Wind Energy Pros And Cons

by Darren

It’s time to take a look at wind energy pros and cons. This renewable energy supply seems to be very popular with President Obama, and figures into his new Energy Policy in a big way. Enthusiasts about wind energy abound. Western states, in particular, are happy to consider the future of wind energy due to their large abundant supplies of wind.

Pros of Wind Energy

1. Wind energy is cheap to produce. Once the initial cost of a wind turbine is paid for, future energy is free. Of course maintenance will be necessary, but it won’t cost much compared to the energy produced.
2. Wind energy is sustainable and renewable. Wind energy production will not contribute to climate change through greenhouse gas emissions. Wind is sustainable because there’s a virtually limitless supply of the stuff.
3. Wind energy has been in use by man for 5,000 years and has proven reliable in many installations.
4. Wind turbines and wind turbine farms offer economic development opportunities. Wind turbine farms will create jobs. People who install wind turbines in their yards may be able to get their own electrical energy free as well as getting payments from aggregators. Plus the wind energy industry will create jobs for Americans.

Cons of wind energy

1. Wind is not always reliable. On certain days, you may not be able to produce reliable wind energy. Most people have very specific electric needs that must depend on a reliable supply.
2. Wind turbines are damaging or disruptive to animals. Wind turbines tend to be large and ugly structures which aren’t pleasant to look at and may be dangerous to birds or other animals.
3. Wind energy production tends to cost more than producing electrical energy the traditional coal-based way. Costs should tend to go down as more people adapt to wind power.
4. Wind energy is unlikely to replace any but a small amount of our national energy needs. If we’re looking for a way to replace coal-based energy production and we want to do it a relatively short timeframe, then wind energy is probably not the best solution. Wind energy appears to be a part of the solution in specific geographic areas, and that should be good enough to get an active industry moving in the United States.

Wind energy production is being called on to provide more of America’s electrical production in the coming years and that’s a definite step in the right direction. But even proponents have to be realistic about the long term potential for wind energy to completely replace traditional electric production. Wind energy has been around for 5 Millennium, yet only accounts for about 1% of the nation’s energy needs.

Surely that number will grow immensely now that the Obama Energy Policy will soon spring into action.