Problems with Wind Power: EXPOSED

No matter how many pitfalls may surround wind power and associated issues, none would deny that it is the most cost effective, clean and renewable power resource today. Of course, solar is also there to replace greenhouse gases that are ruining the environment, CO² generating fossil fuel based power houses but very unfortunately, it goes to sleep as soon as the sun goes down. Wind turbines, on the other hand, go on generating power like the old faithful.

The fact is, you cannot blame wind power for the few negatives that can be associated with it (however it needs to be mentioned that due to the tremendous amounts of innovations and research that is being carried out, the problems would be soon a thing of the past) – the problems with wind power do not lie with wind power as such, but with something else.

It could be the grid or the transmission lines that carry the current. If you take a look at the wind corridor in the US, you will find that it runs from the Canadian border at the Dakotas, running down into Texas and afar, providing a significant source of renewable energy to the mid portion of the country. But this does not necessarily mean that people living in those areas are benefited most by wind energy for the simple reason that between the cup and the lip stands the power grid. The American power grid infrastructure is almost as old as the country and therefore, is not fit for moving large amounts of energy from far-off power sites. Moreover, it is not nationalized so that each state or state county could regulate the energy release for each specific area. It was initially designed to allow utility companies to share power to ensure that no blackouts can happen. But as of today, it is nobody’s child. If there is any problem with the supply of wind power, it is easiest to put the blame on the wind.

There is also a question about power transmission. While all agree that wind turbines are an exciting and practical idea and that the wind farms are nothing but magical wonders of the millennium, some raise funny objections about ‘large spaces occupied by them, which seriously alter the environment’. This minor issue, however, may be settled by suggestions to use the space between the turbines for agricultural purposes. Areas having large wind farms as in Texas and the Maple Ridge in upstate New York have the ability to produce adequate energy to power many US cities and a lesser dependence on imported oil could save the $700 billion dollars that are going off the US coffers, but there again comes the big question of infrastructure problems. Of course, the culprit in this case is none else but the transmission line. The New York Times, in this very context, reports that there are more than 200,000 miles of transmission line in the country, and that they are all owned by more than 500 individual companies. Now, who could bell these cats when a portion of the line goes awry? It is much easier to put the blame on wind power.

However, wind power is often associated with intermittent or discontinuous generation. Nevertheless, such sporadic stoppage or slowing down could be compensated by generating a larger amount of energy than what is actually required. And this can be done at a relatively cheap price as well. Since no raw material is required for generating wind power, generation of few more kilowatt of energy would not make much of a difference.

The problems with wind power are nothing when you compare them with the many advantages. This is a safe and clean energy and since fossil fuel reserves are going down and they cause pollution anyway, this is what we will have in the future. The good news is, you can also set up a personal wind power system at home and contribute to clean up the air as well as save on your power bills. But to make the system work you will need to know where to set it up and how to do it, where to get the parts from cheaply, how to wire the system and also the safety precautions.