.WIND ENERGY

Wind Energy is generated by harnessing the kinetic energy of atmospheric air. Wind Energy has had been in use for centuries for several other purposes such as sailing, irrigation and for grinding grain. Wind power systems transform kinetic energy of the wind into useful sources of power.

During ancient times, wind power systems were used for both milling and irrigation. It was during the early years of the 20th century that wind power was started to be harnessed for generation of electricity. Windmills have also been used in several countries to pump water.

Wind turbines work by transforming the Wind Energy into mechanical power that can be used for conversion to electricity or for other mechanical purposes like grinding. Wind turbines are used either as stand-alone units or in groups known as Wind Farms. Small-sized wind turbines, known as aero generators are used for charging large-sized batteries.

More than 80% of the global Wind Energy capacity is installed in 5 countries with India at the 5th position. Wind power is the fastest growing source of renewable energy globally with an established capacity in excess of 14,000 MW.

Wind Energy Generation

Wind turbines power generators to produce electricity that can be used for powering homes and businesses. The efficiency is calculated from the capability of wind turbine to harness Wind Energy.

Working of Wind Power Turbine

Wind turbines function by transforming Wind Energy into electricity. Basically, the turbine transforms the kinetic energy of wind into mechanical energy that can further be used to generate electricity or perform other usable form of energy.

Wind Turbine Blades

The blades in the wind turbine play a major role in this process of conversion of kinetic energy into mechanical energy. Usually, wind turbines consist of 3 blades and they sit in a vertical position in the air. A composite of plastic and fiberglass is used for making the blades. The composite ensures that while the blades are large in size, the weight is minimal.
The blades in the wind turbine are attached to a double rotor assembly. When the blades catch wind, they turn and spin the rotor. A magnetic rotor is then turned by the rotor. The spinning of the magnetic rotor around the magnetic alternator leads to the generation of electrical charge. A controller transforms this charge into electricity that can be used at homes or industries.

Wind Energy Advantages

Wind Energy is a free source of energy that is available in plenty. However, it has to be harnessed at places that have wind blowing regularly all the time. Wind power is eco-friendly because it doesn’t produce any pollution and there is no release of any toxic gases. In addition, more and more people are increasingly using wind power due to increase in awareness of this never-ending, renewable source of energy. While Wind Energy is cheaper, it doesn’t take millions of years to form, which is the case with fossil fuels.

The following points establish the advantages of using Wind Energy.

A smaller area is required to setup wind turbines for the generation of wind power, compared to the area required for setting up power stations. In addition, the land used for generating wind power can be used for cattle grazing and agricultural purposes. New developments in Wind Energy can offer solution to the issue of increase in the price of fossil fuels like petroleum and gas, and also to the issue of green house effect.

With the increase in population, wind power is turning into an extra source of energy as an increasing number of people turning to this cheaper source of energy. It is also the type of energy that can be accessed by remote areas where it is expensive and difficult to run electrical lines. Wind Energy is also increasingly being considered for large scale production.

As per experts, if maximum wind power is harnessed, it can help generate 10 times the energy that is being used at present. When used optimally in the future, Wind Energy can help all the countries to become independent in their energy requirements.