Wind Energy

By: Christian Mandala, Ethan Rundle, and Ryan Smyth

How it works

• Wind turns the blades.• Blades turn the gearbox.• Gearbox turns the generator. • Generator makes electricity

How is Wind Created ?

• The suns heat creates warm regions on earth.

• These warm regions have a higher pressure than colder regions.

• Wind is the movement from high to low pressure.

Advantages• The wind is free• Does not produce Green House Gases• No burning of fossil fuels needed– Environmentally Friendly

• Only takes up a small part of land– Land under the turbine can still be used– Way less than the average power plant

Disadvantages

• Wind currents that are best for wind turbines are also the migratory paths for birds.

• A wind turbine is more expensive than fossil fuel generators.

• Wind does not always blow when electricity is needed.

• Good locations for wind turbines are often far away from where electricity is needed.

U.S. Wind• U.S. wind

potential is the highest in the central States.

• Nebraska, North and South Dakota are the top three states for wind power.

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPBQ3IBtGQ4

Which Countries?

• Top Five:– United States – Germany – India– France– United Kingdom