Wind Power Facts
Wind power is one of the cleanest renewable power sources on Earth. Wind power facts bear out this undisputed conclusion.
Wind Power Facts
Wind is produced by variations of temperature on different parts of land. As sunlight heats up surfaces, different temperatures of air are produced. Hot air rises and cool air rushes in to fill the gaps. This atmospheric condition causes wind. Temperatures produced over water, for instance, are almost always cooler than over barren rock. As each temperature variation occurs, wind is created.
Here are some interesting wind power facts:
- As long as the Sun shines on the Earth, wind power will exist. Since the Sun is expected to shine for anther 4.5 billion years, wind power is considered a renewable power source.
- Man has used wind power ever since he learned to sail boats.
- The first windmills were used to grind grain in Iran, then known as Persia.
- Holland has historically been the leader in windmill technology.
- Windmills were used by American colonists to move water, grind grain and cut wood.
- Windmills were a significant source of power in rural America in the 1920’s.
- California is the leading wind power producer in the United States.
- Germany is the largest wind power producer in the world.
- Spain is second.
- Windmills come in two types, vertical and horizontal.
- Vertical windmills look like upside down eggbeaters.
- Horizontal windmills look like what you’ve seen on television or in books, i.e., the traditional structure with a wheel of blades perpendicular to the ground and spinning.
- Wind power plants are typically owned by private companies, which sell the power to traditional utility companies.
- The United States gets roughly 17 billion kilowatts of electricity each year from wind power.
- This yearly wind power production is enough to provide all the power needs of the City of Chicago.
- On a commercial level, wind power electricity is produce in 30 states.
- To defer utility costs, individuals in every state set up min-wind power systems for their homes. The exact percentage of people that do this versus total homes is unknown.
The U.S. ranks third in the world as a wind power producer.
With all the talk of alternative energy sources, it is somewhat humorous that wind power is already an established power alternative. Most people simply don’t realize it. As these wind power facts reveal, the future of wind power is tremendous. In fact, it is the fastest growing energy production platform in the world.
