I was thinking about wind turbines. They are becoming increasingly popular and it made me think about how it may affect the world climate. Large areas that have thousands of wind turbines would almost certainly alter the wind patterns in the immediate area. Could this cause adverse or unwanted affects? Especially if you have many wind farms all over the world. After all, no one thought when they first started firing up coal power plants that they'd be putting the world climate at risk.

honestly....I would laugh for a second...just because the image I would have in my mind: Tree huggers who vehemently condemned Oil Companies for ruining our environment are now crying foul because of the rise of thousands of decapitated birds due to highly fuel efficient wind turbines...

man ....life of tree hugger...is never a happy one...lol

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2005-01-04-windmills-usat_x.htm

Every single wind farm in the UK is backed up 100% with real power producing technology, for example if we build a wind farm to produce power to 5 million homes we also need them 5 million homes to have a backup form of power like nuclear or real power stations.

So in truth wind turbines have not decreased co2 at all. How can we be so foolish. Who is getting rich off these subsidies?

Is there any reason they would turn off wind turbines in a wind field due to efficiency? I know the fans are braked if winds exceed a certain velocity and possibly due to energy needs they may stop some of them. However in a debate with a friend he argued that it would be more efficient and produce more energy to have fewer running versus more. This is counter intuitive can someone shead some light on this topic. I refuse to accept my friend logic.
In response to answer number two...its a wind mill u dont use energy to run it u gain...so y would u ever want them not moving or "shut them down.'' Even if u had 1 rotation per hour u'd be gaining more energy than 0 rotations. Further my friend argued that the first turbine in a row would run slower if the one behind it were running. This I know is false. And my friend has no reliable source or literature to prove his point.

So I have a science fair project to do and I want to know if there are any websites or people out there who know how to make a small model turbine. it doesn't need to produce electricity i just need something that looks like those wind turbines in the pictures, but just a model of it. Any help is greatly appreciated.

Like if we designate 10,000 square miles and pack it with Wind Turbines and/or Solar Panels or even if we place them in pockets all through-out American wouldn't that solve our Energy crisis? We already use the technology so why not just do it on a MASS SCALE. We have the technology, land and man power.

I would love to have a wind turbine in my garden, to generate electricity but I am sure most of you will do to, and the reason you don't have it (and would agree with me) - everything they sell nowadays is big and ugly, especially if your garden is small and you are not allowed to install anything big on your roof.
I wonder why they don't make wind turbines in the shape of anemometer - they would not take too much place, and would look good anywhere.
Or make a sleek wind turbine based on the design of those advertising banners they put outside of the stores- they spin like crazy in the wind.
Do you know any reasons why they don't exist?
Pobept K - I love big industrial ones, they look so beautiful, especially when there are many of them, but if you have a small garden - every small wind turbine is still big for it, and look rediculous there, taking half of it.

I am trying to find solutions on what people can do not use wind turbines because it has so many disadvantage of having it. I need solutions what can people do so we wont use them anymore.

A) wind turbines are non-polluting
B) the price of wind power is competitive
C) wind is constantly blowing
D) wind is sustainable
E) all excluding C

It turns out, Kennedy's antipathy to furtive rules changes and backroom power plays stops at the water's edge -- specifically, the waters of Nantucket Sound, which separates Cape Cod (where the Kennedy family has an oceanfront compound in Hyannis Port) from the islands of Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard. A shoal in the center of Nantucket Sound is where Cape Wind Associates hopes to build the nation's first offshore wind farm -- an array of 130 wind turbines capable of generating enough electricity to meet 75 percent of the Cape and Islands' energy needs, without burning any oil or emitting any pollution. The turbines would be miles from any coastal property, barely visible on the horizon. In fact, Cape Wind says they would be farther away from the nearest home than any other electricity generation project in Massachusetts.

http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2006/05/07/kennedy_doesnt_play_by_the_rules/

Nuclear power's biggest problems are economic: it is simply no longer competitive with other, newer forms of power generation. The final 20 U.S. reactors cost to billion to build, or some ,000 to ,000 per kilowatt of capacity. By contrast, new gas-fired combined cycle plants using the latest jet engine technology cost 0-0 per kilowatt, and wind turbines are being installed at less than ,000 per kilowatt.

Windmill power contracts were signed with power sold at three (3) CENTS per Kw-hr. Less than half the price of the most efficient solar cell panels.

I'm studying an article on wind turbines. The article says that for electricity generation, a wind turbine rotating at high speed providing a low torque is preferable to a turbine rotating at a low speed and producing a high torque. Can anyone explain why this is the case? Surely the speed could be altered easily using a sequence of gears before the generator?

Which of the following power sources are most likely to come from natural monopolies? Which could be st up as either as centralized power sources or as decentralized, soft-path sources? What are the advantages and disadvantages of each typo of setup?

a. wind turbines
b.hydroelectric power generation along a river
c. coal
d. oil
e.solar
f.nuclear

I need to know many wind turbines / farms there are, preferably in the UK but world-wide would be OK too.

Also, does anybody know how many of these are at sea?

Thanks,

I really want to know people's opinion in relationship to the leadership role the US plays with renewable energy, even though in my opinion currently they are not playing a leadership role as the biggest consumer are in Europe and bigger producer of solar panels is China, not too sure about the biggest producer of wind turbines.

I have a debate coming up about the Wolfe Island Wind Turbine Project (The second largest wind farm in Canada). The debate is whether or not the Wolfe Island Wind Project, as well as wind turbines in general, are beneficial to the environment or not.

I know there are the simple answers that wind power is renewable and that it doesn't generate any pollution (except in production it does). What I am looking for (without much success) are the BIG reasons why wind turbines overall benefit the environment (looking at environmental, economical, social reasons, possibly compared to other types of energy). Can anyone help? Links to websites would be awesome as well.

I keep seeing articles saying we have to go to renewable energy sourses and soon. What options do we have. Hydro power is being used and has nearly reachedits limit. Wind power so far has not proven it's worth. It takes a huge number of wind turbines to even begin to make a dent in consumption of fossil fuels. The same with solar power. It would take a vast amount of solar cell panels just to power one factory. Bio fuels such as Bio diesel and alcohal use up a vast amount of crop land that will soon be needed to feed the growing population. Hydrogen has potential but so far it takes more energy to produce it than the energy it provides. Fusion nucular may be the best answer in the long run if it ever becomes possible to build fusion reactors that donot take outside energy to run them. Fision reactors create a vast amount of dangerous wste that will last far too long. Any one know of any alternative that can bee viable?
Thanks to you all for answering so far. There are ideas there that I have not explored very well so I will get at reading and see how they fit in. I know many things have to be done and I do hope it happens soon. Neucular for the time baing seems the only way out until something better comes along later. Thanks

So they want to build six 140meter wind turbines in my village. I know theyre unsightly but I can see past that if wind turbines are actually a good thing. I've read so much contrasting information on this type of energy though, are they worth the eyesore??

hi, I'm writing an essay for school on whether South Australia should be using wind farms to generate electricity, and I wanted to know if the money it takes to put up wind turbines comes out of taxpayers pockets?

Help is greatly appreciated,

Chelsea.

And other alternative renewable energy sources?

I just do not understand. If you do not like it please tell me why, or if you do please give me your opinion why others do not?

Be nice & thanks
I actually like wind turbines, they are beautiful and look like giant pinwheels!
Seriously Andy? There is a thing called batteries..that is like saying 'I am afraid my cell phone won't work if its not plugged into the wall!'

And the environmentalists totally wants alternative energy.

I have a few questions about wind turbines:

1) What are the smallest/largest sizes of residential turbines?
2) Can one residential turbine supply energy to more than one house? If so, does this mean that the turbine has to be larger, or can a small turbine supply a sufficient amount of energy?
3) Does a residential turbine have to be directly behind the house, or can it be across the street or even in a nearby field?

If possible, please include some sources. Thank you!

I am doing a project for my college, Im coming up with a petition to get a big wind turbine to power a 1000 student college. I need big wind turbines, not residential there too small. websites would be great

Me and a good friend were thinking of possibly in a couple of years starting a small energy business, but were not sure if we should use solar thermal collectors, solar photovoltaic panels or wind turbines? im pretty sure wind turbines wont be much use because the size required to produce enough electricity. We live in England so are not sure which would be best. which would have the bigger market and would be most needed? any questions just ask.

Thanks allot Nick

I live in a subdivision and previously thought using wind power to generate electricity was reserved for people with more acreage.

I was watching "Living with Ed" on HGTV and I see where he has installed a small, cylindrical wind turbine on the side of his house and I wonder who makes it and where I can get one.

Does anyone know about "subdivision-safe" wind turbines?