The efficiency of Wind Turbines - Essay Example

It turned into an obstacle on the way to prosperity for many states. Moreover, our environment is changed because of air pollution that leads to global warming. Thus, the problem needs an urgent solution. The solution should respond to all the needs connected with energy supply and environmental protection. Thus, it is essential to consider the types of energy, which are not harmful for our environment and renewable at the same time. This paper will discuss the wind power as a type of renewable and ecologically good energy.

The main goal is to prove that wind power should be considered by the countries of the world as an alternative. The advantages of wind turbines Speaking about wind power, it is essential to mention that it is considered to be the one of the most perspective type of energy. The power is generated by means of wind going though the turbine motor. Wind turbines do not need any fuel to produce energy, thus there are no emissions. Actually, it is currently used in many fields as it is ecologically good and inexhaustible.

There are many reasons why it attracts so much attention. Before, people used windmills to work with water, but now people already consider wind to get energy. A great number of states plan to use wind turbines as they start to trust wind energy. Wind power helps decrease the use of exhaustible resources such as oil and coal. The kinds of wind turbines There are two kinds of modern turbines that produce wind energy. They have different design: horizontal axis and vertical axis, while horizontal axis design is more widespread as it is considered to be more suitable.

Horizontal axis wind turbines are highly developed and financially feasible. Their sizes and shapes may vary, but they have one common feature: they look like their ancestors – windmills. Now horizontal axis wind turbines are widely applied in the world to produce clean electricity that does not pollute the air we breath. Horizontal axis wind turbines are very effective “today these machines are proven: they are used throughout the world producing clean, affordable, and sustainable electricity.

Modern horizontal axis wind turbines produce electricity 70-85% of the time (whenever the wind is over 7-8 mph)” (Types of electricity generating wind turbines). In contrast to horizontal axis wind turbines, vertical axis wind turbines are not widely used, notwithstanding that they have some advantages. They are not so reliable and very often work poorly, thus they are not so successful at the market as horizontal turbines. Many experts state that they are simply not ready for exploitation.

However, scientists do their best to improve the characteristics of vertical axis wind turbines. Moreover, new technology is being currently invented: “To ensure wind turbines that are big in size work in a better manner, a new kind of air-flow technology may soon be introduced. Apart from other aspects, it will focus on efficiency of blades used in the wind turbines. The technology will help in increasing the efficiency of these turbines under various wind conditions” (Increasing the Efficiency of Wind Turbine Blades).

Wind turbines are also different by their capacity, they can be smaller and bigger. Big ones can produce energy for the whole cities, while small are mostly used for households, where there are problems with the access to electricity. Contra argument Despite all the advantages, wind power appears to be very expensive, thus many countries do not consider such opportunity. However, the technology is being improved and the opportunities to reduce the expenses grow. Now many countries consider the possibility to replace the exhaustible energy that is harmful for our environment with wind energy.

The expenses on this kind of power are high,