Renewable Energy In Kansas

Why Wind Is An Excellent Source Of Renewable Energy

As fuel costs continue to soar and the people of the world consider the impending threats of global warming, renewable energy sources are being debated. "Going green" has not only become a generational decision, it is becoming a moral decision. Those who fear the near-end of fossil fuels are conscientiously altering their lifestyles to break free of the oil addiction and live a life powered by alternative energy. The popularity of alt-energy is being driven by products that can better change the planet. The move away from fuel-driven cars to hybrid and electric cars is already a start. But now, people are shifting from natural gas heat to geothermal and solar power to heat their homes. Water power, although not easy to come by, still exists and wind power is fast-becoming the next big source of energy. With the ability to improve Earth, cut carbon dioxide emissions, and save energy, people are looking to take part in the alt-energy movement. Although all of the aforementioned energy sources are popular, wind power is climbing to the top of the list because of its uncompetitive benefits. Wind power is the energy of the future because it is clean, economical, and can be harvested for future use.

Wind power is a great source of alternative renewable energy because it is earth-friendly. Many people are now focused on the environmental effects of energy use. But unlike most energy sources now, such as coal, oil, and natural gas, wind does not require any harmful extraction method (Biggs, 25). Wind power also does not produce any pollution and by switching to wind as an energy source, it reduces carbon dioxide emissions and greenhouse gases, making it a very clean source of energy. Both carbon dioxide emissions and greenhouse gases are considered a cause of global warming. Two of the biggest avenues that can help reduce carbon dioxide emissions are to either use energy more efficiently, or substitute better sources of energy that do not produce carbon dioxide (Harper, 109). Energy is being used more efficiently in terms of compact fluorescent light bulbs and energy efficient windows. One of the largest producers of carbon dioxide is automobiles. So far, the Toyota Prius, Honda Civic Hybrid, and Honda Insight are breaking ground as a way to wean the U.S. off of imported oil (Brown, 55). Since hybrid cars are already widely popular, it seems people could be ready for the new way to cut carbon dioxide emissions and reduce oil dependence: by using wind-generated electricity to power automobiles. Wind would make an excellent source of energy since it is inexhaustible. There is no need to fear the end of wind as there is for energy sources such as coal and oil. Also, major world oil and gas reserves are located in politically volatile regions and are subject to price fluctuations (Kettlewell, 79). By shifting away from oil and gas towards wind, the United States could rapidly decrease their dependence on foreign energy sources. Since the United States relies heavily on foreign oil, its energy security is at risk. Wind is a one-of-a-kind energy because it can cut the ties to overseas oil and increase local economic development with jobs, royalties, and tax revenues, since millions of dollars are spent on overseas oil daily (National Economic Council, 164). It is important to be economically and politically free of overseas energy sources because of the possibility of cutoffs. If some sort of political problem were to occur that would threaten the United States' oil supply within one day, many people would be stranded without gas to fuel their cars to go to work, school, or home. These are the thoughts that are driving the development of renewable energy sources. It is critical that energy efficiency be continuously pursued, but also, that alternative energies be technologically enhanced to the point that foreign oil is not depended on for anything. A stronger economy and improved energy security will result.

Aside from decreasing the dependence on overseas oil, the United States could also boost its economy by supporting wind farms. Building wind farms requires workers, creating jobs. Once a wind farm is in operation, the money spent on electricity generated from the wind farm stays in the community (Brown, 55). Furthermore, people who host wind turbines often receive compensation, which can promote rural development (Borst, 10). Both of these attributes create a strong community-based economy which ripples throughout larger economies. A strong economy would be most beneficial in times like these where fears of recession and possible depression are talked about. Money is especially hard to come by when fuel prices are high, which only adds to a weak economy. However, the price of wind energy, roughly 4-6 cents per kilowatt hour, is not affected by fuel, which promotes energy security. Fluctuations in price would be a thing of the past if wind energy were strictly enforced, thus creating economic restoration. Lowering the cost of energy would allow people to freely spend money on economically-benefitting products, instead of devoting the majority of their paychecks to unreliable energy source-related bills. The price of wind energy is fairly constant and has dropped considerably over the past decade. In some markets, wind-generated electricity is cheaper than electricity from conventional energy sources (Florence, 140). It is time for the United States to get onboard with wind energy to drive down energy costs and promote a cleaner, greener Earth.

Although wind is cheap in the sense that it costs less, it is also inexpensive in the sense that the wind towers pay for themselves over time. The initial production costs will turn to profit over time as there is no cost to operate them. Also, over the past couple of decades, technological advancements have allowed wind turbines to be built taller with longer blades, which have enabled them to produce more than 200 times the power than older model turbines (Florence, 140). Continuing technology can only enhance the power of wind. Since there is no need to find wind, the only improvement that must be made is to the apparatus used to "catch" it. This makes wind better than oil, which needs to be sought after and collected.

In order to completely reduce the United States' oil addiction, they must join the advancing nations, such as Denmark, and take advantage of the amazing power of wind. Although wind has started to make an impact in the U.S., with 2 percent of the nation's electricity coming from renewable resources, Denmark gets 20 percent of its power from wind (Kettlewell, 79). Europe in general leads the world in wind-generated power and continues to set goals for satisfying its countries electrical needs with renewable energy sources. Although Denmark, Germany, and France lead the world with wind, the U.S. ranks far behind. Believe it or not, one of the many reasons is due to the government. There is an irregular availability of the federal wind production tax credit which seems to hinder the amount of wind turbines constructed each year and the wind capacity produced. These governmental policies only reduce the amount of alternative energy used. The opposite side to governmental policies that restrict alternative energy are governmental incentives that encourage the use of alternative energies. In countries like China, laws are being enacted, like the Renewable Energy Law, which gives tax incentives and subsidies for wind power and has set goals for increased wind capacity (Florence, 139). These resources do not need to be sought after, extracted, or have a fluctuating price. It is time for everyone to shift towards renewable energy sources and incentives could be a positive thing if they are used to encourage economically friendly energy sources. Wind is readily available, day and night, and is already a multi-billion dollar industry (Biggs, 25). Every nation in the world must take part in the alt-energy movement to ensure this planet will be a clean and environmentally friendly place for future generations.

In addition to being clean and cheap, wind power can also be harvested for future use. Wind is a blessing that should be taken into consideration when determining which resources are viable to an economy that depends on a vast amount of foreign energy sources. Oil, for example, is harvested everyday and distributed everyday without a lot left over to save. Since many natural resources are going to waste, researchers have grappled with a very difficult challenge: how to store excess energy generated by windmills (Aston, 84). At the Iowa Stored Energy Park, a group of people have been designing a system that will direct electricity from the windmills to a giant compressor that will pump air into layers of sandstone. Since the sandstone is "sealed" by layers of shale, the sandstone acts as a balloon. The compressor that pumps the air into the sandstone can also be reversed to bring the energy up as needed. This is a first in theories, as far as storing renewable energy goes, but it is vital to begin thinking about how energy can be stored. So much energy is wasted and it is critical to consider what can be done to save it. Wind energy is the first renewable energy to be tested in terms of storage (Aston, 84). Other companies are hoping to develop storage systems which involve the pumping of air into underground salt domes. These developments are the cheapest way to store mass amounts of unused energy, and many wind turbines generate energy at times when it is not necessarily needed, like at night. Solar power does not have that potential. Even though wind can be seen as unpredictable, it is widely available and is the fastest-growing form of renewable energy. Although the United States is comparably behind in the race to renewable energy, it has the potential to catch up to the likes of Spain and Denmark, who use wind to supply 10% or more of their nation's electricity. And the United States could easily catch up. In 1991, an inventory was published that stated Kansas, North Dakota, and Texas can provide for a nations' electricity needs just from their potentially harvested wind energy (Brown, 55). Although that inventory is quite dated, the average turbine in 1991 was a mere 120 feet tall and they now can reach over 300 feet, more than doubling their harvestable wind energy (Brown, 55).

Although wind has been discussed widely as the potential to generate electricity for millions of homes, many people are interested in having their own wind turbine on their property. Going green is an environmentally friendly decision that interests many people in this generation of clean energy. People have already started making their homes more energy efficient by updating energy-consuming appliances like washers and dryers, installing energy-efficient windows, and re-insulating. People are now interested in the fact that they can have a "microturbine" on their property that can generate energy simply to power their own home. Although it seems like a very "green" idea, it also costs a lot of green. Set-up expenses can total over $60, 000, but many states, such as California, New Jersey, New York, and Massachusetts offer rebates for switching to renewable energy as a power source (McConnon, 17). These incentives are a great way to get everyone involved in the green revolution. Many people today have no concern over the current fate of the world because they "will not be here to deal with it." These people are being deferred from energy efficiency and incentives can be applied to get everyone involved with going green. Although many people despise of wind turbines and their presence in the countryside, it is important that they look past their visual harm and see the environmental beauty. Wind turbines are not as evil as polluting forms of energy such as coal plants.

There are plenty of renewable energy resources, but none stand out like wind power. Wind power is fast becoming the energy for the future because it is cheap, inexhaustible, economical, and earth-friendly. No longer will people need to rely on foreign oil to even fuel their cars: wind can do it! Wind has the potential to be more than just a breeze; it can power peoples' lives. Wind can impact the way civilization thinks about its energy sources and encourage them to make personal changes about how they use energy. Wind's cleanliness can make the air cleaner, ultimately creating a clean air cycle. Wind turbines produce the clean air that then turns the turbines' blades. Wind promotes an improved economy in the community where a wind turbine is based, but it can also improve larger economies and strengthen the energy security of a nation. Energy security is important in times of political crisis and people must become more aware of the governmental side of energy. Times are rapidly changing when it comes to energy and people of all ages must adapt to the times. It will not be long before extracted resources such as coal and oil run out and it is crucial to prepare for when said circumstances arise. Wind is an effective way to power the future and the future is now.

WORKS CITED

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Biggs, Shannon. "Harnessing the Wind." Earth Island Journal. Autumn 2007: 25-27. Academic Search Elite. EBSCOhost. UW-FdL Library. Fond du Lac, WI. 22 Apr. 2008. .

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Brown, Lester. "A Path to Oil Independence." USA Today Magazine. Jan. 2005: 55. Academic Search Elite. EBSCOhost. UW-FdL Library. Fond du Lac, WI. 22 Apr. 2008. .

Florence, Joseph. "Wind Power Is Affordable and Environmentally Friendly." Opposing Viewpoints: Global Resources. Ed. Clare Hanrahan. San Diego, California: Greenhaven Press, 2008. 136-141.

Harper, Peter. "Why I Hate Wind Farms and Think There Should Be More of Them." Opposing Viewpoints: Energy Alternatives. Ed. Helen Cothran. San Diego, California: Greenhaven Press, 2002. 106-113.

Kettlewell, Caroline. "Forecast: WIND." Vegetarian Times. Oct. 2005: 78-81. Academic Search Elite. EBSCOhost. UW-FdL Library. Fond du Lac, WI. 22 Apr. 2008. http://web.ebscohost.com.

McConnon, Aili. "For Houses, It's Glamorous to be Green." Business Week Online. 13 Dec. 2006: 17. Academic Search Elite. EBSCOhost. UW-FdL Library. Fond du Lac, WI. 22 Apr. 2008. .

National Economic Council. "Developing a Variety of Renewables Can Best Solve the Energy Crisis." Opposing Viewpoints: Energy Alternatives. Ed. Barbara Passero. San Diego, California: Greenhaven Press, 2006.163-173.