The Benefits of Wind Energy: Cleanliness, Reliability, Efficiency, Cost, Growth and Local Benefits
The Benefits of Wind Energy: Displacing Pollutants
The wind is an essential element of human life. It is a sustainable energy source and it is the most inexpensive source of energy. It is also clean and safe unlike other forms of energy such as coal and nuclear power. Wind energy, used to create electricity, will not add pollutants into the air we breath. Millions of tons of carbon dioxide, nitrous oxides, and sulfur dioxide are released into the air every year by traditional power plants. Just one single 1-MW wind turbine will eliminate approximately 2,000 tons of carbon dioxide each year.
The Benefits of Wind Energy: Cost Efficiency
Wind energy is the most inexpensive source of energy because it is a completely sustainable and self renewing resource. Given that wind is free so the only cost incurred will be the building, placement and maintenance of the wind turbines. Building, placing and maintaining wind turbines is also far less expensive than building and maintaining traditional power plants. Wind farms can produce electricity for less than five cents per kilowatt hour in most areas of America. As the wind energy technology improves the cost will decrease even more. Wind energy also helps to lower environmental and healthcare costs because it is a clean source of energy.
The Benefits of Wind Energy: Growth of Wind Energy
As of 2008 there hare more than 25,170 MW wind energy turbines placed throughout the United States. Wind energy has the ability to provide as much as 10,777 billion killowatt hours every year in the United States. This is more than twice the electricity that is currently being generated in the United States.
The Benefits of Wind Energy: It is Local
Wind is found absolutely everywhere therefore using wind energy will keep more money within the local community. Wind energy also creates more local jobs and helps to pay a significant portion of state and local taxes. Wind energy is not affected by international conflicts, so we will always have a constant supply.
The Benefits of Wind Energy: Reliability and Efficiency
Wind energy is the most reliable resource that we have. We will always have wind and nothing will affect that. Not only is it reliable, but it is also efficient. The costs to maintain wind energy systems is very little and they also require very little maintenance. Since it takes such little time to construct a wind turbine, American’s can experience clean energy much quicker when compared to traditional power plants.
