The advantages and disadvantages of wind energy

The advantages

and disadvantages

of wind energy

Advantages anddisadvantagesof wind energy

Advantages●A renewable energy source●Doesn't produce greenhouse gases●Practically no costs when in use●Doesn't produce waste

Disadvantages●Requires a lot of space●Loud noise●Can spoil the landscape●Needs specific conditions (speed of wind)●Can't be utilized all the time●Storage of electricity can be difficult (only in batteries or as thermal energy in water)●Might kill birds or bats●Low efficiency

Wind power plants can spoil the landscape ...

Wind energy in Finland

Usage in Finland● Wind energy is only 0,7% of all produced

energy

● The aim is to increase the share of wind power

to 6-7% of all of the energy we use (2020)

Wind power plants● In Finland there are● about 120 wind power● plants

● The biggest are in● Kemi, Hailuoto, Korsnäs,● Kuivaniemi and Reposaari

● The power plant in Kemi● has 10 turbines. The size of each● turbine is 3 MW and together they● produce 80 000 MWh energy per year

http://www.innopower.fi/tuulivoimalat/kemin_tuulivoimapuisto

Locations● The windiest areas

are located on the west coast

● → power plants are there

● Most of them are near Oulu and Åland Islands

OuluKemi

ÅlandIslands

ÅlandIslands

Locations

Reasons for low usage● Planning is complicated and it takes a lot of

time● The amount of wind varies during the year● Snow and coldness during winter can damage

turbines● We have two nuclear power plants (four

reactors in total), which produce approx. 23% of total electricity produced in Finland

Private owned wind turbines● Some of us have

small private turbines● They are used in:

– Farming– Households– Summer cottages– Sailing boats

● The price of a small wind turbine is about 12000 €

● The size of them varies from 100 W to 2 kW

Production and the amount of installations grows every year

Installed capacity (MW)Production (GWh)

Production index (%)

Sources

● http://www.tuulivoimayhdistys.fi● http://www.tuulivoimatieto.fi● http://www.tuuliatlas.fi● http://www.tuulivoimaopas.fi● http://www.innopower.fi/tuulivoimalat/