Wind EnergyChelsea King

National Renewable Energy Laboratory Database

History of Wind Energy• 5,000 BC – Egyptians

harnessed wind to cross the Nile River

• 200 BC – Windmills used to pump water in China

• Modern day – popularity of wind energy fluctuates with price of fossil fuels http://www.crystalinks.com/windmills.html

The Problem• As population rises, so does the need for

energy

• We rely heavily on fossil fuels

• Fossil fuels– Contribute to global climate change– Nonrenewable– Mostly imported

Coal Dependence

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/02/new-epa-tougher-coal.php

Prime real estate?

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/23/world/europe/23coal.html

Oil Dependence

http://www.alibaba.com/product/nardida-11612734-11007641/Used_Oil_Refinery.html

http://failblog.org/2008/01/30/oil-rig-going-down/

Wind: A Sustainable Solution

• Switch to wind as an electricity-generating source

• Wind as an energy source is:– Abundant– Domestic– Low cost– Renewable indefinitely

National Renewable Energy Laboratory Database

The top ten windiest states:

1. Texas2. Kansas3. Montana4. Nebraska5. South Dakota6. North Dakota7. Iowa8. Wyoming9. Oklahoma10. New Mexico

National Renewable Energy Laboratory

Notable Facts

• Harnessing 1/5 of the Earth’s available wind would provide seven times the energy we currently use

• North Dakota, Kansas, and Texas have enough harnessable wind to run the entire U.S. economy

• The U.S. has the potential for harnessing 1,900 gigawatts of wind energy off-coast– 1 gigawatt = 1,000 megawatts– 1 megawatt supplies 300 homes

Brown

Progress

• In early 2009, the U.S. had over 28,000 megawatts of wind generating capacity and 38 projects still underway

• Current wind farm development in Texas is predicted to exceed 53,000 megawatts when completed

• Maine, New Jersey, New York, Delaware, and Rhode Island are currently investing in wind energy projects

Brown

Profiting Farmers and Ranchers

•Turbines take up only 1% of the land on which installed

•Landowners can receive $3,000 – $10,000 in royalties yearly per turbine

• In rural communities, competition for wind farms is intense

National Renewable Energy Laboratory Database

Increasing Land Value

An acre of corn land in Iowa used to site a turbine could generate $300,000 in electricity per year but only $960 of ethanol

National Renewable Energy Laboratory DatabaseNational Renewable Energy Laboratory Database

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Manufacturing and Installation

• The need for labor would create more employment opportunities

• Production could be completed in idle automobile factories

National Renewable Energy Laboratory DatabaseNational Renewable Energy Laboratory Database

What about the birds?

National Renewable Energy Laboratory Database

A Feasible Action Plan

American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) has proposed reaching 20% generating capacity in the U.S. by 2030. This would help:

– Avoid 7,600 million tons of CO2 emissions

– Reduce water consumption by 4 trillion gallons– Save consumers $130 billion in natural gas– Create at least 30,000 manufacturing jobs– Generate over $600 million for landowners in

rural areas

National Renewable Energy Laboratory Database

What Can YOU Do?• Stay informed

– The WINDPOWER 2010 Conference & Exhibition in Dallas, Texas May 23-26

• Encourage state legislators and campus officials to invest in wind energy

• Use products that are manufactured by sustainable sources

• Minimize your overall impact by choosing a more sustainable lifestyle

Works Cited"About WINDPOWER 2010." WINDPOWER 2010 Conference & Exhibition. 2010. American Wind Energy Association, Web. 28

Feb 2010. <http://2010.windpowerexpo.org/about_windpower.cfm>.

Blair, Nate, et al. "Renewable Energy and Efficiency Modeling Analysis Partnership (REMAP)." National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Sept 2009. U.S. Department of Energy, Web. 26 Feb 2010. <http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy09osti/45656.pdf>.

Brown, Lester. Plan B 4.0: Mobilizing to Save Civilization. 1st ed. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, Inc., 2009. 109-17.

Hylleberg, Jan. "Profile of the Danish Wind Industry." Denmark - Wind Power Hub. 2008. Danish Wind Industry Association, Web. 1 Mar 2010. <http://www.windpower.org/download/378/profilbrochure_2008.pdf>.

"Installed U.S. Wind Capacity and Wind Project Locations." Wind Powering America. 17 Feb 2010. U.S. Department of Energy, Web. 26 Feb 2010. <http://www.windpoweringamerica.gov/wind_installed_capacity.asp#projects>.

"Project at a Glance." Cape Wind. 2010. Cape Wind Associates, LLC, Web. 1 Mar 2010. <http://www.capewind.org/article24.htm>.

"Sector's Yearbook: Analysis and Data." Wind Power 2008. 2008. Spanish Wind Energy Association, Web. 23 Feb 2010. <http://www.aeeolica.es/userfiles/file/aee-publica/AEE_anuario_ingles08.pdf>.

"Wind energy makes sound economic sense." Global Wind Energy Council. Global Wind Energy Council, Web. 27 Feb 2010. <http://www.gwec.net/index.php?id=137>.

"Wind Energy - The Facts." Executive Summary. 13 Feb 2009. Global Wind Energy Council, Web. 1 Mar 2010. <http://www.gwec.net/fileadmin/documents/WETF.pdf>.

"Wind Research." National Renewable Energy Laboratory. U.S. Department of Energy, Web. 1 Mar 2010. <http://www.nrel.gov/wind/>.

"Year End 2009 Market Report." American Wind Energy Association. Jan 2010. American Wind Energy Association, Web. 1 Mar 2010. <http://www.awea.org/publications/reports/4Q09.pdf>.