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Wind Power and Effects in the United States.

The use of wind power in the United States is an attempt at gaining
independence from oil corporations, especially those located outside of the U.S. Wind
power is an abundant resource that can be harnessed with wind turbines. Wind power
can create new jobs and emit less carbon dioxide, which will set the path for a better
environment in the U.S. The main concerns are that wind turbines can be enormous
structures that many citizens would not like to see; wind turbines are mostly being
placed in rural areas. Cities are a poor location for wind turbines because of
obstructions; turbines are built to withstand steady winds. Congress is also addressing
concerns, such as having the power provided ready for military applications. The main
goal of wind energy is for the U.S. to be energy independent; for wind to be the top
alternative energy, it must be cheap and reliable. U.S. citizens do not want the country
to go into more debt, the government is pushing hard to end reliance on oil; they
continue to put money into energy research and development. To meet these goals, the
methods used to harness wind energy and integrate it into the current power grid is of
most importance.
To harness wind energy, aerodynamic blades are in place on a rotor to convert
the power into mechanical energy. There are typically three fan blades and the speed
depends on the radius of the blade. A larger radius results in a slower speed; most highpowered turbines are large and have lower speeds. The mechanical energy has a hightorque and low top speed; the turbine connects to a generator. When the top speed is
not fast enough, a gearbox connects in between the turbine and generator to convert
the torque to a higher speed. The generator converts the mechanical energy into
electric, and then connects to a transformer. The transformer steps up the voltage;
higher voltage will allow the electric to travel long distances. This process is not 100%
efficient, no alternative energy form is. There are losses in the power transformer and
the power cables. The cable has a small amount of resistance that builds up as the
cable gets longer; it is best to have a short cable when dealing with low voltages,

voltage is electromotive force (EMF). The higher the force, the further the power can
travel.
The turbine is an expensive piece of equipment; there are devices used to limit
overvoltage and short circuits. Overvoltage can cause problems for the components that
make up the wind turbine and may cause spikes in the power grid. Protection devices
may automatically disconnect the power grid from the turbine. Since higher wind speeds
create more power it is important to have a way to control the amount of power
generated. The power is limited by pitch control, stall control, or active stall control. With
pitch control, the blades are turned out of the wind. With stall control, the wind is stalled
along the fixed blades at higher speeds. With active stall control, the blade is moved to
create stall along the blades. Stall control will allow some overvoltage while active stall
control and pitch control smoothly limit the power.
In cities and densely populated towns, wind is not really an available option. Tall
buildings and towers obstruct the wind in these areas. A turbine is not built to withstand
turbulent winds; the lightweight metal used easily becomes damaged. The room
required by the turbines is also not available and if it is, the turbine will violate height
ordinances. Wind energy in the U.S. is not a new concept; it was once the main source
of power in rural areas. Now wind farms are in remote and rural areas such as the
Barton wind farm in Iowa. Those in rural areas can install turbines after they follow
proper height and noise ordinances. The power provided by the turbine varies and
should be higher than the amount of kilowatts consumed; a kilowatt is 1000 watts. The
noise created by the turbine is dependent on the rotations per minute of the turbine; the
more rotations, the more noise generated. Since most citizens dislike loud disturbances
it is best to install the turbines away from homes.
The cost of wind power compared to the cost of fossil fuels is considerably higher
with the installed cost being up to $2,500 per kilowatt. When comparing the life of a
wind turbine it is close to, but still less than coal and nuclear power plants. The life
expectancy of a turbine is 20 to 30 years, coal plants are 30 to 50 years, and nuclear
plants are 40 to 50 years. The cost of wind power is expected to decrease as the cost of
fossil fuels increase. The expense is viable when considering that the energy source is
renewable and has a smaller environmental impact compared to other sources. Though

the energy is environmentally beneficial, there are some side effects: electrical signals,
noise, and an effect on birds. If the turbines are built in a birds migratory pattern, then
they may run into the turbine. A problem in the U.S. is that the manufacturing of the
large equipment is currently outsourced. This does not help with the cause of being
energy independent or keeping cost down when demand is increased. To help solve the
problem, factories are being constructed in the U.S. to build parts needed for wind
energy. The new facilities will provide jobs, and taxes will provide money for local
communities. This effectively helps the U.S. in its efforts to be less dependent on oil and
aids the economy.
The military applications of wind energy are limited as the technology is not
mobile. The use of batteries is required for the military to use the power when on the
move. A consistent problem that may halt large wind farms from being installed is that
they often interfere with U.S. military and weather radar systems. Examples of issues
include: a wind farm located close to a border might create a dead zone for detecting
intruding aircraft; current weather radar software could misinterpret the high apparent
shear between blade tips as a tornado; current air traffic control software could
temporarily lose the tracks of aircraft flying over wind farms (Brenner 5). The Federal
Aviation Administration (FAA) currently processes every wind turbine separately to
determine the effects on radar and air traffic. The process is slow and is in need of
improvement. The majority of U.S. long-range radars are from the 1950s to the 1980s;
it is about time to replace them or upgrade the software to differentiate between wind
farms and planes.
The U.S. is a large country with an abundance of land, which is why it is the
leader in land-based wind energy capacity. The problem is that there is no offshore wind
capacity. One U.S. offshore project has been approved; The Cape Wind farm project is
an offshore wind farm that is to be built off the coast of Nantucket Sound,
Massachusetts. European countries have been installing offshore wind turbines for a
while and are the leaders in offshore capacity. There are stronger winds offshore as
there are fewer obstructions to break the speed down. The offshore wind capacity is
estimated to be over 4MW (four billion watts). Although there is plenty of potential, there
are reasons why the U.S. has not invested in offshore wind energy. The coastal

residents do not want to be looking out to the ocean and see a bunch of wind turbines. If
the turbines are built close enough to the coast then a considerable amount of noise will
be audible; the same reason that land turbines are placed far away from homes.
Studies for the turbines effect on property values show that they will stay the same, but
the view of turbines could push away potential buyers. Marine safety also has to be
taken into consideration; if a ship crashes into a turbine then fuel leaks can be a
problem.
The federal government is pushing the advancement of wind energy. The
government provides incentives to those that are working on wind energy projects.
These incentives include the Production Tax Credit (PTC) and accelerated depreciation
of capital equipment, which means that assets can be partially tax exempt. These
benefits are approximately 35% of the cost of installation. The PTC is a tax credit that is
adjusted each year for inflation. A wind turbine owner can receive credit for the first 10
years in operation. In 2006, the credit was 1.9 cents per kWh (kilowatt-hour). The PTC
is set to expire at the end of 2012 but may be extended. The accelerated depreciation
program allows wind projects to make use of the Modified Accelerated Cost Recovery
System (MACRS) method. This method provides a larger tax deduction in a shorter
amount of time. Individual states have also established tax incentives to wind energy
providers. The states can have their own production tax credit or property tax credit.
Though these tax exemptions are incentives, some states have taxes that are specific
to wind energy.
For small wind projects in the U.S. there are various ways to finance wind
projects such as equity financing, debt financing, and government financing. Equity
financing is selling a percentage of a company for money. To acquire equity financing is
more of a challenge since the investor is at risk and has no guaranteed return on the
investment. Debt financing is borrowed money that the borrower has to pay back; this
puts the risk on the borrower, but it is easier to be a recipient. Government financing
could provide reduced interest rate loans; the Department of Agriculture will help finance
a percentage of the cost for farm based wind projects. If a small project owner has
some leftover power then utilities are legally required to buy the power. The Public Utility
Regulatory Policies Act (PURPA) guarantees the market for power supplied by wind

projects. This act allows for facilities with a capacity of 80MW (80 million watts) or less
to be paid by utilities at the avoided cost rate. This allows smaller projects to be
guaranteed that there production will be compensated by an existing utility with access
to the power grid. The avoided cost rate is the rate in which the utility could have
produced the power itself. The utility must also connect the wind project up to the power
grid at its expense. There is concern by wildlife supporters that the turbines are killing a
lot of birds and bats. Currently with wind turbines, no one is being persecuted for the
death of birds, but the concern is addressed in turbine permits. Some in congress say
that the zero emissions should offset the effect on birds. Other forms of energy cause
more harm than wind, but wildlife activists are researching into the matter and would like
some form of regulation.
The current wind capacity in the U.S. is 43,463MW and 8,482MW of that has
been constructed this year, according to the American Wind Energy Association
(AWEA). This is only a fraction of the total amount of energy capacity in the U.S., but
the wind industry is growing and the goal to become energy independent is progressing.
The government is offering incentives and it is likely to continue for a while. The
government grants and tax breaks are a motivating factor when it comes to starting new
wind projects. The government does not want to be overspending, but when it comes to
national security and energy independence they see it as necessary. The military will be
able to use wind energy at bases if the radar systems are not interfered by the turbines.
Millions of jobs have been created and more are being created by the wind industry; in
the current recession this is a minor victory. The wind energy is easily connected to the
current power grids and there are various types of protection devices in case of failure.
While U.S. cities are a poor choice for wind projects there is plenty of space untapped
offshore. Offshore projects may irritate those who dislike the view of turbines, but it is a
worthwhile investment because of strong winds. The U.S. will not be energy
independent this year, but with continued government and private support the goal is
achievable.

Source Abstracts

Power Electronics for Modern Wind Turbines

This source has information such as how a wind turbine operates and how they
are controlled. It also goes over the quality of the output voltage and ways that wind
turbines can be integrated into already applied power systems. This information can be
applied as a general explanation on how wind power is harnessed.
Wind Farms and Radar
This source provides information on the effect that wind farms have on aging
U.S. radar. The turbines create electromagnetic interference and the wind patterns may
create a spot where the radar software cannot detect airplanes. There is also
information on how the problem can be solved.
The Home Owners Guide to Renewable Energy
This source has Information for homeowners on wind energy and use. It states
that wind energy is best for rural areas with minimal obstructions. Information is
provided on materials that wind turbines use and how turbulence is a factor in how long
a turbine will last. This reference can be applied to help distinguish who, when, and
where wind power is effective.
Multi-National Case Study of the Financial Cost of Wind Energy
This source provide some information on the cost of wind energy in the U.S. and
the incentives that the federal and state government and providing. This includes tax
breaks and loans.
A Farmers Guide to Wind Energy
This source provides information for people who live in rural areas that would like
to start and wind project. It includes information on what types of finances are available.
It also gives information on energy production taxes and tax breaks for renewable
energy. There is also information on selling power to a utility.

Congress: Wind Energy Compatible with Military Readiness?

This source is about wind energy being ready for military applications. The power
demands are high and the reliability is a must. The U.S. wants to have energy
independence and to stop paying other countries for oil. There is detail that will add to
the body of the paper.
Congress: Impacts of Wind Turbines on Birds and Bats
This source is about birds and bats that are killed by the wind turbines. Wildlife
activists argue that there should be regulation against killing the birds and bats. Others
argue that more research needs to be done in order to come up with a proper ruling.
Wind Energy in the United States and Materials Required for the Land-Based Wind
Turbine Industry from 2010 Through 2030
This source is a scientific survey that provides estimates based on 20% of power
in the U.S. being wind energy by 2030. The source provides advantages and
disadvantages of the use of wind power. It also points out the growing use and cost of
wind power and materials required to build turbines and towers. There is Information
about the cost effectiveness when applying the initial cost, maintenance, and lifespan of
turbines.

Works Cited
Blaabjerg, Frede, and Zhe Chen. Power Electronics for Modern Wind Turbines. [San
Rafael, Calif.]: Morgan & Claypool, 2006. Print.
Brenner, Micheal. Wind Farms and Radar. Rep. no. JSR-08-126. Mclean: MITRE
Corporation, 2008. Print.
Chiras, Daniel D. The Homeowner's Guide to Renewable Energy: Achieving Energy
Independence through Solar, Wind, Biomass, and Hydropower. Gabriola, B.C.:
New Society, 2011. Print.
Schwabe, Paul, Sander Lensink, and Maureen Hand. Multi-National Case Study of the
Financial Cost of Wind Energy. Rep. no. NREL/TP-6A2-48155. Golden: IEA
Wind, 2011. Print.
Shoemaker, Jessica A. Farmers' Guide to Wind Energy: Legal Issues in Farming the
Wind. St. Paul, MN: Farmers' Legal Action Group, 2007. Print.
United States. Cong. House. Committee on Armed Services. Wind Farms Compatible
with Military Readiness? : Hearing before the Subcommittee on Readiness of the
Committee on Armed Services, House of Representatives, One Hundred
Eleventh Congress, Second Session, Hearing Held June 29, 2010. 111th Cong.,
2nd sess. HR HR-111-167. Washington: U.S. G.P.O., 2011. Print.
United States. Cong. House. Committee on Natural Resources. Gone with the Wind:
Impacts of Wind Turbines on Birds and Bats : Oversight Hearing before the
Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, and Oceans of the Committee on Natural
Resources, U.S. House of Representatives, One Hundred Tenth Congress, First
Session, Tuesday, May 1, 2007. 110th Cong., 1st sess. H. Bill. Washington: U.S.
G.P.O., 2007. Print.
Wilburn, David. Wind Energy in the United States and Materials Required for the Landbased Wind Turbine Industry from 2010 through 2030. Rep. no. 5036. U.S.
Geological Survey Scientific Investigations, 2011. Print.