Although
none but Don Quixote (the satirical hero of Cervantes’
novel having the same title) could ever pick up a fight
with a windmill,
people
nevertheless are now finding fault with wind power or
wind power generated electricity. In fact, the
disadvantages of wind power are now
coming into the surface like never before. Why is this
the case? Let us find out.
Originally
considered to be the ideal source of non-polluting
power, the disadvantages of wind power are currently
coming into view one by one. Ranked along with solar
power as a clean, renewable power source, wind initially
had marched several steps ahead of the solar power since
it never stopped power generation even after sunset. It
seemed that there were many advantages. But some of the
significant disadvantages have currently created grave
hazards for wind power that include the high cost of
wind turbines and selection of optimum location for its
installation. The turbines no doubt are complex
equipment that requires maintenance at regular intervals
while selection of appropriate location involves a large
amount of money. Then there are the additional cost of
battery banks and electronic controllers that check the
charging of the batteries. The batteries themselves pose
economic crisis as they need replacement after certain
periods of time. The overall installation cost, as
computed against their productivity in terms of money
makes the picture rather dismal to proceed
further.
Nevertheless,
one of the primary disadvantages of wind power
consists of its unpredictability. An abrupt turbulence
resulting in a sudden hike in power generation through
the large turbines installed in a wind farm may also
come to a dead stop as the wind dies on the next
instant. Besides, wind power varies from season to
season on which none can have any control whatsoever,
and this is yet another reason why the exact quantity of
the power generated cannot be accurately
predicted.
Yet
another factor involves the high cost of turbines that
cannot pay back the initial investment made on them in
many cases. In urban areas the problem is more acute
since most of the wind is blocked by skyscrapers and
high rises that cuts into the inherent speed of the
wind. As far as ideal remote locations are concerned,
the land price there poses a threat to the project cost
on the one hand, while transporting that current to the
city area through high tension lines prove wasteful in
most cases. Also, wind farms, despite their large scale
productive arena usually have relatively low energy
output. Running at optimum speed, the largest turbine
can generate electricity to power around 400 homes only.
For larger metropolitan areas having adequate
population, mammoth wind farms are needed that may not
be economically viable.
Compared
to solar power generated electricity where noiseless
solar panels silently generate current, wind power
turbines create noise pollution with their high speed
turbines whirring all the while. And in a big wind farm
it could be deafening. Even small home turbines are now
disbanded from most city areas for the same
reason.
Besides,
environmentalists strongly object towards setting up of
large wind farms in remote areas where gales are usually
active on the plea that migratory birds that depend on
strong wind for their transatlantic journey at the
beginning of the winter are likely to fly into the wind
turbines and get killed. Wind farms also interfere with
television reception if they fall in line with the
transmission point. Thus it seems that wind farms are
being objected to by many interest
groups.
However,
researchers have indicated that most of the
disadvantages of wind power can be
rectified in the near future and, working in combination
with solar power, wind power will replace fossil fuel
operated power houses, thereby halting global warming
once for all. With emissions gone with wind and the
greenhouse effect reduced to a bare minimum, a newer
world free of all toxic matters will soon emerge where
humanity can live in peace and full of health. Let us
hope that we se that day quickly when the disadvantages
of wind power are overcome.
