Energy from the sun, in the form of wind, plant matter, and heat and light, is renewable. Renewable energy offers a clean, cost effective alternative to fossil fuels and nuclear power. Producing power from these renewable sources can be far less environmentally damaging than conventional energy supplies. Wind power, more than any other renewable energy technology, is a proven, non-polluting renewable resource that is beginning, and will continue, to play an important role in meeting energy needs in the Upper Midwest.
People have harnessed the wind throughout history to convert wind energy into useable energy. Less than 100 years ago, millions of small windmills provided an important source of power for rural homes throughout the United States. These machines powered water pumps and converted wind into electricity. Beginning in the 1930s, rural electrification programs began to extend the electrical grid into the countryside, replacing wind energy with electricity generated from fossil fuels and large hydroelectric projects. The once abundant wind machines that were a common feature of the rural landscape have largely disappeared from sight. These are the other country and states in the U.S.A that use the wind energy: Australia Brazil Canada China Wales Republic of Ireland Scotland England India Japan New Zealand South Africa.
The wind energy has a lot of problems it causes Destruction of fragile ecosystems and animal habitats Deforestation Excavation Erosion. It also kills: Eagles Hawks Migrating Birds Bats. It also cause human health problems like: Wind Turbine Syndrome the Symptoms include: Sleep disturbance Headache Ringing or buzzing in the ears Dizziness Vertigo Nausea Visual blurring Rapid heart rate Irritability Problems with concentration and memory Panic episodes associated with sensations of internal pulsation or quivering, which arise while awake or asleep Wind Power Causes Economic Problems: Homes located near wind turbines lose significant value Some homes become impossible to sell and are abandoned by their owners Wilderness areas lose economic value as recreational and vacation locations Tourism supported businesses suffer. The benefits are: Wind energy is clean. Electricity generated by wind turbines won’t dirty the air we breathe or emit pollutants like other energy sources—that means less smog, less acid rain and fewer greenhouse gas emissions. Power plants are the largest stationary source of air pollution in the United States, emitting millions of tons of sulfur dioxide, nitrous oxides and carbon dioxide each year. These pollutants are believed to be the cause of global warming. Running a single 1-MW wind turbine can displace 2,000 tons of carbon dioxide in one year (equivalent to planting one square mile of forest). Wind energy is cost competitive to other fuel sources (like natural gas) and it is the least expensive of all renewable energy sources. Because the fuel (wind) is free, wind energy can provide a stable long-term price for power production. Today's wind farms can generate electricity for less than 5 cents per kilowatt hour in many parts of the U.S., a price that is competitive with new coal- or gas-fired power plants. The cost is expected to continue to decline as the technology improves and the market for this source develops. Wind energy is growing fast. It has been the world’s fastest growing renewable energy source for more than a decade with an