Pollution and Global Warming are two of the biggest issues that should be addressed by humanity as soon as possible. In order to lessen the threats of pollution and global warming, people should switch from traditional energy sources to safe and renewable energy. Wind power is one of the safest sources of energy, thus the construction of wind turbines in many areas across the globe. Wind energy is the fastest growing source of renewable energy during this decade. As such, this article explores wind energy and may help you consider whether you should join the party and place a turbine on your own land.

How do wind turbines work?
Wind turbines transform the energy from the wind to electricity in order to power homes, buildings, and other infrastructures. The process of transforming kinetic energy from the wind to mechanical energy begins when the blades of wind turbines are turned by the blowing winds. Second, the blades turn a shaft inside a gearbox which increases the speed of the rotating blades. Through the rotation, the generator converts the rotating energy to electric energy. The power output then goes to a transformer which transforms the electric energy into the right voltage to be transmitted around the area. The typical amount distributed around the system is around 33,000 volts.

The benefits
Wind turbines vary in size depending on the electric consumption of the community. Unlike other electrical power stations, wind turbines only occupy smaller spaces leaving the land open for farming and agricultural activities, housing, and industrial space. The presence of wind turbines also decreases the need to import fuel from other countries, and the need to extract fossil fuels from the earth which costs a lot of money. Unlike traditional power plants, wind turbines have low construction costs and have a shorter construction period. Another benefit of wind farms is its immunity to price and supply problems since the wind turbines are situated near the community and not outside the country.

Considerations
Since wind is just free, wind power is the most affordable among all renewable energy sources. Today in the United States, the rate of electricity from wind farms only costs five cents per kilowatt hour. Things to consider when thinking about placing a wind turbine on your land are the location, the amount of electricity needed by the area, the strength of wind which affects the performance of the wind turbines, plus the amount of money needed in construction and maintenance of the wind turbines. Unlike other power plants supplying electricity to certain places, wind farms only require minimal maintenance and operating costs.

Of course, the primary reason to consider putting up a wind turbine on your land are the benefits to the environment. Wind energy does not cause pollution, it does not use fossil fuels, and it does not emit harmful substances and other by-products into the atmosphere. The presence of the wind is eternal; humankind only needs the right technology to harness the power of the wind in order to live in a clean, developed, and better world. A further incentive is that the energy from the turbine is used to power your own home, so you will no longer have to pay power bills. With all surplus power provided by the turbine being pumped back into the national grid, which you get paid for. The amount of time needed before the cost of installation is returned and a ‘profit’ is realised varies and depends on many factors, but the concept remains attractive to many. With the presence of wind turbines, a greener, more cost effective and more comfortable future awaits.

This article has been put together by Mark Emlick, prolific investor and Chairman of renewable energy investment company Access Energy plc. You can read more about Mr. Emlick and keep up to date with his business news on his blog: MarkEmlick.co.uk