We know wind energy today as a clean and renewable source of energy. As it relies on air currents for generating electricity, it reduces the emission of greenhouse gases. The use of wind power dates back to ancient times when it was used for moving boats. This was done by adjusting the sails according to the direction of the winds.
How is wind energy produced?
The generation of electricity through winds is done with the help of turbines. A propeller is driven by the wind and it rotates the rotor of a generator, which produces electricity. To protect the environment and make better use of energy, the wind turbines are grouped in wind farms. Such machines usually have a twenty-year lifespan.
Wind energy vs nuclear energy
In recent times, nuclear power is considered a clean form of energy as compared to other sources of fuel. There was a time when many countries were beginning to consider using more nuclear energy. However, two incidents changed everything.
One was the Chernobyl nuclear disaster of 1986 and the other was the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster of 2011. Following the Fukushima incident, the German government decided to shut down all nuclear power plants by 2022. Before this decision, the country was a big supplier of nuclear energy.
The world seems to be gradually moving away from using nuclear power. Wind energy is being projected as the form of energy that humans will use in the future. Although the winds cannot be predicted and are inconsistent, they are certainly an affordable source of energy.
A couple of decades ago, generating energy from the wind and the sun was considered too expensive. Today, the costs involved in generating power from these two energy sources have reduced significantly.
A study done by Lazard, an investment banking firm provided a good insight in this regard. More than 6 cents are needed to produce one kilowatt-hour of energy from natural gas and coal. Wind costs only around 1.5 cents to produce the same amount of energy.
Spain as a case study
A considerable amount of electricity in Spain comes through wind energy. This form of energy is also a source of wealth and employment for the nation. The country has avoided the imports of fossil fuels to a great extent.
This sector employs more than 30,000 individuals in the country. Spain holds several patents in wind energy. The country also invests more than 150 million Euros every year in research and development.
Wind energy has lowered the cost of electricity considerably. Spain is one of the world’s first countries to have integrated wind energy into the grid. Today, this European nation has set an example for other countries of the world.
The future of wind energy
It has certainly become a priority for many countries to produce large amounts of risk-free energy. While nuclear energy is clean and efficient, it is quite expensive to generate and carries enormous risks. This is why the French nuclear technology giant, Areva, is considering selling of their company.
Today, investors are more likely to put their money in risk-free renewable energy sources, such as wind. It is expected to become cheaper in the near future. A time may come when it becomes one of the main sources of energy worldwide.
