Who hasn’t enjoyed the soft caress of the wind against their face. There can be no one who hasn’t experienced this pleasant taste of Mother Nature but few have realized what this pleasant breeze can produce beyond that. Wind energy is the future of electricity.
The benefits of wind power have been known to man for centuries. Sail boating would be impossible without the strength of the wind in her sails to propel here forward in the water. Farmers of old would make use of a single windmill to bring forth water from beneath the ground to aid in his crop growth. Wheat was once ground into flour as the wind alone would propel a large grindstone.
Harnessing the power of wind is now being used for the purpose of making electricity. This is done in a manner similar to a child’s pinwheel. A device called a wind turbine with enormous blades are caused to rotate on a hub by the winds power. This hub is on a shaft that enters into a geared transmission box that increases the speed of rotation. The transmission then causes the generator to turn. An applied braking system allows for blade protection should the wind speed become excessive.
One single turbine can generate enough power to completely power a home or small school. These models are adjusted in size to meet the needs required, but as mans search for new power sources increases, wind turbines located in groupings of hundreds or more are referred to as wind farms. Met with much controversy due to their looks and mans concern over possible side effects, wind turbines are beginning to take their place in U. S. Society.
Most wind farms are located in areas known to have windy conditions. The efficiency of these turbines depend solely on winds in excess of twelve to fourteen miles per hour to produce electricity. A single turbine has the capacity of producing up to 300 electrical kilowatts. With the word kilo meaning 1,000, it is then mathematically correct to say that ten 100 watt bulbs can be illuminated with 1000 watts. If a turbine is able to produce 300 kilowatts that is enough electricity to light 3,000 100 watt light bulbs.
By 1999, California was home to over 11,000 turbines. Three large wind farms are located in places such as Palm Springs, Altamont Pass, and San Gorgonio Pass. The amount of power produced here is enough to illuminate the entire city of San Francisco giving California the honor of producing the most electrical power. Denmark and Germany have joined us in the use of wind turbines to produce electric power.
After the turbines have made the electricity, it is then amassed and sent to a transformer. Once there, the electricity can be sent for long distances with the use of power lines. The pros and cons of wind turbines will undoubtedly be long debated, but it is a fact that it is an efficient and clean way of producing electricity.
The power of the wind has worked for mankind for many centuries. The more wind there is, the more electricity can be made. Wind Generators For Home The more wind there is, the more electricity can be made.
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