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Windmill Energy is not an Acceptable Energy Source Replacement for California
Abstract
Windmill energy is an old form of energy that is now being modernized to generate electricity in our society today. The big question is whether or not it is a feasible replacement of energy for California. Through research it has been concluded that energy for California cannot be produced only by windmill energy. It can produce about 50% of California’s energy. All aspects including, location, cost, and environment are important to how much energy is produced.
Introduction
From past to current situations, the United States has had to rely more and more on foreign countries to retrieve an efficient amount of fossil fuel. During these times, the production of nuclear energy had come to a halt and foreign energy was used. In 2000- 2001, California went into an energy crisis where there was an increase in the cost of gas and numerous blackouts. There were no longer any low-priced energy sources. Currently, gas prices have been soaring and it is not expected that they will reduce. Due to these circumstances, California has been in need of a more efficient energy source, outside of oil. For current times, an efficient energy source for California can be windmill energy because of its low-cost, California’s enormous coastal areas and locations, and environmental issues.
Wind power has been a part of our lives longer than we have thought. “The Egyptians are believed to be the first to make practical use of wind power. Around 2800
Wind Energy 3
BC…” (Park, 1981, p.13). Today, wind power can be used to heat up homes, produce electricity, and pump water. Windmills can be made by putting together old car generators. In the past, farmers would use ...
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Wind Energy 8
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(1996-2005) Part 5- The Future of Wind Power. Illustrated History of Wind Power Development. Retrieved August 3, 2006 from http://www.telosnet.com/wind/future.html
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http://www.alumni.berkeley.edu/Alumni/Cal_Monthly/November_2005/Power_hunting.asp
(2006, July). Watts Up? Schwarzenegger Weathers Perfect Energy Storm, Barely. Politics Central http://politicscentral.com/2006/07/29/watts_up_schwarzenegger_weathe.php
These include the history of windmills and their role concerning the survival in the immense plains that range from east of the Rocky Mountains to the Mississippi River. The rise of the economic condition of those living around the wind farms along with the surge of investments from energy companies. Finally, the promising data relating to the amount of energy produced, and the consequences they will have on the environment. In the later and longer part of the article, the possible negative results or wind farms are brought up. Primarily, the points against wind farms have to do with the conservation of wildlife. This is separated into two sections, the first addresses the dangers wind turbines present to birds, the other on the dangers presented to bats.
Reading up information and searching for clues (which were not extremely easy), turns out to have broadened my knowledge on Nature and Biomimicry itself and that there are so many people already using wind turbines to harvest the winds energy and know how the world can be saved. Therefore I have come to the conclusion and have seen that my hypothesis has been proven right.
The year is 2200. The world is going through a fossil fuel shortage. Oil reserves are almost completely consumed and it is becoming impossible to find new fossil fuel sources. Not prepared for this event to occur, The United States, has no alternative options. As a result of the oil shortage, the standard of living deteriorates. Heat in homes, supermarkets full of food, and transportation, all basic necessities taken for granted, will be depleted because fossil fuels are used to power almost everything. The key to the prevention of this future is renewable energy. Unfortunately the support for the use of renewable energy is weak and ineffective. Unless the US puts forth effort to research and promote the use of renewable energy to consumers, conversion from fossil fuels to renewable energy will no longer be an option.
Just as long as wind continues to blow and the sun shines, then wind power can produce energy to send to many different areas. There aren’t many locations that have continuous wind. And because of that, the widespread development of wind power isn’t as great as it could be. Although there are more advantages than disadvantages when it comes to this energy source, the disadvantages should be taken just as seriously. Wind power can harm animals, there was a study that stated birds were coming in contact with turbines and dying.
Have you ever met anyone who can build a functioning windmill from scratch with little education? William Kamkwamba, the author and autobiographer of The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, tells us his incredible life story, complete with famine, hardships, and triumph in the city of Malawi, Africa. Throughout the book, we see William grow and change as he and his family battle poverty and other losses. With William’s help, we begin to notice elements of his culture contrasted to our own, and cultural diffusion between Malawi and the USA.
Winds are caused by the irregular heating of the atmosphere by the sun, the variations of the earth's surface, and rotation of the earth. This wind flow, or kinetic energy, when "harvested" by modern wind turbines, can be used to generate electricity. There is an abundance of wind to meet our needs, “the potential of [the total] wind power [in the world] is. 20 times more than what the entire human population needs” (Maehlum). Currently, wind power is one of the lowest-priced renewable energy technologies available, costing between four and six cents per kilowatt-hour, depending upon the wind resource.
The United States currently relies heavily on coal, oil, and natural gas for its energy. While the price of natural gas per barrel continues to plummet, the United States is constantly seeking new sources of renewable energy. Renewable energy consists of any type of natural resource (solar power, ocean power, wind power, rain, snow, etc.). that naturally and automatically replenishes itself. Renewable energy is important because it is infinite and everlasting, meaning our children and our children’s children will be able to utilize these resources long after we are gone.
"Wind and Water Power Program: Hydropower Resource Potential." EERE: EERE Server Maintenance. U.S. Department of Energy, 13 Dec. 2010. Web. 04 Oct. 2011. .
Diandong, R. (2010). Effects of Global Warming on Wind Energy Availability. Journal of Renewable & Sustainable Energy, 2(5), 052301.
The wind is an incredibly valuable renewable energy source and is in the forefront of renewable energy developments. It is used to convert wind energy into energy that can be harnessed and used via a variety of methods, including; wind turbines, windmills, sails and windpumps. For a renewable energy source, however, it is wind turbines that are used to generate electricity (see figure 1). Wind power has been used for this since the end of the nineteenth century, after Professor James Blyth of the Royal College of Science and Technology first attempted it (Boyle, 2012). However, It wasn’t until the 1980s that using wind power technology was sufficient enough to experience a rapid growth of the technology.
In the search for alternatives to fossil fuels, scientists and policy makers have focused on three options: nuclear power, energy from biomass; and a combination of wind, water, and solar power. Nuclear power, however, is much more costly and runs the risk of having it fall into the wrong hands where it could be turned into a weapon of mass destruction. The third option entails wind turbines, photovoltaic power plants and rooftop systems, concentrated solar thermal power plants,...
In chapter thirteen of our book, Environment by Raven and Berg, it shows us just how important renewable energy sources are. Currently the United States of America thrives on the use of fossil fuels and nuclear power. The main problems with these types of fuel are that they are both limited and can be extremely harmful to our environment. They cause global warming, air pollution, acid rain, and oil spills (Environment), and not only that, but in the grand scheme of things, these sources really aren’t even that cheap of a fuel source. There are many alternatives to these all but outdated fuel sources.
Wind is a form of solar energy. The term wind energy describes the process by which the wind is used to generate electricity or mechanical power. Wind turbines convert mechanical energy from the wind into electrical power. Wind turbines usually have three main parts. There are blades that connect to a central hub, a box behind the blades that contains the generator, and a long stem that connects to the ground. The way how it works is that the wind turns the blades, which spins a shaft that connects to a generator making electricity. After the electricity is produced it is sent through transmission lines to a substation that is sent to business and homes. For the sake of our planet, we must promote a renewable energy economy. Wind power can be a foundation of that sustainable energy future because it provides jobs in states that are building wind turbines, is a renewable energy source, and does not damage our environment. The environment will not be damaged by the pollution, the natural resources will not be used up, and there won’t be generating of hazardous wastes. Welcoming wind energy today will lay the foundation for a healthy tomorrow that will affect everyone in the United States. There are obstacles and challenges that will make it more difficult, but the environmental impact is well worth it to invest more money into wind energy.
Wind and Solar Power Statistics, Facts and Trivia. Wind and Solar Power Statistics, Facts and
Deal, W. (n.d.). Wind power: An emerging energy resource.Technology & Engineering Teacher, 70(1), 9-15. Retrieved from http://web.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?sid=a747d6c4-9f9f-4066-be3e-d7d26a427ef2@sessionmgr115&vid=1&hid=114&bdata=JkF1dGhUeXBlPWNvb2tpZSxpcCxjcGlkJmN1c3RpZD1zc2Mmc2l0ZT1laG9zdC1saXZlJnNjb3BlPXNpdGU=