Wind Energy Uses

Wind energy has been used for thousands of years throughout the world. The oldest uses date back to the earliest sailing vessels.

Likewise, architects of ancient buildings have used wind driven ventilation systems throughout ancient buildings. Another early use of wind energy is seen where architects, engineers, and builders use wind sails to help with the movement of large objects across both land and sea.

This use incorporated sails or other devices where the wind is used to push. Around 7 AD, the first active wind technology came about in the form of windmills. The first uses of windmills were for irrigation pumping and the grinding of grain.

In the United States, the introduction of the first water-pumping windmill gave new Americans the ability to farm and develop otherwise desolate areas where ground water did not exist.

Then, in 1888, an American inventor created the first wind driven electrical generator. Since then, the most prominent use of wind energy has been to create electricity.

Wind Energy Uses Around the World

Wind energy is currently being used throughout the world in a multitude of ways. Small scale wind energy units are being sold across the internet and even in some large hardware stores for home generation. Large scale units are being installed on land and sea for large scale electrical generation.

In most places, if a homeowner installs a wind energy system that generates more electricity than they use, it can be fed back into the power system for someone else to use and a positive credit on the next electric bill.

The amount of electricity a wind energy system can produce is based on turbine design and the amount of consistent wind power available. The most common wind turbines used throughout the world consist of rotor blades, a shaft, and a generator.

As the wind blows across the rotor blades, it causes them to turn, which drives a generator causing electromagnetic induction that creates electrical current and generates electricity.

This electricity can be transmitted down long transmission lines if the source is strong enough or transmitted just far enough to power a single home or outbuilding. As stated above, no matter how it is generated, wind power saves money and creates no pollution.

Concerns about Wind Energy Uses

Whether a wind energy system is used on land or sea, many people have concerns about using wind energy machines. Those against wind systems usually point out that it takes fossil fuels to create the parts for the wind machines, wind machines are aesthetically unpleasing, and wind turbines are dangerous for birds and flying animals.

While many of these arguments are true if considered alone, when considered against current energy systems, wind is still a much better choice. Burning fossil fuels hurts the environment as a whole, which includes birds and flying animals as well as anything on land to include people.

Currently it does take fossil fuels to create wind energy machines, but if enough wind machines are put into use, it is quite possible all of the energy to create new wind machines will be generated from current wind energy devices.

Ugly Wind Energy Uses?

Finally, the argument that wind machines are aesthetically unpleasing is the weakest of the three because most wind generators are placed in towns or in the middle of scenic views.

The majority of the wind fields are either placed on large areas of water or land that is remote and far from the normal public viewing areas. Plus, not everyone thinks wind machines are ugly, and when compared to the beauty of coal plants, most people will agree nicely painted windmills are much more please to look at.

As you can see, wind energy uses and power has a variety of uses, has the potential to save money, and is environmentally friendly. Even in fields where large wind turbines are installed, livestock and wildlife do not even bother with the machine.

In the production of wind turbines and wind generation devices, some fossil fuels may be used, but as scientists from the University of Missouri concluded, the energy used in the creation and installation of a wind turbine is paid back usually within 8 to 9 months.

Right now the United States is currently the leader in wind energy technology with Germany, Spain, and China close behind. Every year the need for energy increases and the technology to further wind generation devices is increasing as well.

This technology along with solar energy and other alternative energy sources could be used effectively to eliminate the need to depend on foreign oil and the high cost of electrical power.

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