Why use the wind?

Whenever you try to wear a hat or open a door on a blustery Nova Scotia day, you will clearly see why wind is a great energy provider. We have a lot of wind in this part of the world. It’s breezy and the air is dense which also provides greater economics. We also have relatively small trees, not too many mountains and lots of ocean all around that generates on and off shore winds. This makes our resource "world-class". Turbine installations in this kind of wind will reap their benefits rapidly.

Wind power is plentiful, renewable and reduces greenhouse gas emissions when used instead of electricity generated from fossil fuels.

We’re all being urged to reduce carbon emissions, so harnessing wind power to create energy is an attractive option. Wind power is the world’s fastest growing renewable energy sector. (back to home page)

Advantages of wind power

• Electricity generated by the wind does not emit CO2 or leave any waste products. Wind is also an infinite resource that cannot be exhausted.
• A small home wind turbine – when installed properly and in the right location – can cut reliance on traditional fossil fuel resources by using the power of the wind to create electricity.
• Small domestic wind turbines can potentially provide 30 to 35% of an average home’s electricity needs, and pay for themselves in 8-10 years. This is a much quicker payback than most solar-power generated electricity systems. Successful performance, however, depends on the position and location of the wind turbine.
• Wind turbines rely on simple mechanical processes. Once the wind turbine is up and running there are few running costs.

Example:

Solar and wind can be used for everything from maintaining a battery, to charging marine battery systems while the motor is not running, to weekend or holiday lights and entertainment at the cabin, to a full-fledged modern home. My wife and I currently live with 3 separate systems. The first being a small panel to keep a battery charged for a small tv/radio in an art studio. The second is a system to power a television, charge tools, and run computers in a guest cabin. The third is a complete home sized system for full-time use. They all work wonderfully well and require little maintenance. They give you an additional reason to appreciate the sun.

Benefits:

Of course there are the benefits to the environment. Solar is a true "green" energy source and is completely renewable. There are other benefits that might not be so apparent. A solar system can pay for itself many times through its lifespan. It can also be very economical compared to running power lines after a certain distance from the source, (usually around 1 kilometer). And of course there are no extension cords long enough for marine applications. One of the most important benefits is the effect it has on the power system owner. A feeling of pride usually accompanies an installation, and an empowered sense of self-reliance. When somebody asks what you did during the last power outage you can say "what power outage".  (back to home page)

Where Do Winds Come From?
The sun has a lot to do with creating winds. Winds above continents and oceans occur because of temperature differences around the world. Some places, especially those near the Equator, receive far more direct sunlight than those closer to the Earth's north and south poles. As a result, the air over these areas warms up and then rises. Cooler air from the surrounding area rushes in to fill the space left by the rising air, creating a surface wind.

Capturing Wind Energy
Air is constantly on the move. In some places, especially along coastlines and in mountains, it provides a highly reliable source of mechanical energy. Humans have invented an amazing array of devices that can harness the energy of the wind and put it to practical use.

Sails
One of the oldest uses of wind energy is transportation. The first primitive sails were probably made from woven mats held aloft by wooden poles or human hands. Modern sailboats have very efficient sails and masts constructed from strong, lightweight materials such as Kevlar (the material used in bulletproof vests) and titanium. They work like aircraft wings to generate forces that pull the boat in the desired direction.

Pumping and Grinding
Long before the invention of electricity, early wind turbines did very useful work. Windmills were used in many places in Europe over the last several centuries to turn heavy granite disks called millstones. The millstones were used to crush dry grains such as wheat, barley, and corn to make flour or meal.

Farm wind pump
Wind turbines are gaining popularity with cattle ranchers for watering their livestock.
The Dutch created new farmland along the coast by building dikes around low-lying estuaries and mudflats and pumping out all the seawater. The "windmills" provided a steady supply of mechanical energy to lift seawater into the canals, allowing the new farmland to dry out.

In the past, windmills were common on farmsteads across Canada. They were often used to pump water from wells to watering troughs for cattle and to generate electricity at the farmhouse. When rural areas finally received electricity, many of these windmills fell into disuse and disrepair. Recently however, small windmills are becoming popular once again for bringing water to livestock.

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Generating Electricity
One of the most popular uses of wind turbines is to generate electricity. To make electricity, the shaft of the turbine must be connected to an electrical generator. Through gearboxes, the generator converts the mechanical energy of the spinning turbine shaft into electricity.

Generators are small and light enough that they can be housed under an aerodynamically designed cover at the top of the pole or tower. Wires running down the tower carry electricity to the grid, batteries or other appliances, where it is stored, and/or used.

Electricity is now being generated on a commercial scale at large installations called "wind farms" in several places around the world. Wind farms consist of rows of towers, sometimes 90 metres high, equipped with giant wind turbines for producing electricity.

In Canada, the first commercial wind farm was built in southern Alberta near the town of Cowley, in a region famous for its strong, steady winds. Commercial wind farms have also been established in Germany, Denmark, the United States, Spain and India. Denmark and Germany have pioneered the development of commercial wind power, one of their fastest-growing industries.

Some companies are now installing wind farms in shallow waters near coastlines in small countries with little available land area. These "offshore wind farms" are a promising new source of electricity. Toronto Hydro is installing such a turbine offshore on Lake Ontario.

Commercial wind energy is one of the most economical sources of new electricity available today. Wind turbines can be set up quickly and cheaply compared with building new coal-fired generating stations or hydroelectric facilities. Modern wind generating equipment is efficient, highly reliable, and becoming cheaper to purchase. The environmental impact of large wind turbines is negligible compared with an open pit coal mine or a reservoir, and during their operation produce no air pollution. Because of these factors, wind energy is recognized as the world's fastest-growing new energy source.

Small, highly efficient wind turbines are becoming popular as a source of electricity for rural homes. The cost of installing one comes close to that of putting up poles, overhead power lines and other equipment necessary to connect to the electrical grid. The advantage is that the homeowner owns the generating equipment and is freed from paying monthly electrical bills! 

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