Windmill Essay

646 Words2 Pages

INTRODUCTION The purpose of this project was to simulate the use of a windmill to convert the energy of the wind into electric power. Wind energy is a natural resource which has been used for centuries. Its main functions have been for pumping water and grinding grain. Wind turbines were invented for generating electricity using a natural resource. Interesting facts Wind turbines are mounted on a tower which is usually 200 metres above ground to capture the most energy. Turbines catch the wind's energy with their blades. Windmills have been used for centuries for pumping water or grinding grain. Wind energy is eco friendly as it produces no air or water pollution, one megawatt of wind energy equates to 2,600 fewer tons of carbon emissions in comparison with coal fired energy generation. Currently the faster growing source of electricity production in the world is using the power of wind. According to research done by Energy Trends Insider the use of wind energy used for electricity has grown substantially since 1990. At the end of 2010 China had installed the most wind power by far, as with everything else it seems China are wanting to lead the world into the clean energy economy and dominate the global economy in years to come. USA is following and then India. Wind turbines usually produce energy when winds blow between 13km and 90 kilometres per hour and the modern wind turbines produce 15 times more electricity than the typical wind turbines did in 1990. The location of a windfarm has to be very well planned, for example it cannot be located near an airport as the large blades of wind turbines can interfere with some radar systems used by weather stations or air traffic controls which at times can be mistaken for pla... ... middle of paper ... ...ht out. CONCLUSION Windmills have been around for centuries. Wind is a given fact in our weather pattern. Pollution is an increasing problem on our planet and with the increasing usage of electrical consumption and the forseable shortage of coal supply there is no question about using the wind as an alternative source of energy. Although the initial setup costs of a windfarm are extremely high, the costs of running the turbines are extremely low. RELEVANCE There is an ever-increasing demand on electricity consumption in South Africa and one day we are going to run out of our coal supply. Another form of energy source has to be sourced. Fortunately the government has also realized this and has started building windfarms in South Africa to overcome this problem. The first phase of Jeffreys Bay windfarm is expected to be completed in the middle of 2014.

More about Windmill Essay

Open Document