Wind Energy | wind generators | advantages and disadvantages of Wind Energy by - advguruji

Moving air is called wind. Wind has energy. The energy possessed by wind is due to its high speed. So we can say the wind possesses kinetic energy. It is the kinetic energy of wind which is utilized for doing work. Solar energy or sun's energy is responsible for the blowing of wind, due to the uneven heating of earth by the sun in different regions. Now let's discuss about what is a wind mill.

Wind mill

The energy of wind is harnessed by using a windmill. A windmill consists of big sized table fan like blades which are fixed over the top of a tall pole in such a way that they are free to rotate when the fast moving wind strikes on the blades of the windmill. It makes the blades rotate continuously. The rotatory motion of the windmill is then used to do Mechanical work through a shaft connected to the rotating blades. The traditional use of wind energy has now been modified by the improvement in technology to generate electricity through wind powered generators.

Wind Generator

The windmill used for generating electricity is called a wind turbine, and the complete setup of generating electricity by using wind energy is called a wind generator. I will now describe the wind powered electric generator. A wind generator which is used to generate electricity by using wind energy is shown above in figure. When the fast moving wind strikes the blades of wind turbine, then the wind turbine starts rotating continuously. The shaft of wind turbine is connected to a small generator. When the wind turbine rotates, its shaft also rotates and drives the generator and the generator produces electricity. The electricity generated by a single wind turbine is quite small(because a single wind turbine can run only a small generator). So in order to generate a large amount of electricity, large number of wind turbines are erected over a big area. Such a setup of having a large number of wind turbines working at a place to generate electrical energy on a large scale is called a wind energy farm. The small electricity generated by each wind generator is combined together to obtain electricity on a large scale.

ADVANTAGES OF WIND ENERGY

• An important advantage of using wind energy for generating electricity is that it's does not cause any pollution.
• Wind energy is a renewable source of energy which will never get exhausted as long as the sun keep shining, the wind will keep blowing and provide us energy.
• The increased use of wind energy for generating electricity will help us to conserve fossil fuels like coal, petroleum and natural gas so that they may last longer.
• Also, wind energy is available free of cost.

limitations/disadvantages of harnessing wind energy are -

1. Wind energy farms cannot be established everywhere, but only at those places where wind blows regularly.

2. Wind required for generating electricity should be strong enough to maintain the desired level of generation. The minimum wind speed necessary for satisfactory working of a wind generator about 15 kilometers per hour.

3. The wind energy farms require a large area of land.

4. The setting up of wind energy farms is quite expensive, especially for countries having low GDP per capita or small population size.

Did you know?

The wind power potential of our country(India) is estimated to be about 45,000 megawatt. This means that if India's wind energy is fully harnessed, then 45,000 megawatt of electrical power can be generated. Tamil Nadu and Gujarat are the most potential wind energy producing states in India. Tamil Nadu has an installed capacity of more than 9,300 megawatts and Gujarat has an installed capacity of more than 7,500 megawatts.

The Netherlands can be a role model in harnessing wind energy. Netherlands almost triplicated its total installed capacity from around 2,100 megawatts in 2008 to around 6,550 megawatts in 2021.

DID YOU KNOW?

Jaisalmer wind park is the largest (this might change with time) wind energy farm in India which has an output of about 1600 MW. It is located in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan.

by    www.advguruji.blogspot.com