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People are concerned about the security of
energy, global warming and the possible depletion of fossil fuel
eventually. Interest has been renewed for environmentally
friendly renewable energy sources. Wind powered energy has been
used for five thousand years and is experiencing a comeback.
Large wind sources for energy are readily available and will
never run out. As long as the sun shines, the wind will blow.
There is an urgency to utilize wind power because the fear of
petroleum shortages could become a reality. Wind also shows
potential for replacing natural gas. Wind power is an exciting
alternative that we will all benefit from.
The History of Electric Wind Power Wind is simple air in motion.
Wind is created by the uneven heating from the sun of the
earth’s surface. The earth absorbs the sun’s heat at different
rates since the earth has so many different types of surfaces.
There are many uses for the wind. One of which is energy. Wind
power can be used as energy to generate electricity. Wind is a
renewable energy source because as long as the sun shines, the
wind will blow. |
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Even in ancient times, people knew the power of wind and its
ability to be used for energy. Over 5,000 years ago, Egyptians
sailed their ships on the river Nile using wind as the sole
source. Later, windmills, which in ancient times looked like
large paddles wheels, were built in Persia to grind wheat and
grains. Centuries later in Holland, the people improved this
basic windmill by giving it blades that worked like propellers.
Holland is now famous for their ingenious windmills.
Early settlers in American colonies used windmills to not only
aid in the grinding of corn, but to pump their water and cut
their wood at sawmills. But in the late 1920s Americans
revolutionized these windmills when they began to generate
electricity. Electric power was utilized in small, undeveloped
and rural areas that did not otherwise have electric service.
In the 1980’s, interest in electric wind power again became a
topic of interest. We saw an oil shortage in the 1970s. An
alternative energy source was needed. The windmill became
interesting again as a way to generate electricity. California
state policies were rewritten and encouraged the country to look
towards an energy source that was renewable. Electric wind power
was just the thing.
Support for power by wind spread quick to other states, although
California is still the leader in wind energy, producing twice
as much as every other state. A staggering 26.6 billion kWh per
year of electricity was generated in the United States alone in
2006 by wind machines. 2.4 million households benefited from
these wind machines. Although this is only a small fraction of
the population, it is still the equivalent of enough wind
powered energy to accommodate a large city.
The cost of producing electricity from wind is decreasing
everyday because of new, modern technology. Congress is offering
tax breaks for those using wind power and renewable energy,
which is a great incentive for everyone. Large utility companies
are also becoming more environmentally friendly by giving
customers the option of paying for energy from renewable
sources, although it is often times a little more costly.
The economy is in a rut and the cost of food, gas and
electricity is on the rise. People are concerned about the
security of energy, global warming and the possible depletion of
fossil fuel eventually. Interest has been renewed for
environmentally friendly renewable energy sources. Wind powered
energy has been used for five thousand years and is experiencing
a comeback. Large wind sources for energy are readily available
and will never run out. As long as the sun shines, the wind will
blow. There is an urgency to utilize wind power because the fear
of petroleum shortages could become a reality. Wind also shows
potential for replacing natural gas. Wind power is an exciting
alternative that we will all benefit from.
For more information about Electric Wind Power:
Renewable Energy Solutions
Wind Electricity Basics
Wind Generated Electricity
State-of-the-art wind power plants
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