Wind power —or eolic energy— is one of the oldest energy sources used by humans. As its name indicates, wind power consists of converting the energy produced by the movement of wind turbines into electrical energy.
Eolic energy is an established and efficient renewable energy source. The total global wind power capacity in 2021 was 837 GW.
What are the main advantages of using wind power? Why is technological progress in wind turbine design significant? Discover it.
What are the benefits of using wind energy?
Wind power has multiple benefits, not only for the environment but also for economic and energy sustainability. Wind offers a renewable, inexhaustible energy source available practically everywhere on the planet. That’s why wind power can create local wealth and reduce energy imports.
Wind energy is already the cheapest energy source, and it will be more and more so. Wind energy has made considerable technological advances, and its installation costs have dropped significantly. Over the past decade, the price of onshore wind turbines has fallen by 37%, and the cost of lithium batteries used to store electricity has fallen by 85%.
Advantages of using wind energy
- Renewable energy:wind power is non-polluting, inexhaustible, and reduces the consumption of fossil fuels, the source of gases that cause global warming.
- “Native” energy source:wind power can be obtained almost anywhere on Earth, helping to reduce energy imports and create wealth and local jobs.
- Clean energy source:Wind energy does not emit toxic substances or pollutants into the air that are very harmful to the environment and humans. Toxic substances acidify terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and corrode buildings. It also does not generate waste or pollute water. Wind energy has one of the smallest water footprints and is key to protecting hydrological resources.
- Contributes to sustainable development:harnessing wind energy to generate electricity and using it efficiently helps sustainably-grown objectives. Every renewable energy project must include an environmental impact study. The competent authorities will determine if it’s compatible with the surrounding nature to minimize harmful impacts.
What are the advantages of wind turbines?
Wind turbines can be built onshore and offshore
You can assemble a wind farm in a lot of places. For example, energy suppliers can rent pre-existing farmland and build wind turbines without disrupting farmer operations, providing landowners additional income. Wind power plants use less than 1.5% of the contiguous U.S. land area. However, given all the plains and cattle land available in the country’s interior, there’s a lot of opportunity for expansion.
Wind turbines can be installed onshore and offshore. Both locations have their pros and cons. The offshore wind’s speed is higher as there are no natural barriers to stop it, which allows the wind turbines to be bigger, but the construction onshore is easier and cheaper.
You may be interested in: Difference between onshore and offshore wind farms
A wind turbine has a fast ROI
A wind turbine can operate for more than 30 years and compensate for the energy used in its production in less than a year. In addition, their manufacture and dismantling account for only 1% of the CO2 emissions their use makes it possible to avoid.
According to the U.S. Wind Turbine Database, the average capacity of wind turbines that reached commercial operation in 2020 was 2.75 megawatts (MW). At a capacity factor of 42% (the average for recently constructed wind turbines in the U.S., according to the 2021 edition of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Onshore Wind Market Report), this average turbine would generate enough electricity to power more than 940 U.S. homes. In other words, the average wind turbine coming online in 2020 produces enough electricity to power the average American home for a month in 46 minutes.
Benefits of using the right wind energy equipment
Crosby Airpes specializes in lifting solutions for the wind power industry. We can design on-demand equipment for every part of a wind turbine.
The right equipment for the wind energy industry allows you to save time and money and gain efficiency and safety.
Discover our wind energy solutions:
Crosby Airpes offers you on-demand solutions for the wind energy industry
For 20 years, Crosby Airpes has designed and manufactured solutions for the wind energy industry’s singular lifting and transportation tasks. Each client has specific needs: the geographical location of the wind farm, the characteristics of the equipment, etc., which make each project unique.
At Crosby Airpes, we have extensive experience designing on-demand lifting systems for the wind energy sector. Contact us and let us know how we can help you.
