- A windmill can often be associated with a more pastoral time and place.
Harnessing and utilizing wind power is not a new technique, despite its increasing popularity in recent years. For centuries, windmills have been grinding grain and pumping water. Various styles have emerged to better suit each activity, just as sizes have changed depending on needs. Most of the windmills were not the freestanding turbines seen today; instead, they were attached to the tops of towers and walls.
Windpumps managed to survive the revamping of the energy industry and are still used today on farms in the Africa, Australia and certain parts of the United States. Windmills, or wind turbines, are said to be making a comeback, but that obviously implies that their popularity waned. And it did in the mid-1900s as energy companies flaunted their fossil fuel. - A modern day wind turbine like the ones that can be seen near Palm Springs, CA.
The utilization of wind as a main source of power is great because no hazardous by-product is created. When coal and fossil fuels are burned, they create a lot of air pollution. In turn, air quality decreases and quality of life, especially for those with conditions like asthma, also decreases. But with wind, there is no fear of adding to the air pollution problem.
But what some people do not consider when they say that wind power is completely clean is that the parts to create a wind turbine are made in factories. Factories usually run on energy from fossil fuels and coal, meaning that the making of any wind turbine has contributed a certain amount of pollution. - Wind turbines can cost over $20,000. Ouch!
Unfortunately, the one primary disadvantage is cost. Mentioned briefly in the "Advantages" section, wind turbines for personal use cost well over $5,000 apiece and can even cost in excess of $20,000. This is a major investment for any middle-class family, and completely impossible for a low-income family.
But on the other hand, once the initial price tag shock wears off, you are free to use your energy without forking over money to the electric company. Eliminating that monthly bill could mean major savings in the long run, offsetting the initial costs and eventually putting you back in the black as far as finances are concerned. - Maybe this isn't your favorite view when you reach the top of that mountain nearby.
If you choose to live in an area that does not have access to a larger electrical grid, purchasing a wind turbine is a great investment, if not a necessity. Even though using kerosene lamps and washboards sounds like fun for a while, having energy is truly a luxury that some people are not ready to fully give up. That's where wind power comes in.
Also, you might have to live off the grid to ensure that your wind turbine does not bother your immediate neighbors. Wind turbines are very, very noisy and are unpopular in residential areas for that reason. - Maybe someday this is what everyone will see when they look out their window.
Wind power may not be the answer to prayers for clean energy, but it is part of something larger. By creating a grid that mixes wind power with solar power and hydro-power, clean energy could be delivered to every home all over the world. But until there is a good, long-term solution to the issues of placement and cost, the utilization of wind power will remain limited.
previous post