Wind Power
Wind Electricity Generators
- Energy is harnessed from wind electricity generators from wind turbines
- Wind generators can be principally horizontally or vertically aligned
- The majority of modern designs use horizontally aligned designs
The two main designs of wind generators: horizontal and vertical alignment
- The approximate efficiency of wind generators is approximately 30%
- Energy is lost to aerodynamic limits, losses transferring the electricity to the grid and friction within the system
- Wind turbines are regularly placed in coastal areas, with windy conditions to generate electricity
- A group of wind turbines creates a wind farm
- These are used to power nearby towns and cities
Wind turbines
Wind farms can be harmful to wildlife, which may mean they shouldn't be built in certain areas
Advantages & Disadvantages of Wind Power
- Advantages of using wind-powered generators include:
- Clean (non-polluting) energy generation (no greenhouse gases / pollution)
- Freely available
- Is always sustainable and will never run out
- Disadvantages of using wind-powered generators include:
- Not consistent energy production (only when it is windy)
- Needs favourable local conditions to be placed in windy locations i.e. on the coast so cannot be in a city
- Can be visually unappealing
- Can harm some wildlife (e.g. birds)
