Pros Of Wind Turbines

1. Pros OfWind Turbines By: Leah Kellenberger

2. How A Wind Turbine Works • Wind turbines turn kinetic energy into electric. Here is how… • The blade on a turbine is kind of like an airplane wing. The shape of the blade causes the air pressure to be uneven and that’s what makes it spin. • Next the blades turn a shaft inside the turbine. And that only turns at about 18 RPM which isn’t fast enough to power a generator.

3. How A Wind Turbine Works Cont. • A series of gears are attached and they increase the rotation to about 1800 RPM. • With that speed the generator can produce a lot of electricity.

4. Pros Of Wind Turbines Guide Pros Pros for the Future Clean Fuel Source Wind Energy Potential Wind Supply Benefits by 2030 Cost/ Economy

5. Clean Fuel Source • Wind energy is fueled by the wind, so it's a clean fuel source. Wind energy doesn't pollute the air like most power plants that rely on the burning of fossil fuels, such as coal or natural gas. Wind turbines don't produce atmospheric emissions that cause acid rain or greenhouse gasses.

6. Wind Supply • Wind energy is a domestic source of energy, produced in the United States. The nation's wind supply is abundant. • Wind energy relies on the renewable power of the wind, which can't be used up. Flowind, Altamont Pass, California, USA

7. $$$ Cost/Economy • Wind energy is one of the lowest-priced renewable energy technologies available today. It costs 4-6 cents per kilowatt per hour (on average). • Wind turbines can be built on farms or ranches. This benefits the economy in rural areas. Farmers and ranchers can continue to work the land because the wind turbines use only a fraction of the space. Wind power plant owners “pay rent” to the farmer or rancher for the use of the land.

8. Wind Energy Potential • The United States has enough wind resources to generate electricity for every home and business in the nation. But not all areas are suitable for wind energy development. • To measure good sites for wind turbines, wind is mapped or measured at 50-100 meters of the ground. • This map shows the annual average wind power estimates at 50 m above ground. Map

9. Map Pennsylvania does not have very good sites for wind turbines. The best places for them would be along the coast, in the deserts and prairies of west and mid-west America, and Alaska has some good spots too. A lot of good spots to harness wind energy is inconvenient. .

10. Benefits by 2030 • According to the American Wind Energy Association, if we increase our nation's wind energy to 20% by 2030, it would… • Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions A total of 7,600 million tons of CO2 would be avoided by 2030, and more than 15,000 million tons of CO2 would be avoided by 2050. • Conserve Water Reduce water consumption in the electric sector by 8% or 4 trillion gallons from 2007 through 2030.

11. Benefits by 2030 Cont. • Lower Natural Gas Prices The use of Wind turbines can reduce natural gas demand and reduce natural gas prices by 12%, saving consumers about $130 billion. • Expand Manufacturing To produce enough turbines and components for the 20% wind scenario, the industry would require more than 30,000 direct manufacturing jobs across the nation (assuming that 30% – 80% of major turbine components would be manufactured by 2030).

12. Benefits by 2030 Cont. • Generate Local Incomes Lease payments for wind turbines would make over $600 million combined for landowners in rural areas and generate additional local tax incomes exceeding $1.5 billion annually by 2030. From 2007 through 2030, increasing economic activity would go above $1 trillion or more than $440 billion in net present cost terms.