the same as the power grid; is 60 Hertz. As the speed of the impeller determines the current frequency of the generator, it is necessary that the turbine rotates at a constant speed. For this reason, much of the energy is not extracted from the wind. Nowadays, it is very important that a device operates at a very high yield. The same principle applies to wind turbines. Furthermore, researchers have discovered that it is possible to extract more energy from the wind by correcting the current to obtain a sinusoidal current. Then, with the help of a converter, the current is transformed back into a sine wave but with a fixed frequency of 60 Hertz. This means that the turbine can turn almost any speed and thus extract more energy. Although the converter is often very complex and is expensive, the energy gain is worth the effort.

The question now, how much can cost a wind turbine? It costs just over $ 1.00 for each watt of power. A wind turbine system with a capacity of 10 kilowatts (kW) costs about 10 000.00 $ . In order for a wind turbine is economically viable, it must be installed in a region where the winds blow so intense. It is often advisable to conduct a study into the potential region to determine the strength and height of the wind for a whole year. The regions bordering the ocean as well as open spaces are usually ideal for extracting wind energy. In northern Canada, there are systems in place to generate electricity. Since the grid is not present in all communities, a diesel generator with a wind turbine is often used. This reduces operating costs of the diesel system.

Wind power also has disadvantages, including the unpredictability of the wind. For this reason, the utilities have great difficulty accepting this energy source. In most cases, a wind turbine is installed with a diesel generator or simply plugged into the mains. The wind turbine can not operate alone. Similarly, in some communities, the appearance of the turbine is very important. The turbines are often monumental in scale and thus it is difficult to accept such a unit within the population. The wind power is the only source of electricity whose deleterious ecological effects are almost nonexistent. This energy source does not emit harmful to the environment and moreover, it is as competitive as other sources of electricity. Nowadays, people are sensitized to the reduction of harmful gases on the environment. Therefore, wind energy represents a source of energy for the future of Canadians.

Solutions now exist for homeowners to produce electricity to satisfy the requirements and even to produce surplus energy. Systems that allow people to do this often use the combined advantages of both wind energy and solar energy. In winter, wind energy is plentiful and will turn turbine blades to produce electricity. The sun will then provide the solar energy for photovoltaic panels to generate energy in the summer.

A number of factors must be taken into consideration before deciding on an investment in either solar or wind energy. Wind energy in particular has a number of particular considerations that must be taken into account, not least the noise of a wind turbine that may be off putting to neighbors. Given that wind turbines may operate as much as 24 hours a day and seven days a week, this is not to be dismissed lightly. Initial investment will also need to be calculated to take into account the high initial cost of installation.

However, once initial challenges have been overcome, home energy generation systems like these may become very economical over the long term. Because the electricity generated is done so at a marginal cost of practically zero, energy bills fall dramatically while using this kind of system. Different options are available. People who choose a wind-powered system can also opt to be supplied from the national grid as a backup source. In this way whenever the wind speed drops, they are assured of electricity. On the other hand, they can also inject back into the national grid the surplus energy that they generate. This means that the financial model for home energy generation like this can include both the reduction of electricity bills and also the generation of financial income by selling back surplus energy over grid. In these aspects as in many others, home power generation using wind is very similar to the large-scale wind farms. The only difference is really that home energy units are single units with all required components, whereas wind farms use multiple deployments to generate a much larger amount of electricity.

Economical considerations are not the only ones. Important to many people is the fact that using home wind energy turbines is a marvelous way to reduce emissions gases and to cut down on the use of fossil fuel. This in itself may outweigh other considerations such as not being able to connect directly to the grid for power generation because areas with high winds are often located in isolated places. In these cases, making the power connection by either burying cables or putting up power poles may be a prohibitive cost factor. There are a number of organizations that are enthusiastic about homeowners putting wind power generation systems into place. These organizations are available to finance such projects, as are rebates and incentives that are offered by government for this.

It may well be that for the best possible compromise for home energy power generation, the hybrid solar and wind system is the best combination. Using this, the homeowner is able to generate environmentally friendly energy, and do this 365 days per year. In the winter, when sunlight is scarce, winds are typically higher and are sufficient to be able to make the home generation unit produce electricity both day and night. In the summer, when winds may be a lot less strong, sunlight is much more plentiful and acts upon the photovoltaic panels of the home energy generation unit in order to carry on the electricity generation.

With all of these financial and ecological benefits, the installation of a home wind energy system can be a very compelling argument. The installation process is relatively simple. It depends on having the correct information to understand step by step how to locate such a system and how to follow all required safety precautions. Assembling the components, wiring the system and maintaining it are also factors that should be researched and understood prior to any installation.

There is good news in the wind for environmentalists. Wind turbine capacity has been increasing and the unit cost of power generated by wind energy is expected to drop, much of which is credited to China’s efforts.

The World Wind Energy Association forecasts that by 2020, wind turbine total installed capacity will reach an estimated 1.5 million megawatts worldwide, accounting for 20% of global electricity consumption. This will represent a substantial jump in the role of wind energy in the next decade, where it represented just 1.5% of global electricity consumption in 2008.

Where news of environmental pollution is an issue of concern in China, it is also China that is set to take the lead in the global wind energy revolution, ahead of the United Kingdom or the United States, who have long been its strongest advocates.

It’s a paradox that in the West, proponents of the green movement protest against the very infrastructure that is needed to drive sustainable energy practices. There is a ‘not in my back yard’ mentality. This paradox is not seen in China. China will not only become a global leader in wind energy, but may be an important supplier to fast growing emerging Asian economies, such as Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia, who themselves have limited development in the wind energy technology sector.

The Chinese government’s firm commitment

The Chinese government regards the development of wind energy as a key priority. At the end of 2008, China overtook India in having the highest installed capacity of wind energy in Asia with a total 12.2GW of total installed capacity versus India’s 9.6GW.

The Chinese wind power equipment manufacturing industry has been attracting the investment from many enterprises. With market capacity of wind power equipment forecasted to reach 32 billion US dollars by 2010, investing in China is important for many foreign enterprises wishing to take advantage of the substantial and rapid build up of wind energy in China.

In addition, overseas turbine companies have made substantial investments in China, in order to comply with an earlier government stipulation requiring at least 70 percent of components to be sourced domestically for use in Chinese wind energy projects.

In order to meet the demands of the growing market, domestic production and technology of wind turbines and components also had to step up. With this accelerated development of manufacturing, China is gearing up to meet both the domestic demands as well as preparing to supply components to the international market.

Key trends in China’s wind energy industry

1. Supply shortage for wind turbines and associated components predicted

The demand for wind turbines and related components in many countries is increasing. Together, the United States, the European Union and China are targeting to have installed capacity of about 400 to 500 gigawatts by 2020.

Only a number of specialised suppliers are able to produce key parts for higher capacity wind turbines however, and demand may overwhelm some suppliers, especially for those specialising in gearboxes and bearings. In addition, other industries also use similar wind turbine components for their equipment and machinery.

As an emerging technology, wind turbine designs are still evolving. Parts made are mostly customised and non-interchangeable, making replacement suppliers hard to find. Moreover, the advanced technology required to enter the wind turbine industry is a barrier for new entrants.

Currently, most Chinese wind turbines and components for higher-megawatt products are licensed or jointly developed with overseas players, whilst local manufacturers still lack the independent capacity to build higher wattage turbines. With fewer players supplying the higher-megawatt products, there are bottlenecks affecting the supply shortage for wind turbine related equipment, particularly with the government’s emphasis on higher wattage turbines.

Price volatility for raw materials, notably steel, copper and carbon, is a critical factor in some of the wind turbine parts. Steel is used in towers, gearboxes and rotors; copper used in generators and carbon in rotor blades. Any price volatility can result in bottlenecks in the supply chain.

2. More partnerships amongst wind turbine industry players

In order for foreign players to ease their market entry and secure consistent supplies and services, partnerships in the form of mutual agreements, joint ventures or acquisitions between market players; such as wind farm developers or operators, wind turbine manufacturers and wind turbine component manufacturers, will continue. Through such ventures, local players will in turn get to secure proprietary technology.

Examples include Shanghai Electric’s joint effort with German Aerodyn, and Zhejiang Windey’s partnership with Garrad Hassan and Partners Ltd (GH) from the United Kingdom.

3. Local technological advancement

Due to market regulation in China that favours locally made products, foreign players wanting to enter China need to work with local Chinese companies. This in turn, promotes technology transfer amongst Chinese companies and builds local expertise.

An example of this is Sinovel’s joint program with Austria Windtec. Sinovel is developing a three megawatt double feedback, variable shift and constant frequency wind turbine system, the first high-tech Chinese offshore wind turbine system, which will be installed in the first offshore wind farm, the Shanghai Donghai Bridge Wind Farm.

4. China as a major supply chain centre within wind energy industry

If current trends persist, China will become an important global supplier for the wind energy market, especially in key wind turbine components and services. High local demand, China’s strategic location to supply Asian markets with parts and equipments, coupled with development of local research and development skills may encourage a future role as a global wind energy hotspot for services and equipment.

China’s increasing ability to manufacture more affordable wind power equipment might even push South East Asia’s wind energy utilization, especially for small to medium scale projects. While the Chinese government is actively promoting the production of turbines with capacities of over two megawatts, Chinese suppliers are still catching up to the technology. For now, their strength will continue to be in small to medium scale wind energy projects, which are a good fit for South East Asia markets.

5. China wind energy suppliers go global

Chinese suppliers’ interest in European companies may be of strategic geographical importance in the long term.

Chinese market leader Goldwin has acquired majority share of German Vensys in order concentrate on the development of its direct drive wind turbine technology. After the acquisition of Vensys, Goldwind also bought the subsidiary companies that produced converters and variable propeller systems for Vensys, through Vensys in Germany.

For Goldwin, this ensures a local foothold in Europe with spin-off benefits both in Germany as well as in China. It has also absorbed a number of cross-border talent with management experience in the domestic and international markets from companies such as Shenzen

Huawei, Motorola, General Electric, the bearings industry SKF, Siemens and ABB.

China has been described as the world’s factory. In wind energy, the global environment would be the benefactor of its manufacturing prowess.

One of the most exciting forms of renewable energy that shows the most promise is wind energy. Derived from wind turbines, wind energy generates electricity without the need for fossil fuels and the consumption of water, and produces no emissions during the process. This significant environmental benefit makes wind energy one of the most promising and fastest developing forms of renewable energy today.

At the forefront of wind energy development is the state of Texas, known for its oil and natural gas production facilities, but now leads the nation in the production of wind energy. The state can generate Texas electricity using wind energy with a capacity that is three times as much as Iowa, the second highest wind energy-producing state, and would rank sixth after the United States, China, Germany, Spain and India if Texas was considered a separate nation.

The Renewable Portfolio Standard signed into law in 1999 by then governor George W. Bush set Texas on the road towards renewable energy and a leader in wind energy, producing over 8,200 megawatts of wind-generated Texas electricity. According to ERCOT or the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, wind energy accounted for 6.2 percent of the state’s 2009 Texas electricity production.

The Facts and the Hype

Texas commitment to renewable sources of energy have generated hype from all levels: claims of the state exceeding all expectations regarding wind energy generation, generation of over 15,000 more jobs, and over billion in investments – the biggest “economic boon to the state” according to President Barack Obama himself.

However, actual figures from ERCOT, the state’s grid operator, indicated that only 708 megawatts of this total wind energy capacity is reliable, particularly during the summer where Texas electricity demands are at their peak. To compensate, conventional energy generation is still utilized to sustain the more than 72,648 megawatt demands during the summer months. ERCOT projects that wind energy will eventually have significant impact on the grid by the year 2014, after transmission constraints have all been addressed.Status and Direction of Wind Energy in Texas

Recent figures have indicated a very promising outlook for the wind energy industry as 12.1 percent of the state’s total Texas electricity production by April of this year. Texas continues to have the largest wind farms and highest wind capacity nationwide, despite the problems and issues the industry faced.

Plans of building the largest wind farm in the world was discontinued due to constraints imposed by the lack of transmission lines that will bring Texas electricity from the various wind farms across the state and into the major cities that require this energy. To address this, the state is allocating over billion in investments to lay out a concrete transmission plan.

Most of Texas wind power farms are located in West Texas and the Panhandle. Now, there are not enough transmission lines that will bring the generated Texas electricity from these locations and down to the big metropolitan areas such as Dallas-Fort Worth where consumption is the highest. Once these hurdles are addressed and an efficient means of transmission are in place, the state and surrounding areas will definitely benefit from this viable source of renewable energy.

About the Author

About Shop Texas Electricity- Shop Texas Electricity helps consumers and businesses compare and shop for their electricity plans in Texas. Learn more about Shop Texas Electricity by visiting us at Texas Electric & Business Electricity & Houston Electric

If you’ve found the webpage due to the fact that you’re interested in how to start your solar & wind energy business, you’re about to find yourself amazed. I will reveal the best techniques that will allow you to equip your house with abundant electricity for your whole family, and even generate some extra income. Am i dreaming? It won’t hurt to hear me out – take a moment to check this out.

What’s the point of spending your hard-earned money on electricity when there is equipment readily available which will bring you free solar energy, equipment that you can create and install yourself – now that’s easy! If you’re thinking it’s probably unaffordable – it’s not; that may have been the case in the past, but technology advanced and prices dropped.

How do i know all that? I had heard about some of the benefits of solar energy, and was doing some research on how to start your solar & wind energy business and it came to my attention that a considerable number of people – in our country as well as thousands of miles away – have been “enlightened” and were already using a system that enables them to convert sun-power into electricity in just few days. A little more research on the subject showed me that it can be done at an amazingly low initial cost that won’t break the bank – in fact, your bank account will thank you! At long last, we can all take advantage of a state-of-the-art technology that delivers an easy way to benefit from a free source of electricity from now on – how’s that for an incentive?

Whatever your situation – seriously interested in or just mildly curious about how to start your solar & wind energy business – do yourself a favor and verify what i say – with solar power, you can have as much electricity as you want, at no charge, and you don’t have to be dependent on the electric company or any other corporate to dole out your required electricity. I also learned that it’s commonplace to actually get paid by the electric company in your region for all extra power that you create. Here’s one more important thing to consider – by turning sunlight into electricity the final reward is that you’ll be helping to improve the planet for all of its inhabitants.

Wind energy is considered to be a form of solar energy. Wind is caused by the uneven heating of the atmosphere by the sun, combined with the irregular surface of the earth, and by the rotation of the earth. The wind is continuously altered by the earth’s terrain, bodies of water, and vegetation. It is possible to convert the power from the wind into energy to be used as electricity.

The process of converting wind energy to electric energy uses a wind turbine. The wind turbines convert the kinetic energy in the wind into mechanical power. The mechanical power can be used for many things. In the past this meant pumping water, creating ventilation, or grinding food sources. While these things still occur, wind power is also used to generate electricity.

The wind turbine is a tall shaft with several horizontal rectangular blades attached to it. These blades are often covered with stiff material or ratting material. When turned they push against the air, causing pressure, and turning the inner shaft. This shaft connects to a generator which then creates energy.

There are many types of wind turbines, including both vertical and horizontal wind turbines. The initial design of a wind turbine, then known as a wind mill, was vertical. Over the following decades, small adaptations were made before the wind turbine was converted to a horizontal design.

Wind turbines work in a variety of locations, such as in large wind farms, residential wind turbines, and offshore turbines. Wind farms are capable of converting a large amount of kinetic energy that can be converted to electricity. The best location for wind farms is considered to be along valleys where there is a fairly regular flow of wind. At times the wind may be considered to be intermittent, but this can be corrected by supplying a fairly low back-up energy source which will allow for balance in times of low wind.

Between 2005 and 2008, the amount of wind energy collected and used doubled. Over eighty countries are using wind energy commercially, and these statistics are growing.

It is also possible to create wind farms offshore. These are also very profitable and are capable of creating a lot of energy. Uninhibited by buildings, mountains, and other blockages, there is a large amount of wind in coastal areas. However, research suggests that wind turbines placed in a row along the shore create a pull which causes noise nuisance.

Residential wind turbines are capable of generating 50kW of energy a day and are situated to be connected to the local energy network. It is therefore possible to sell back any excess energy generated to the power company. This means that not only is wind energy renewable, it is also capable of being profitable.

Related Wind Energy Articles

Article by Rick Chapo

Situated in the heartland of the country, Kansas is a state with lots of wind energy potential. Here is a guide to Kansas wind energy efforts.

Kansas Wind Energy

The United States is currently the world’s third largest producer of wind energy, trailing behind only Germany and Spain. Wind energy producing wind farms now create over 10,000 kilowatts of electricity a year, enough to supply around 2.5 million homes with energy. The cost of producing electricity from wind energy has declined dramatically in the last 25 years, from an expense of 45 cents per kilowatt-hour in 1980 to the current price of three to five cents per kilowatt-hour. The relative inexpensiveness of wind energy has lead many states to install wind farms to try to meet some of their energy needs.

According to the American Wind Energy Association, Kansas wind energy amounts rank this state as the third highest wind energy producing state in the US. Only Texas and North Dakota produce more wind powered electricity. The largest Kansas wind energy producing wind farm is located in Gray County, and it is known as the Gray County Wind Farm. This area contains 170 wind turbines, which are capable of generating 110 megawatts of energy per year. This is enough energy to provide electricity to 33,000 average homes in the state.

The amount of harmful carbon dioxide emissions that a coal-fired energy plant producing the same amount (110 megawatts) of energy would be about 600 tons, meaning that the Gray County Wind Farm reduces pollution by that amount annually. This wind farm was built in 2001 over a 12,000 acre site near Montezuma, Kansas. Only six of those acres actually house turbines and related equipment.

There are other Kansas wind energy sites throughout the state. The Westar Wind/Westar Energy project includes the first two wind turbines that were installed in the state of Kansas for commercial energy production. Placed at the Jeffrey Energy Center in 1999, the two turbines produce 2.9 million kilowatt-hours of electricity per year, which is enough to energy 300 homes, with the land around the turbines still being used for farming purposes.

While Kansas is not the United States’ largest wind energy producer, it is definitely a major contributor to the country’s wind energy resources. The capabilities of the wind energy found in Kansas, North Dakota and Texas alone are enough to energy the entire US, so once wind energy is fully harnessed, we will as a nation be able to cut down drastically on our reliance on fossil fuels.

About the Author

Rick Chapo is with SolarCompanies.com – providing information on wind power as an alternative energy platform.

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