Thursday, April 30, 2009

Harnessing wind energy

The kinetic energy of the blowing wind can be converted to several useful forms of energy that can be put to use for many purposes. Harnessing this kinetic energy is necessary for the application of wind energy. Wind energy can be harnessed by using wind turbines.

A wind turbine is a machine that has two or three propeller like blades. These are called rotors. The rotors are attached to the top of a very tall tower. When the wind blows, the rotors spin. The spinning of rotors powers a generator. Within the generator a number of copper connectors and magnets produce electricity.

The reason for installing rotors at a height is that at high altitudes there is more wind. The rotors are able to trap more wind energy if they are installed at a height and thus generate more electricity. The electricity generated by a wind turbine is enough to meet the requirements of a single household or a small community and it can even power mills for grinding grains and to pump water.

For commercial use, this electricity is not enough. Therefore, wind farms are installed with a number of wind turbines. The electricity generated by the wind turbines is supplied to electricity provider companies that provide electricity for commercial use.

Wind turbines do not cause pollution and depend upon wind which is a renewable source of energy. They also reduce dependence on fossil fuels. The problem with using wind turbines is that they create noise pollution and also harm birds by either killing or injuring them.

Monday, April 20, 2009

Wind Turbines

Wind energy has been in use for a very long time. Wind machines were used to harness wind energy in earlier times. Today, modern equivalents of wind machines called wind turbines are used for harnessing wind energy.

Wind turbines use the energy of the wind to generate electricity. Wind turbines are usually installed at heights to take advantage of the fast winds. Wind turbines have two or three blades that act as rotors. The blades of wind turbines are like airplane wing. When wind blows, it creates a low pressure on the downside of the blade and pulls the blade towards causing the rotor to move. The rotor’s movement spins a generator to produce electricity.

Wind turbines can be used in three ways. They can be installed as stand alone units. These stand alone wind turbines use wind energy to pump water or for communications. Wind turbines can be used by maintaining a connection with utility power grid. Wind turbines can be combined with solar cells systems.

Wind turbines produce electricity that can meet the energy requirements of a small area. For wind energy to be used at a commercial scale, a large amount of wind energy needs to be captured and converted to electricity. This can be done by installing a large number of wind turbines in an open and large area. This is called a wind plant. Wind plants are used by many electricity providers to supply electricity to their customers.

Wind turbines are east to install and use. These are important for capturing wind energy to meet the increasing energy needs.

Thursday, April 16, 2009

Growth of wind energy companies

The use of wind energy has been increasing because it is a renewable source of energy that will provide energy for ever. Wind energy is a pollution free source of energy that does not emit harmful particles into the atmosphere. It does not contribute to global warming and is a clean source of energy. With the increase in use of wind energy, the number of wind energy companies is also increasing.

Over the last few years the wind energy companies have grown at a rapid pace. These companies ensure a cleaner and greener environment. They also make sure that the air and water available for use are not degraded in any way. The wind energy companies all over the world strive to make wind energy a reliable and efficient means of energy.

Companies have invested in wind energy because wind energy is a good alternative to fossil fuels. Most of the energy needs of the present day are being taken care of by oil, coal, natural gas, petroleum etc. These sources of energy are available in abundance and can be used readily. But with the increasing energy demands, the pressure on these sources has also increased. The reserves of oil and petroleum are fast declining. An alternative source is thus required to meet the energy demands so that the dependence on fossil fuels is reduced and the left amounts of oil and petroleum are preserved for future use.

With the rising prices of fuels, wind energy companies are harnessing wind with better technologies so that it can be used in place of the fuels.

Saturday, April 11, 2009

Wind Energy

Wind turbines are utilized in wind energy, these turbines generates electricity with the help of moving air. The resources of wind energy can be found in abundance and this energy is highly renewable. Emergence of technology in the field of wind energy has opened new avenues for Wind Energy Companies. Structural Dynamics and aerodynamics have been introduced for accentuating the effectiveness of wind turbines. As far as safety of environment is concerned, wind energy is eco friendly. It does not emit any kind of poisonous gases and harmful toxins in the environment. Nor does wind energy makes any contribution to global warming in the environment.

The procedure of production of electricity using wind energy is completely safe. Cost effectiveness of wind energy has been known to all. One has to incur very less cost in the production of wind turbines but later on this cost can be turned into profit. Wind Energy Companies know the hidden potential of wind energy and this is the main reason that these companies are ready to make initial investment. Wind Energy has been gaining the attention of scientists and they are developing new ideas to harness wind energy. Vibration sensors are normally equipped in wind turbines in order to increase the factor of safety. Wind turbines take a very little space for installation and rest of the place can be used for other purposes. So, Wind Energy has bright future ahead as this energy is very useful for various reasons.

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Wind energy basics

Wind energy is a form of natural and solar energy that can be used economically to generate electricity. Wind is created because of uneven heating and rotation of the earth. This wind has kinetic energy which can be harnessed in many ways and used to produce electricity that can fulfill the demands of the entire world.

The use of alternative sources of energy is the need of the hour for the generation of electricity because the oil prices are soaring and oil reserves are depleting. Wind energy is the most profitable option to generate electricity in such a situation because it is obtained freely from a renewable source that will continue providing energy for as long as the earth exists. Wind energy is also non- polluting and clean. The use of wind energy will create a greener world. As a readily available source of energy, wind energy can be efficiently used.

Wind turbines are used to generate wind power from wind energy. The wind turbines have blades that trap the wind energy. This causes the blades to rotate and convert the wind energy to mechanical energy. The mechanical energy is supplied to the generators which convert this energy into the useful electrical energy. Wind turbines require proper maintenance for generating electricity in a cost effective manner. Although, the initial costs of using wind energy to generate electricity are enormous, the benefits at a later stage by far outdo the costs.

One problem with using wind energy is that it is not reliable. Electricity can be generated only when wind is blowing. Therefore, wind energy needs to be stored for future use which can be expensive.