WIND
ABOUT WIND POWER
Wind power, like all renewable energy, is a form of solar energy. Wind is caused by the effect that the sun's energy has as it warms the air and the earth each day.
People have used wind power for thousands of years. First, for transportation in sailing ships, later to mill grain, and more recently to drive mechanical pumps and electrical generators.
Until recently, making electricity with wind power was not competitive with conventional generating methods. But over the last few years there have been great improvements in the efficiency and cost of wind generators. Those improvements plus rising energy costs have made wind power the fastest growing form of electrical generation.
Mini wind power systems (100 to 1000 watts) are used to operate pumps, lights, or other small remote appliances. They often are coupled with batteries or diesel generators to provide continuous operation.
Small wind power systems (100 to 300,000 watts) are used to supply power to a particular home, farm or business. They are normally connected to the power grid, so that when they are making more electricity than is being used, power can be sent back to the main network and sold to the power company. Or, if more power is needed than is being produced, it can be purchased from the power company. This is often referred to as 'grid storage' since it replaces battery storage. In some cases it still makes sense to use battery storage or diesel generator backup.
Large wind power systems (300kW to 500MW), or wind farms are actual power stations and make electricity to be put directly onto the grid and not for direct use by the farmer, business or landowner. In terms of wind power cost efficiency (electricity produced/dollar invested) bigger is better, so the large systems make the most of the wind resource.
