5 questions about wind turbines…
Wind turbines are becoming more and more popular with the “green” revolution. Here are 5 of the most popular questions asked about wind turbines…
What is a wind turbine?
A wind turbine is the modern equivalent of an old fashioned windmill. You might have seen a picture of one on TV, or you may have been lucky enough to see one in real life. They are usually white, very tall, and look like, well, a giant windmill. They are usually locate din rural areas.
What components make up a wind turbine? How do wind turbines work?
There are three main components to a modern wind turbine: A prop, a turbine and the structure.
The prop is the propeller. It is very large and usually has 3 to 5 angled blades. The angles of the blades make it function like a giant screw, so when the wind blows through it, the propeller turns. The blades are usually adjustable so the propeller can be used to maximum efficiency.
The propeller is attached to a generator. When the wind turns the propeller, it in turn rotates the shaft that is connected to the generator. Much like an electric motor, the generator has oppositely charged magnets inside. When the shaft rotates the mechanism inside the generator, the magnets are rotated around each other, causing an electrical reaction. This is how the wind turbine creates power.
This propeller and the generator are mounted on top of a very tall structure. This is needed because wind at lower levels is blocked by obstructions and is not powerful enough to turn this huge mechanism. Numerous computers and power cables take the energy from the generator, transport it down the structure and into the power grid.
What are the uses of a wind turbine?
Wind turbines are used to generate power. This power can be used to power homes, farms, or anything else that needs electricity.
What are the benefits of wind turbines?
The main benefit of wind turbines is that they are 100% green. They don’t make any emissions and are harnessing the world’s renewable energy. They can break the world’s dependency on oil and make the world a cleaner place. Also, wind turbines can be located almost anywhere, severely reducing infrastructure costs.
What are the main disadvantages of wind turbines?
There are a few disadvantages to wind turbines. First, they are quite expensive. They cost millions of dollars to build and install, but don’t create that much electricity. To generate a significant amount of electricity, you have to put many of them together, creating a wind farm. Not only is this super expensive, but there is not a lot of suitable land to do this on.
Also, there is an issue with wind turbines interfering with birds migration patterns. This is a more rare case, but birds have a habit of running into wind turbines and getting hurt. This is not that major of an issue, but it should still be taken into account.
