The need for wind energy

Our energy needs are changing, and so is the way we are meeting them. The UK has a legally binding commitment to continue dramatically reducing its greenhouse gas emissions over the coming decades; and energy production is the biggest current source of these emissions. Not only does burning fossil fuels emit greenhouse gases, but fossil fuel reserves are a finite resource and increasingly need to be imported from overseas.

The wind, in contrast, is freely available and endlessly renewable; and the UK has more wind than any country in mainland Europe. As onshore wind technologies have matured, onshore wind has also become the lowest cost form of new large-scale electricity generation in the UK - cheaper than gas and almost half the price per kWh of new nuclear power stations.

Whilst energy efficiency is increasing, changes such as the growth in use of electric cars and the increasing use of electricity as a source of heat are also likely to increase the need for electricity into the future.

Generating electricity from the wind now provides, and will continue to provide in the future, a secure, affordable, renewable and low carbon way of meeting the UK’s energy needs.

Pros and cons of wind energy: -

Check out http://large.stanford.edu/courses/2014/ph240/lloyd2/

Vertical Axis Wind Turbine: -

A vertical-axis wind turbines (VAWT) is a type of wind turbine where the main rotor shaft is set transverse to the wind (but not necessarily vertically) while the main components are located at the base of the turbine. This arrangement allows the generator and gearbox to be located close to the ground, facilitating service and repair. VAWTs do not need to be pointed into the wind, which removes the need for wind-sensing and orientation mechanisms.