Wind Power as an Alternative Energy Source Essay -- Energy Power Globa

Wind Power as an Alternate Energy Source Graphics not Included ABSTRACT The United States' main source of energy is currently fossil fuels. However, we know that fossil fuel supply continues to deplete and sooner or later, the United States will need to resort to a new source of energy. This report hopes to explore the advantages and disadvantages of wind power using model regions. These regions have experience in using wind power, which may help us determine whether or not it is a suitable source of energy when fossil fuels are completely drained. From examining Denmark and other places benefiting from this clean and unlimited source of wind power, we believe that the United States possesses enough wind, money, and other resources to use wind power as a main future source of energy. INTRODUCTION Wind is air with kinetic energy. It is formed at different positions on the Earth's surface. Warm air heated up by the sun expands and rises while cool air moves in to take its place creating winds. Wind is a renewable energy, which is means that as long as the sun is still shining, wind will remain. The use of windmills to slow down the speed of wind can generate electricity. The wind flowing through the blade causes lift; which in turn, makes the blades rotate. These blades are attached to a drive shaft, which is connected to an electric generator that creates electricity. See figure 1. QuickTime? and a TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor are needed to see this picture. Fig 1(Wind Energy-Energy from Moving Air, 2005) Scientists say that there are many possible sites for windmills and that 37 states are capable of generating electricity through wind power (Wind Energy?Energy from Moving Air, 2005). An average wi... ...nergyfacts/sources/renewable/wind.html Willis, Bill (2002) Wind Power. WCS Science, retrieved August 1, 2005, from http://www.wcsscience.com/windpower/page.html DeLespinasse, Paul F. (January 2004) How Many Windmills Would $87 Billion Buy? Common Dreams NewsCenter, retrieved August 1, 2005, from http://www.commondreams.org/views04/0112-07 (no author) (no date) Food, Land, Population, and the U.S. Economy. CARRYING CAPACITY NETWORK, retrieved August 1, 2005, from http://www.carryingcapacity.org/resources.html (no author) (June 2005) North Dakota Wind Energy Development. American Wind Energy Association, retrieved August 2, 2005, from http://www.awea.org/projects/northdakota.html Akselsson, Mattias. (September 2004) The World's Leader in Wind Power. Scandinavica, retrieved August 2, 2005, from http://www.scandinavica.com/culture/nature/wind.htm