While we talk about various renewable energy sources for a green future, wind energy comes to my mind at the top list. wind power is one of the most abundant and increasingly cost-competitive energy resources, makes it a viable alternative to the fossil fuels that threaten the environment. Here is some insight on the entire spectrum of wind energy?.may be useful to many of you..

The past:

Wind power is both old and new. From the sailing ships of the ancient Greeks, to the grain mills of pre-industrial Holland, to the latest high-tech wind turbines rising over the Minnesota prairie, humans have used the power of the wind for millennia. So, we as human being are fully aware of the potential of this source from a long time.

The Present:

The modern wind era began in California in the 1980s. Between 1981 and 1986, small companies and entrepreneurs installed 15,000 medium-sized turbines, providing enough power for every resident of San Francisco.

Wind power is also the fastest growing source of energy needs in the world. In 2012, nearly 45,000 megawatts (MW) of new capacity were installed worldwide. This equivalent to 10 % increase in annual additions compared with 2011.

The issue is to capture the same in a cost effective way and use it to it?s true potential.

The Technology:

The wind resource — how fast it blows, how often, and when — plays a significant role in its power generation cost. The power output from a wind turbine rises as a cube of wind speed. In other words, if wind speed doubles, the power output increases eight times. Therefore, higher-speed winds are more easily and inexpensively captured.

Another factor in the cost of wind power is the distance of the turbines from transmission lines. Some large windy areas, particularly in rural parts of the High Plains and Rocky Mountains, have enormous potential for energy production, although they have been out of reach for development because of their distance from load centers. Recognizing this, state governments and the U.S. Department of Energy have begun to collaborate on identifying these ?renewable energy zones? and integrating the development of these resources through transmission planning.

Points from a different angle:

There are many around us who try to pint out at various damages by Wind Turbines on our environment:

-          Destruction of fragile ecosystem and animal habitat

-          De-forestation

-          Excavation

-          Erosion

-          Turbine kill birds & other flying animals  (eagles/Raptors/Hawks, bats)

-          Turbine "blade thump" noise causes a health problem known as Wind Turbine Syndrome

The Economics:

The cost of electricity from the wind has dropped from about 25 cents/kWh in 1981 to averaging near 4 cents/kWh in 2008, with 50 percent of projects in the range of 3.3 to 5.2 cents/kWh. Though wind turbine prices have increased some since 2005.

As per IRENA report, Installed costs in 2010 for onshore wind farms were as low as USD 1 300 to USD 1 400/kW in China and Denmark, but typically ranged between USD 1 800/kW and USD 2 200/kW in most other major

markets. Wind turbines account for 64% to 84% of total installed costs onshore, with grid connection costs, construction costs, and other costs making up the balance. Offshore wind farms are more expensive and cost USD 4 000 to USD 4 500/kW, with the wind turbines accounting for 44% to 50% of the total cost.

The Future:

With increasingly competitive prices, growing environmental concerns, and the call to reduce dependence on foreign energy sources, a strong future for wind power seems certain. The Global Wind Energy Council projects global wind capacity will reach 536,000 MW by 2017, almost double its 2013 size, with growth especially concentrated in the Asia and Europe. Turbines are getting larger and more sophisticated, with land-based turbines now commonly in the 1-2 MW range, and offshore turbines in the 3-5 MW range.

We will look forward towards more cost effective designs of wind turbines so that this type is widely used as a part of green energy.

Ref :

1)      http://www.irena.org/DocumentDownloads/Publications/RE_Technologies_Cost_Analysis-WIND_POWER.pdf

2)      http://www.greenrhinoenergy.com/renewable/wind/wind_environment.php

3)      http://www.ucsusa.org/clean_energy/our-energy-choices/renewable-energy/how-wind-energy-works.html#.VVh9ZtxfqUm