Activity 3.2.3 – Alternative Energy – Wind Energy

Alternative energy definition:

Alternative energy is also called renewable energy. They are called alternative because “most industrialized countries do not rely on them as their main energy source” (Mutiti 2).

Arguments for alternative energy in general:

Switching to alternative energy is going to be mandatory because “current levels of energy consumption and production are not sustainable because of the heavy reliance on non-renewable energy sources, which will eventually become depleted” (Mutiti 3). Alternative energy also creates less pollution than non-renewable energy.

Wind energy’s and advantages, disadvantages, and limitations:

According to the U.S. Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, “Wind power or wind energy describes the process by which the wind is used to generate mechanical power or electricity. Wind turbines convert the kinetic energy in the wind into mechanical power” (“What Is Wind Power,” par. 1). In other words, wind pushes a giant fan blade which turns a generator, and that creates electricity. People have been using wind energy for thousands of years because it’s simple and available. An example of a primitive use of wind power might be a sailboat or a windmill on a farm. Windmills were the earliest forms of the wind turbines we have today. Some advantages of wind turbines are that they do not pollute the air or water, so more people are using it around the United States. The book Introduction to Environmental Science says, “As of early 2017, the total US wind power installed capacity was 82,183 megawatts (MW). This is up from the 40,181 MW of wind power capacity installed at the end of 2010” (Mutiti 12). Wind turbines take up a small amount of space for how much electricity they produce, and they also provide “economic sustainability by providing extra income to farmers and ranchers, allowing them to stay in business and keep their property from being developed for other uses” (Multiti 13). Although wind energy is a great resource for the people that can access it, an obvious disadvantage of wind turbines is that they only produce electricity when the wind is blowing. Another disadvantage explained in Introduction to Environmental Science is that “it is impossible to store wind and use it on demand” (Multiti 13). Wind turbines also produce noise pollution and “have been found to cause bird and bat deaths” (Multiti 13). However, researches are trying to find ways to alleviate the animal losses.

Mutiti, S., Mutiti, C., Manoylov, K., VandeVoort, A., & Bennett, D. (2018). Introduction to environmental science (3rd ed.). Biological Science Open Textbooks. University System of Georgia.

“What Is Wind Power?” WINDExchange, U.S. Department of Energy's Wind Energy Technologies Office, https://windexchange.energy.gov/what-is-wind. Accessed 24 November 2019.