A lot of money, for Wind - a free resource by Tony Green

Wind power - A truly free resource? 

The wind blows as a result the uneven heating of the surface of the earth and its rotation. Since air currents are a natural resource the question becomes why is the cost such a pressing issue for installing wind turbines which can be a part of the solution to reduce our dependency on foreign oil?

The energy created by wind does not take place spontaneously.  A large number of complex electro-mechanical equipment is required to capture the power of this resource. Some of these components include towers, gears, and blades. Making this all happen requires engineering process and design which, in turn, costs money.

More ever, in many wind projects feasibility studies are completed to assess the impact a wind project in question will have on the environment and on the people who would become neighbors of the proposed wind project.

Another obstacle which must be addressed is the siting of the project which involves ensuring the piece of land which satisfies the required wind resources requirement does not encounter any other major issue, for example, if any endangered species would be affected the project may not be allowed to go forward.

Wind turbines offer cheap electricity, lower CO2 emissions, reduce our dependency on foreign oil, and could help in building a “new” economy based on being “green”.

Regardless of whether the value wind turbines provide is free or not clearly unlocking its potential would benefit everyone. Wouldn’t that be worthy of investment?

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