Along with solar energy, wind energy is the most widely used renewable source in the world. It is a type of energy that takes advantage of the wind to generate electricity in a renewable and non-polluting way. However, many people do not know how wind power works and what are its advantages.
For this reason, in this article we are going to tell you how wind energy works and what its advantages and disadvantages are.
What is eolic energy?
Wind energy has become an important source of electricity generation to change energy patterns, making it cleaner and more sustainable. Improved technology has enabled some wind farms to produce electricity as cheaply as coal or atomic power plants. There is no doubt that this is a power source with pros and cons, but the former wins hands down.
Wind energy is the energy obtained from the wind.. It is a kinetic energy produced by the action of the air flow. We can convert this energy into electricity through a generator. It is a non-polluting, renewable and clean energy source that helps replace energy produced by fossil fuels.
The world's largest producer of wind energy is the United States, followed by Germany, China, India and Spain. In Latin America, the largest producer is Brazil. In Spain, wind energy supplies the equivalent of 12 million homes and accounts for 18% of the country's demand. This means that most of the green energy provided by the country's power companies comes from wind farms and is renewable.
How wind power works
The eolic energy It is obtained by converting the movement of the blades of a wind turbine into electrical energy. A wind turbine is a generator powered by a turbine powered by the wind, its predecessor was a windmill.
A wind turbine is made up of a tower; at the end of the tower, a guidance system at its upper end; a cabinet for connection to an electrical network connected to the lower part of the tower; a gondola, which is the frame that covers the mechanical parts of the mill and serves as a guide for the blades The base; the rotor shaft and drive before the blades; Inside the cable car there are brakes, multipliers, generators and electrical regulation systems.
The blades are connected to the rotor, which in turn is connected to the shaft (placed on the rod), sending the rotational energy to the generator. This generator uses magnets to generate voltage, which in turn produces electricity.
Wind farms evacuate the electricity generated by their substations through transmission lines to distribution substations, which capture the energy produced and send it to end users.
What are the advantages of wind energy?
It is an inexhaustible source of energy
It is a renewable energy source. Wind is an inexhaustible and inexhaustible source, which means that you can always rely on the original source to generate power, which means that there is no expiration date. Also, it can be used in many places around the world.
Small footprint
To produce and store the same amount of electricity, wind farms require less land than photovoltaic power parks.
It is also reversible, which means that the area occupied by the park can be easily restored to update the pre-existing territory.
It does not pollute
Wind power is one of the cleanest energy sources after solar power. This is so because its creation does not involve a combustion process. Therefore, it does not produce toxic gases or solid waste. Think about it: the energy capacity of a wind turbine is similar to that of 1.000 kilograms of oil.
Furthermore, the turbine itself has a long life cycle before being dismantled for disposal.
Low cost
Electric wind turbines and turbine maintenance are relatively inexpensive. In high wind areas, the cost per kilowatt produced is quite low. In some cases, production costs are the same as coal or even nuclear power.
It is compatible with other activities
Agricultural and livestock activities coexist harmoniously with wind activities. This means that it does not negatively impact the local economy, it allows the facilities to develop without interrupting their traditional activities, while generating new sources of wealth.
What are the disadvantages of wind power?
wind is not guaranteed
Wind is relatively unpredictable, so production forecasts are not always met, especially in small temporary installations. To minimize risk, investments in these types of facilities are always long-term, so it is safer to calculate their profitability. This drawback is best understood by the fact that wind turbines only work properly with gusts of 10 to 40 km/h. At lower speeds, the energy is unprofitable, while at higher speeds it poses a physical risk to the structure.
non-storable energy
It is energy that cannot be stored, but must be consumed as soon as it is produced. This means that it cannot provide a complete alternative to using other types of energy.
Impact on the landscape
Large wind farms have strong landscape impacts and are visible from long distances. The average height of the towers/turbines varies from 50 to 80 meters, and the rotating blades rise another 40 meters. The aesthetic impact on the landscape can sometimes be uncomfortable for local residents.
They affect birds that fly nearby
Wind farms can negatively affect birds, especially nocturnal birds of prey. The effect on birds is due to the rotating blades that can move at speeds of up to 70 km/h. At this speed, birds cannot recognize the blades with the naked eye and fatally collide with them.
I hope that with this information you can learn more about how wind energy works and what its advantages and disadvantages are.