By: Kate Jahera and Daniel Brown

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WIND POWER

• By Kate Jahera and Daniel Brown

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History of wind power

• People have been using the energy of the wind
  since early history. Wind energy powered boats on
  rivers as early as 5000B.C. New ways of of using
  the wind eventually spread around the world.

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History continued

• By the 11th century people of the Middle East
  used windmills for food production, and returning
  merchants took this idea back to Europe. Wind was
  eventually used to pump water, and generate
  electricity for homes and industries.

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How is the energy source obtained?

• Wind plants use large blades to catch the wind,
  that turns rotors that produce energy.

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How is this energy source used?

• Wind is used to generate mechanical power or
  electricity. A generator can turn this mechanical
  energy into electricity that can be used homes,
  schools, businesses, etc.

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Positive aspects

• Wind patterns can be predicted and locations have
  more reliable winds and produce more power. It
  produces no air pollution and there is no need to
  tear up land to extract the resource that
  produces wind power. It is also cheap and easy.

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Negative aspects

• Some people may be concerned about the noise made
  by the wind turbines. Although the sounds from
  the plants are usually covered by other natural
  sounds.

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More negative aspects

• The effects on bird populations pose a wildlife
  concern in some places. The disturbed ground
  produced by the wind farms attracts mice and
  other burrowing animals which attract raptors.
  The birds can get caught in the blades when the
  wind blows.

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Bibliography

• Guided tour on wind energy
• www.windpower.dk/tour/

• National Wind Technology Center
• www.nrel.gov/wind/