Wind Power Can Energize Our World
With more and more advancements being made in the way we can harness the natural energy sources available to us, the greater the likelihood that we will be able to access these resources in residential uses. Like with most newer technologies, it is often the commercial markets and industry that break new ground. It makes sense, too, with the types of cost savings that can be realized. In terms of wind power and wind energy, we are only just beginning to scratch the surface of what is possible.
It isn’t that harnessing the power of the wind is anything new. After all, sailboats and windmills have been utilizing this natural resource for many hundreds of years. While the wind that is used in these cases is more of a function of converting that mechanical energy of the wind into direct mechanical energy of moving a shaft to do work, there are some lessons to learn. The first lesson is that we can actually harness usable energy in a sustainable way. This is, unfortunately, still a concept that is in its infancy. We’ve known these things for eons, but the technology or desire to implement such technologies has just never been there.
Well, the time is now. We still continue to develop newer and greater means of being able to tap into Mother Earth’s energy in a way that is a win-win for us and for her. More recently, much effort is beginning to emerge to show exactly what is possible. There are many forms of how to access this wind energy. You’ve probably seen the wind farms in the hills of southern California. These have been ongoing for decades. In other places of Europe, wind power is utilized as a much greater percentage of energy demand. Do they have more wind? The quick answer is no. What they do have in many places of Europe is a greater ‘climate of sustainability’. This isn’t an excuse, just something to consider.
In order for wind power and other alternative energy means to become popular in our country, it is going to have to impact our spending. This is just the simple nature of how our economy functions. Having your back pocket affected by the changes in energy prices is one great motivator. While there are some brave and pioneering homeowners willing to break ground with things like solar water heaters and geothermal energy, there are many more who don’t have the financial means to invest in such systems or the environmental consciousness to care.
As we opened this article, we talked about how the wind powers a shaft to do mechanical work. In a newer wind powered world, the wind causes a turbine to spin, which causes energy to be produced. This energy can then be stored, transmitted through the grid, or used on site for various functions. In this ‘on site’ application, you would be creating at least one aspect of a sustainable business operation.
While it requires more land to host a ‘wind farm’ a homeowner could still benefit or participate by electing to utilize wind power as some percentage of their energy. This way, they could pay whatever rates would be set for their traditional ‘grid power’ and then a different rate for the wind energy. Over time, the cost of the energy derived from the wind should come down as the initial expenses decrease. Maintenance and upkeep or replacement costs would always take up some portion, but we can see how this sustainable resource could be implemented at least on some level until further technological advancements make wind power even more accessible directly by the homeowner.
The most popular ideas regarding wind power seem to center around placement of units in the ocean. Some of these are set in large concrete pillars in the ocean floor off coastal waters. These present issues with regard to construction, maintenance and portability. Newer ideas involve having these wind turbines set on floating platforms. They are much more easily positioned, don’t require concrete footings (which is a large cost savings in terms of materials and construction), and are even more efficient, in terms of converting the wind energy to usable electrical energy. This whole efficiency dilemma is one that is faced with solar energy as well.
Overall, we are at a time when there are available means to make a big step forward in terms of how we use the natural sources of energy available to us. Whether we choose to take the steps now to put in the necessary infrastructure that will help serve the inevitable demand is something that only our political system has the means to tackle. This means that we need to choose our energy wisely because it is how we spend our money that speaks most loudly to our political leaders.