How It Works
Wind turbines are not
very complicated, well actually the way they work is very simple and
understandable. Wind turbines operate on a simple principle. The wind turns the
propeller blades around a rotor. The rotor is connected to the main
shaft, which spins a generator to create electricity. The electricity then
travels to a transformer which than passes/transfers the electricity to high
voltage power lines.
$$ COST $$
Wind energy is one of
the most affordable forms of electricity today in North America. There has been
a reduction of wind energy costs in recent years, with wind energy costs
delivering affordable rates to electricity consumers. Wind turbine technology
is improving including lower cost wind turbines, increased performance, and
advanced operations, causing the cost of wind electricity to decline
significantly in recent years. The purchase and installation of a system large
enough to power an entire home costs, on average, $30,000, but the price can
range from $10,000 to $70,000 depending on system size, height, and
installation expenses. The purchase and installation of very small (1 kilowatt)
off-grid turbines generally cost $4,000 to $9,000, and a 100-kilowatt turbine
can cost $350,000.
Benefits
- Free fuel: Unlike other forms of energy, wind generates electricity without the use of fuel. Wind is a native fuel that does not need to be mined or transported keeping costs low.
- Clean Air: Other sources of energy produce harmful particulate emissions into the air which contributes to global climate change. Wind is a pollution free, reliable, and sustainable source of energy which leads to a better community.
- Creates Jobs: Wind energy projects create long term jobs from meteorologists and surveyors to structural engineers, assembly workers, lawyers, bankers and technicians. Our association creates 30% more jobs than a coal plant and 66% more than a nuclear power plant. Creating jobs helps stabilize the economy
- Conserves and keeps water clean: Turbines create no particulate emissions that can contaminate our lakes and oceans keeping our sea life safe. As a bonus wind energy conserves water.
Amount Of Energy Produced
An average onshore wind turbine with a capacity of 2.5–3 MW can produce more than 6 million kWh in a year – enough to supply 1,500 average North American households with electricity. Compared to other sources this is a reasonable amount since this source does not harm the environment and is inexpensive for every community. Knowing this is a renewable source of energy, the costs are extremely low which allows our organization to install more wind turbines generating more electricity to improve the world.
