As you can see in our post about renewable energy, wind energy is one of the cleanest that exists today. So that everyone knows what exactly it is and what benefits it brings, we have prepared this guide, where we are going to explain all the details about this type of energy.
What exactly is Wind Energy?
It is one that is obtained from the force of the wind. It is kinetic because it takes advantage of air currents. It is converted to electricity when it passes through an electrical generator. Like the rest of renewable energies, it is clean, does not pollute and can replace fossil fuels.
You can get electricity through this method all over the world, but where wind energy is produced most is in the United States. Below them, Germany, China, India and Spain. It is in the latter country where enough energy is produced to supply 12 million houses, 18% of the total needs.
What is the process to obtain energy from the wind?
Wind energy is obtained by placing wind turbines, a tower with giant blades, which look like big fans. They are put in strategic places where there are a lot of air flows. When the wind blows, the blades move. These blades turn on a turbine that drives the electric generator. It works just like a windmill.
Inside the tower, at the upper end, there is a cabinet that connects to the base’s electrical network. There is also a gondola, which is the entire structure that contains the mechanical elements and also as the base of the blades. There is a shaft and a rotor control, as well as a brake and a multiplier, the generator that creates the energy and the system that regulates the energy produced.
The operation of all these parts is very simple: the blades are connected to the rotor, this to the shaft. The rotor is in charge of sending the energy produced to the generator. Inside the generator there are a series of magnets that produce an electrical voltage, that’s electrical energy.
In each wind farm there is a transformation center, through which the electricity produced by all the generators is evacuated. This energy reaches a substation where it is distributed until it reaches the consumer.
Benefits of using wind energy:
- It is inexhaustible: Being a renewable source, it will never end. There is always wind so energy can always be generated through it. Practically everywhere in the world you can put a wind farm.
- Little space is needed: To produce and store it, little space is needed, much less than in a photovoltaic park, for example. Another advantage to keep in mind is that it is reversible, that’s if you ever want to remove the park, you can recover the land that was previously.
- It does not pollute: After solar power, it’s the cleanest energy there is. This is so because no combustion happens during the process. This avoids the generation of toxic or solid waste. Turbines can be used for many years so they do not have to be changed often.
- It is economical: The expense in turbines and maintenance is not very high. If they are located in an area with a lot of wind, what it costs to produce 1 kW is very little, almost the same as the price of coal or the cost of nuclear energy.
- We can combine it with other things: For example, with agricultural and livestock activities. In addition, the local economy does not suffer.
These are the main benefits of wind energy, although it may not seem like it, it also has some drawbacks. For example, the landscape of the area where the wind farms are installed is changed. It is dangerous for birds, which can collide with the blades, therefore more bird deaths occur due to this type of facility.
Unfortunately, wind energy cannot be stored, so it must be consumed immediately so as not to lose it. And also, although it sounds very logical, it is not guaranteed that it will always be windy. So you have to study the area. It may be that at some times of the year it is less windy and that we cannot take advantage of this resource.
In addition, the wind speed should be between 10 and 40 km / h. Below this interval the blades will not move and above it is too dangerous for the structure. It could break, fall and cause property damage, and even injure people if they are nearby.
Despite these drawbacks, which are not so many, it is an energy that is worth using for all the benefits that we have mentioned.