Hill, Kern, Scott 1

Zachary Hill, Samantha Kern, and Chloe Scott

Mr.West

Intro. to Matter and Energy

18 April 2016

Wind Power

Wind is one of the oldest forms of energy used in the world. In 5000 B.C., wind was used

to propel wind powered boats. It wasn’t until 4,800 years later, in 200 B.C., that China started to

use windmills to pump water to farms (“History of Wind Energy”). Most people think wind

energy is as simple as wind blowing through a windmill. It is not that easy. There are a lot of

moving parts and regulations that go into making a functional wind farm. Wind energy and

successful wind farms are dependent on power plant design, nature of the source, location,

environmental impacts, cost, and current events.

Samantha

Wind used for energy worldwide and when it is used nobody really thinks back to where

it all came from. “Wind is a form of solar energy”(Wind Energy Basics). Without the sun wind

wouldn’t be able to be harnessed and used for power(Parks 9). Before wind can be harnessed it

has to form and with a short process wind can be formed in no time. It is already known that the

sun is the center of wind, so when the sun gives off its energy towards the earth water and land

take in the energy(Parks 9). Land tends to heat quicker than water so the atmosphere is warmed

unevenly(Parks 9). Now that it’s known how the sun is involved when producing wind, the next

part of the wind making process is air.

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When things are heated they expand and rise, and since air above the land is hotter it is

expanding and rising(Parks 9). Air that is hotter is lighter and air that is cooler is heavier(Parks

9). When the hot air rises it leaves an open space, once this space is created air that is cooler

rapidly fill in the space(Parks 9). The action of air rapidly filling an empty space is known as

wind(Parks 9). The process is almost like using a suction.Wind is a source that is sustainable,

doesn’t produce pollution, and best of all it’s free(Wind Power Info.). Our world is in so much

debt today that saving money on something as simple as using electricity can better our nation in

the future.

Once wind is created the next step is gathering the wind so it can be turned into

electricity. The machines that are used today are known as wind turbines(Parks 9). There are two

different types of wind turbines used, horizontal- axis and vertical- axis(Turbine Info.). The most

common and newest type of turbine is the horizontal- axis(Parks 9). The turbines are placed on

top of towers made of steel, the two are concreted together so they don’t fall apart(Parks 9).

Turbines come in a number of sizes, and along with the size comes with how much power they

can produce(Wind Energy Basics). Larger turbines will produce more power than the smaller

ones.

Horizontal-axis turbines are the turbines that most people can recognize. This turbine is

the kind that has three long rotating blades at the top. These types of turbines are called

horizontal-axis wind turbines because when they rotate horizontally(Vertical vs Horizontal). A

horizontal-axis turbine can be faced into the direction of wind or they can be faced away from

the wind(Turbine Info.). Also, most of these turbines have a gearbox which changes the speed of
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the rotation(Turbine Info.). Horizontal-axis turbines may seem to be the only wind turbines there

are, but somewhere in the country there are Vertical-axis turbines.

Wind turbines are usually very recognizable, but most people don’t even know that wind

turbines exist. Vertical-axis turbines are named the way they are because they stand vertical to

the ground(Vertical vs Horizontal). The reason that these turbines aren’t usually seen is because

they are generally used for smaller wind projects(Vertical vs Horizontal). Unlike the

horizontal-axis turbines, vertical-axis turbines are always facing the wind(Turbine Info.). Their

360°​ design helps them face the winds at all times(Turbine Info.). Since these turbines are

smaller they can be placed in more locations that only require a small area(Turbine Info.).

Vertical-axis wind turbines and horizontal-axis wind turbines do the same job, but they just

collect the wind differently. Both turbines have their advantages and disadvantages but in the end

they are both capable of producing electricity from wind.

As of now it is known what turbines are but what many people don’t know is how they

work. Even though some of these turbines may look like fans, they are actually the complete

opposite of fans. Rather than producing wind like a fan would, turbines need wind so that they

can produce electricity(Wind Energy Basics). When using a horizontal-axis turbine, wind is

blown over the blades they rise, much like an airplane’s wings do, and as the blades are turning

they gather the wind’s kinetic energy(Parks 9). Once the wind is in the main part of the turbine

the gearbox increases the slower rotation into a faster rotation(Woodford). After that the

generator will alter the energy from rotational to electrical(Wind Turbines). The current that was

produced by the generator will then run down a cable that is inside the turbine(Woodford). A

transformer outside the turbine will then change the voltage of the energy so that it can be
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used(Woodford). Now energy can be passed on throughout the country(Wind Turbines).

People’s energy can come from anywhere in the country when wind power is used.

A useful way to collect the wind power is to have a bunch of them spread out over a large

area of land so that more energy can be collected(Parks 10). One wind farm can contain over

hundreds of turbines spread out over a vast area of land(What is a Wind Farm). The land doesn’t

go to waste though, the land can also be used for agricultural purposes(What is a Wind Farm).

The farms will give energy to power grids which are “a network of electrical lines that distribute

electricity”(Parks 10).Each turbine has it’s own job to provide energy.

Zachary

Location plays a major role in wind energy. If a company does not have a pristine

location for a wind farm the project becomes useless. There are a few requirements needed to

have an efficient wind farm. The first requirement for the location is their must be wind

availability (Casper 49). If the region is not very windy, the windmills will not be very

productive. A good average for wind is about 13 mph year round (Wind Energy Basics). The

next determining factor is the local weather conditions (Casper 49). Cold weather has a major

repercussion on the effectiveness of wind turbines. In fact, one town’s wind turbines in

Minnesota were rendered useless when the hydraulic fluid inside the turbines froze (​Morrissey).

This just goes to show if a cold location is chosen for a wind farm many precautionary measures

must be taken. Wind farms location also have to be close to electrical transmission lines (Casper

49). The process of converting the wind turbine’s energy into electricity must be efficient. The

final requirement for the location of the wind farm is the zoning codes (Casper 49). Some areas

have strict codes about where a wind farm can be. To put it into perspective a wind turbine can
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be 20 stories high with three blades that span 200 feet. Some can even be 300 feet wide (Casper

48). It is evident a wind farm can not be placed in any arbitrary place.

In the world, wind power is starting to catch on more. The world leader in wind energy

capacity is China. China produces about 145,104 megawatts of energy by the end of 2015

(Global Statistics). That is almost twice as much as the United States and about the same as all of

Europe combined (Global Statistics). China is definitely dominating the industry of wind power

industry. The reason for their increase in China’s interest in the wind energy field is not due to

their location but rather to decrease their amount of carbon emissions (China overtakes EU). In

the United States however their are still good locations for wind farms to go. The best locations

would be in states like California, Alaska, and Hawaii. Other places would have to have vast

windy plains like The Great Plains or mountainous regions like the Appalachian Mountains

(Casper 51). The United States have a lot of land to use for wind energy. The states that make

use of their advantageous land generally produce the most amount of energy. In order of the

wind energy they produce the top producing states are Texas, California, Minnesota, and Iowa

(Schlager and Weisblatt 320). All of these places use large stretches of land and are in fact on

land. The over place the wind turbines can be is on water. Although the United States has most

of its wind power operations on land, other countries go to sea to place their wind turbines. In the

sea winds are stronger and more consistent than on land. The same turbine receiving 16 mph

winds is produces 50% more electricity than one going 14 mph (Offshore Wind Energy). Most

countries see this potential and will capitalize on the huge jump in efficiency that offshore wind

turbines offer. Also since there are stronger winds, wind turbines are larger and could be up to
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500 feet tall (Offshore Wind Energy). Location has a major role in wind energy and drastically

affects their performance. A good location results in a good product.

Wind turbines are known for being generally climate friendly especially compared to

fossil fuels. For example in 2004 the use of wind power prevented the release of approximately

10.6 million tons of carbon dioxide (Schlager and Weisblatt 332). Schlager also points out other

harmful gases are prevented from the use of wind energy as well. This is good for the

environment considering carbon dioxide is one of the greenhouse gases most prominently

produced by fossil fuels. A few years later as wind energy progressed, in Texas alone 25.1 metric

tons of carbon dioxide emissions were avoided (State Fact Sheet). Another upside to wind

energy for the environment is wind energy does not use water. Texas avoided the use of 13.1

billion gallons of water (State Fact Sheets). This is very helpful to states like California, Nevada

and regions where water is rare. This also benefits the environment because the local water

supply is not being drained and as a result leaving more water to trees and wildlife. Many

wonder why water is saved by not using water. This is because other forms of energy use water

to create steam to spin their turbines(Wind Energy Conserving Water). Wind turbines simply use

the wind. This is why wind energy is a popular form of clean energy.

Although wind power is larely good for the environment there are also some down sides.

One major concern of wind energy is that it disrupts the migration patterns of bats and birds

(Schlager and Weisblatt 322). Since the concern has arose more safety precautions have been put

in place to reduce the rate at which birds and bats die. Less than 10,000 birds have been killed by

wind turbines (Schlager and Weisblatt 322). When put into consideration this number is

relatively low also considering that there is work being done to reduce the amount of bird deaths.
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Another issue of wind energy is that the wind farms placed in desserts can cause soil erosions of

the top layer of soil (Schlager and Weisblatt 322). This is due to the top layer of soil being

relatively thin and decrepit. It is not just due to the wind farms but the transportation vehicles

that come along with it which also causes erosion (Schlager and Weisblatt 322). Another

environmental issue is the noise pollution (Schlager and Weisblatt 322). This may not seem like

a big issue but when wind turbines are within close proximity to a house, the low droning noise

can be intolerable and possibly unbearable to some. On the bright side wind farms are generally

a fair distance away to any residential neighborhoods considering where their prime locations

are. As is evident wind energy has its upsides and drawbacks and it is up to the independent

companies to decide which outways the other.

Chloe

There are many wind farms located throughout the world​. ​ There are also some much

closer to home than expected​.​ ​Mehoopany Wind​ farm​, ​located in Noxen​, ​PA​, ​ is another great

example of a local wind farm​. ​This farm is relatively new​, ​as it was completed in December of

2012 (Meyer)​.​ Currently​, ​Mehoopany Wind​ is the largest wind facility in Pennsylvania​. ​This

wind farm is the home of 88 wind turbines​. ​ This amount can produce enough clean electricity to

provide power to 38​,​000 homes​. ​The building of this farm also produced 250 construction jobs

and 10 full-time jobs (“Location”)​.

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The ​Patton Wind Farm​, ​located in Cambria County​, ​Pennsylvania​. ​ The ​Patton Wind

Farm​ has been the home of 15 wind turbines since 2012​.​ This wind farm takes up almost 2​,​153

acres of land (“EverPower Wind Holdings | Patton Wind Farm​,​ PA”)​!

The ​Mill Run Wind Energy Center​ is another wonderful example of a local wind farm​.

The ​Mill Run Wind Energy Center​ is located in Fayette County​, ​ Pennsylvania. It was created in

2001​,​ and has now been in business for almost 15 years old​.​ The ​Mill Run Wind Energy Center

houses 10 wind turbines​. ​ These wind turbines are capable of creating enough energy to power

about 4​,​500 homes ("Mill Run Wind Energy Center”)​.

Wind turbines are very cost efficient as well​. ​Wind turbines themselves are quite pricey​.

The cost most definitely pays off - financially and environmentally​. ​The actual equipment

costs about $40​,​000​, ​and the rest of the cost is normally shipping and equipment​. ​That being

said​, ​in total​, ​a turbine takes approximately $48​,​000 - $65​,​000​. ​Once installed and running​,

a single turbine​, ​running at 10mph​, ​ will only cost $0​.​10/ kilowatts-hour (“Residential Wind

Energy Systems”)​. ​ Without the mill​,​ electricity bills would pile up over time​, ​being even more

expensive than the mill itself​.

Wind is an energy source that has been used for thousands of years​. ​ Scientists are

finding new and more efficient methods to harness this energy day after day​. ​ Turning wind into

usable electricity is a difficult task​.​ Although a wind turbine may seem simple on the outside​,​ it

is much more complicated on the inside​. ​ In order to create successful wind power​, ​ a lot of time
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and effort must be put into it​. ​ Without this commonly used source, the world today would be a

very different place​.

Works Cited
Zachary
Casper, Julie Kerr. ​Energy.​ ​ ​Infobase EBooks​. Chelsea House, Apr. 2007. Web. 8 Apr.

2015.

Schlager, Neil, and Jayne Weisblatt. ​Wind Energy.​ ​Alternative Energy​. 2006. Web. 13

Apr. 2016.

Morrissey, Ed. "Minnesota Wind Turbines Won’t Work in Cold Weather - Hot Air."​HotAir.com.​

2010. Web. 12 Apr. 2016.

"China Overtakes EU to Become Global Wind Power Leader." The Guardian. 11 Feb. 2016.

Web. 13

Apr. 2016.

"Global Statistics." ​GWEC.​ Web. 11 Apr. 2016

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"State Fact Sheets." State Fact Sheets. Web. 13 Apr. 2016.​"Wind Energy Basics." Wind Energy

Development. Web. 11 Apr. 2016.

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Samantha
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Chloe

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<​http://serc.carleton.edu/integrate/teaching_materials/energy.html​>.
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>.

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d-outages-psc-ruling-could-stop-them-again>.

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