1. What is wind?2.What makes the wind blow?

1920’s

1940’s

The Future?

Wind Energy is the Fastest Growing Energy Source in the World!!

Top 10 Countries - Installed Wind Capcity (2005)

0

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

10,000

12,000

14,000

16,000

18,000

20,000M

W

Source: U.S. DOE

Wind Potential

Small (10 kW)•Homes•Farms•Remote Applications (e.g. water

pumping, telecom sites, icemaking)

Large (250 kW - 2+MW)

•Central Station Wind Farms

•Distributed Power

Intermediate (10-250 kW)•Village Power•Hybrid Systems•Distributed

Power

Different sizes for different amounts of energy.

Large Wind Turbines

• 328’ base to blade• Each blade 112’• Span greater than 747• 163.3 tons total• Foundation 20’ deep• Rated at 1.5 megawatt• Supply at least 350 homes

Why do wind turbines need to be high in the sky??

Wind Turbine Perspective

Nacelle56 tons

Tower3 sections

Workers Blade112’ long

foundation

Impacts of Wind Power: Noise

• Modern turbines are relatively quiet

• Rule of thumb – stay about 3x hub-height away from houses

US national average for modern turbines:

One-two birds

per turbine, per year

US national average for modern turbines:

One-two birds

per turbine, per year

Small relative to accepted human activitiesE.g. If all our power was from wind bird deaths would be only 10% of number of deaths caused by cats.

www.windpower.org/en/kids/intro/how.htm

A good site for starters… on your crossword.