Mention the words alternative energy to the average person today and for the most part the first thought that will come to their mind is solar panels. Photovoltaic energy sources that generate electricity from the sun. Now while they are a popular choice, the fact remains that people across the globe have been using wind power for centuries.
Today though when someone speaks of wind power, as it pertains to generating electricity, what they are really referring to is wind turbines. Electrical generators, most usually mounted at the top of a tower with a propeller attached to catch the wind, and drive the mechanism.
So then what are the benefits of wind power and if you were switching over to alternative energy sources what is it if anything that would sway you to go with a turbine over, say solar panels? For instance, can you count on more energy being produced and what about initial cost comparisons?
The fact is that technology in wind driven turbines has come a long way in recent years to meet market demands. For instance, there's now a wide selection of ready to go, off the shelf systems with extraordinarily long service lifespan. Prices have come down as well, so it's easier, and cheaper to get set up now.
The very first primary benefit of wind power is that it goes on for 24 hours a day while solar power shuts down at night and during overcast weather. In fact if you stop to consider it, it's on cloudy unsettled days when you can expect the most wind, and those are the days when solar panels will be the least productive.
Another strong selling point of wind power is that a tower and a turbine take up far less space, comparatively speaking. Now you need to understand that it takes more than a few solar panels to generate an actual usable supply of power. Beyond a token amount, and all those panels have to go somewhere.
Still more is that if you live in a high wind area where you can rely on a strong and steady source of it, you do have the potential for generating substantially more electricity. Now granted you will need good wind and a larger turbine, but if you have both you can end up producing power well beyond your own personal need.
Then you have the security factor to consider because solar panel theft is a growing problem today. Think about it for a second. At close to $1000 each, you can easily end up with $10,000 to $15,000 in hardware just sitting out in the open when you're through setting up your solar system.
On the other hand, a tower and the turbine that sits on it can be secured far better. To begin with someone has to climb up the tower it to access your turbine if that's even possible. Even then, making it theft proof should a person make it up to it is a relatively straight forward affair.
So in the end, is a wind powered alternative energy system the better choice? The simple answer to that is in some circumstances yes while in others no. The fact is that you simply must weight out all pros and cons because in the end you may end up going with both wind, and solar power.
Myriad CEG design, provide and install small to large Wind Turbines and wind power generators in the UK. Visit the website for more details: http://www.myriadceg.com/
No comments:
Post a Comment