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What benefits they have gained from using it?

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What benefits they have gained from using it?

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According to the wind coalition
1) Energy prices are low and consistent.
2) Revitalization of Rural Economies with new income for farmers and ranchers.
3) New job creation with the growth of wind farms in Texas.
4) Clean water and air with the use of wind power.

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Wind turbines have become a familiar sight across Texas for a wide variety of reasons, including their consumer, economic development, and environmental benefits. As the map below shows, Texas' holds incredible amounts of infinite wind energy.

Producing more than 10% of Texas' electricity needs, Texas' 14,000 megawatt wind energy capacity now leads our nation in the production of clean, inexpensive, reliable, and infinite wind power. Harnessing that energy, wind power saves Texas electricity consumers more than $950 million each year. Other benefits include:

Low Price and Price Stability: Technological advancement has made wind energy cost-competitive with other forms of generation. And, while the price of electricity from other sources can fluctuate due to variable fuel costs, the price of wind is fixed permanently so it provides a hedge against fuel price volatility.

Revitalization of Rural Economies: Wind energy can diversify the economies of rural communities, adding to the tax base and providing new income for farmers and ranchers. With more than $28 billion invested in 57 counties, wind investment is helping communities provide property tax relief to homeowners and businesses.

Job Creation: Wind energy projects create new jobs ranging from meteorologists and surveyors to structural engineers, assembly workers, lawyers, bankers, and technicians. On a per megawatt basis, wind energy creates 30% more jobs than a coal plant and 66% more than a nuclear plant. With the growth of wind farms, Texas is also benefiting from a growth in wind component manufacturing and service industries associated with wind energy production. According to the Texas Governor's Renewable Energy Industry Report, nearly 26,000 Texans today make their living connected to the wind energy industry.

Community Advantages

Energy Independence for Texas: Wind energy helps us to diversify our energy portfolio and to reduce our dependence on imported fuels. Using Texas wind keeps consumers' energy dollars working in Texas - instead of shipped to Wyoming.

Supporting Texas Agriculture: Wind turbines coexist well with agricultural operations and livestock. With payments to landowners topping $40 million each year, wind energy helps keep rural Texans on their land, producing new revenue from wind.

Local Ownership: Developing local sources of electricity means our energy dollars are invested back into the local economy. Landowners benefit, electricity consumers benefit, school districts (and students) benefit, and local workers benefit.

Environmental Advantages

Wind Energy is Dry Energy: After agriculture, traditional power generation is the nation's largest use of water. Wind power uses no water saves Texas nearly 13 billion gallons of water each year. The same electricity can take about 600 times more water with nuclear and 500 times more water with coal than wind.

Clean Water and Clean Air: Breathe easy. Wind turbines produce clean, reliable, affordable power with no air or water emissions of any kind.

Texas wind energy is no longer alternative energy. It's become a mainstream source of power that is growing our economy - especially rural Texas. It's reducing power prices for consumers and businesses, it's viable, inexpensive, uses no water, creates no pollution, and - most importantly - it's Texas made!

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Why Wind Energy? Because Wind Works for Texas!

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Wind turbines have become a familiar sight across Texas for a wide variety of reasons, including their consumer, economic development, and environmental benefits. As the map below shows, Texas' holds incredible amounts of infinite wind energy. Producing more than 10% of Texas' electricity needs, Texas' 14,000 megawatt wind energy capacity now leads our nation in [...]

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Area:

Area: 268,601 sq.mi (695,674 sq.km.), 2nd

Land: 261,914 sq.mi. (678,355 sq.km.), 2nd

Water: 6,687 sq.mi. (17,319 sq.km.), 9th

Coastline: 367 mi. (591 km.), 6th

Shoreline: 3,359 mi. (5,406 km.), 7th

Lowest Point: Texas; sea level, tied for 3rd lowest

Geographic Center: McCulloch, 15 miles northeast of Brady

National Parks:
Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument
Amistad National Recreation Area
Big Bend National Park
Big Thicket National Preserve
Chamizal National Memorial
Fort Davis National Historic Site
Guadalupe Mountains National Park
Lake Meredith National Recreation Area
Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park
Padre Island National Seashore
Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park
Rio Grande Wild and Scenic River
San Antonio Missions National Historical Park
Waco Mammoth National Monument

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Texas State Information - Symbols, Capital, Constitution, Flags, Maps, Songs

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Home Geography & Travel States & Other Subdivisions

Table of Contents

Capital:

Austin
...(Show more)

Population:

(2020) 29,145,505; (2022 est.) 30,029,572
...(Show more)

Governor:

Greg Abbott (Republican)
...(Show more)

Date Of Admission:

Dec. 29, 1845
...(Show more)

U.S. Senators:

John Cornyn (Republican)Ted Cruz (Republican)
...(Show more)

Texas, constituent state of the United States of America. It became the 28th state of the union in 1845. Texas occupies the south-central segment of the country and is the largest state in area except for Alaska. The state extends nearly 1,000 miles (1,600 km) from north to south and about the same distance from east to west.

Water delineates many of its borders. The wriggling course of the Red River makes up the eastern two-thirds of Texas's boundary with Oklahoma to the north, while the remainder of the northern boundary is the Panhandle, which juts northward, forming a counterpart in the western part of that state. The Sabine River forms most of the boundary with Louisiana to the east, where by land it is bounded by Arkansas as well. The crescent-shaped coastline of the Gulf of Mexico lies to the southeast, and the Rio Grande carves a shallow channel that separates Texas from Mexico to the southwest. The state of New Mexico lies to the west. Austin, in the south-central part of the state, is the capital.

The vastness and diversity of Texas are evident in nearly all aspects of its physical features, economy, history, and cultural life. The territory of Texas was part of the Spanish Empire for more than a century. It was then part of the new country of Mexico from 1821 to 1836, when it gained its independence, and had a short-lived existence as a republic before joining the Union. The image of Texas was that of a raw and lawless frontier when it relinquished its independence to become a state. Although Texans still identify strongly with their cowboy heritage, the state's image of Texas changed dramatically over the course of the 20th century; present-day Texas is known for its great agricultural wealth, major oil and natural gas production, industry and finance, huge urban centres that foster a cosmopolitan cultural life, and seemingly unending stretches of high prairie and ranges devoted to cattle and cotton.

The name of the state derives from the Caddo word thecas, meaning "allies" or "friends." (The Spanish spelled the word tejas or texas and used it to describe the area where this Native American tribe lived.) Texas is commonly divided into East and West, although the dividing line between the two is ambiguous. Generally, though, East Texas has a wet climate and is characterized by cotton and by ties to the Old South, while West Texas is dry and is known for cattle ranching and an affinity with the West. Area 268,597 square miles (695,662 square km). Population (2020) 29,145,505; (2022 est.) 30,029,572.

Land

Relief

Texas comprises a series of vast regions, from the fertile and densely populated Coastal Plains in the southeast to the high plains and mountains in the west and northwest. Stretching inland from the Gulf Coast, the Coastal Plains, encompassing about two-fifths of the state's land area, range from sea level to about 1,000 feet (300 metres) in elevation. These flat, low prairies extend inland to form a fertile crescent that is well adapted to farming and cattle raising. Near the coast much land is marshy, almost swamp, except where drained by man-made devices.

The Coastal Plains ends at the Balcones Escarpment, where tremors have occurred. Northwest of this fault, the land extends into the Texas Hill Country and into the tablelands of the Edwards Plateau to the south and the North Central Plains to the north. The entire region varies from about 750 to 2,500 feet (200 to 750 metres) above sea level, and farming and livestock raising constitute the basic economy. In Hill Country there are small industries and recreational areas.

The North Plains subdivision, centred on Amarillo, depends on grain farming, ranching, oil, and small industries. The South Plains subdivision, with Lubbock as the principal city, has large underground water reservoirs that allow large-scale irrigated cotton farming.

At the western edge of the North Central Plains lies the Caprock Escarpment, an outcropping of rock that stretches to the north and south for about 200 miles (320 km). Beyond that escarpment lies the third largest region of Texas, the High Plains country, and to the south lies the Trans-Pecos region.

From the High Plains country of West Texas emerged many of the legends of Texas weather and of the Texas cowboy. On these plains, sandstorms are common. Many wide, flat riverbeds in the region remain dry most of the year, but they can become sluiceways for flash floods. In this region lies the flat, dry area known as the Llano Estacado ("Staked Plain"). According to legend, when traveling through the region in the mid-16th century, the Spanish expedition from New Spain (Mexico) led by Francisco Vázquez de Coronado laid down stakes to serve as guides for the return trip. Even Native Americans hesitated to venture across these lands.

The state's most rugged terrain lies to the west of the Pecos River. Trailing down from the Rocky Mountains, the Guadalupe Mountains lead into Big Bend country, whose name is derived from a bend in the Rio Grande. The highest peak in Texas is Guadalupe Peak, which rises to 8,749 feet (2,667 metres) above sea level. Much of the native ruggedness of the region is preserved in Big Bend National Park.

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Texas | Map, Population, History, & Facts

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Texas, constituent state of the United States of America. It became the 28th state of the union in 1845. Texas occupies the south-central segment of the country and is the largest state in area except for Alaska. The state extends nearly 1,000 miles (1,600 km) from north to south and about the same distance from east to west.

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Weather & climate

Best time to visit

The weather in Texas varies across the state. The Gulf Coast experiences a maritime climate, whereas inland it's more continental, drier in the west, and wetter along the eastern border with Louisiana. Dallas experiences hot summers with higher humidity and thunderstorms; west and southwest Texas is hot and dry. Average temperature: 34 to 36ºC (93 to 96ºF) during summer; 12 to 14ºC (54 to 57ºF) during winter; and 19 to 22ºC (66 to 72ºF) for coastal winter temperatures. Hurricanes and tornados are not uncommon. The best time to visit Texas is during spring (late February to April), when the humidity is low and the days are warm and sunny.

Required clothing

Lightweights are advised throughout the year, with warmer clothes for the winter.

Geography

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The weather in Texas varies across the state. The Gulf Coast experiences a maritime climate, whereas inland it's more continental, drier in the west, and wetter along the eastern border with Louisiana. Dallas experiences hot summers with higher humidity and thunderstorms; west and southwest Texas is hot and dry.

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What was the main source of energy in the past.

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What was the main source of energy in the past.

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According to Wikipedia  the main source of energy in the past was coal and natural gas

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List of power stations in Texas - Wikipedia

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Texas has a wide variety of energy sources. Once dominated by natural gas and coal, the power mix has been changing rapidly. Wind generation replaced coal in the number two position in 2017. ERCOT has also approved the planned connection of much new generation capacity to the Texas electric grid, none of it coal.

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How has this energy source decreased the use of fossil fuels? 

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How has this energy source decreased the use of fossil fuels? 

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According to Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.
People invest in wind energy more than fossil fuels because wind energy is cheaper, renewable and eco-friendly.

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Advantages and Challenges of Wind Energy

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Wind energy advantages explain why wind power is one of the fast-growing renewable energy sources in all the world.

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According to Triple Pundit:

1)The winds are inconsistent, unsteady and unpredictable
2) Wind power is not cheap and like many energy sources, rely on government subsidies to remain competitive.
3) Wind farms are generally located in rural areas that might be otherwise picturesque. They are considered by some people to be an eyesore.
4) Noise complains from the turbines.
5) Wildlife impact. Not only birds, but bats have experienced fatalities.

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When we think of wind power, we generally think of those large, high tech towers with slowly spinning blades that have sprung up in the past decade on hilltops in many areas of the country. But the fact is, wind is one of the oldest sources of power used by man. Our ancient ancestors used the wind to propel boats, grind grain and pump water.

While all of these applications still exist today, wind power is now primarily used to generate electricity at both the large and the small scale. Our discussion today will focus on large utility scale installations. In all cases, it is the kinetic energy, or movement of the air, that provides the mechanical power to perform the various forms of work.

According to a recent report posted by the DOE's National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL), renewables can contribute 80% of American electricity by the year 2050. Much of it will be provided by wind power installations of this type.

Wind power has some obvious advantages: it's clean and renewable and relatively cheap. While these advantages are largely global in nature (e.g. reduced greenhouse gas emissions and fossil fuel depletion), the disadvantages are primarily local (e.g. land use, noise and visual pollution). Of course, the main disadvantage of wind power is that the wind does not blow consistently or steadily.

Other issues have been raised, which have often been misconceptions. For example, one criticism is that windmills kill lots of wild birds. This was true of the early windmills, especially in the case of the wind farm located near Altamont Pass in California. Those turbines spun at high speeds and were located near a major avian thoroughfare. Today's high efficiency turbines spin at lower speeds and use smooth poles to support the turbine instead of the lattice-style structures used earlier - which actually made nice bird nesting grounds.

Today, even the Audubon Society supports wind power, recognizing that global warming causing a far greater threat to the long term viability of bird populations than the occasional collision of a bird with a tower. The number of annual bird fatalities ( around 20,000) is tiny when compared to transmission lines or cats.

Another controversy that has been brewing recently is the idea that windmills can cause global warming. This is another misconception.

Based on a study produced at the State University of NY (SUNY) at Albany, the ground around the turbines can warm up at night. This is due to the mixing, by the turbines, of the cool night air at ground level with the warmer air above. While the effect is real, the concern is not, since this phenomenon does not introduce new heat into the planet's atmosphere, as the carbon dioxide layer does by trapping heat that would otherwise escape into space. Rather, this small, localized effect is simply mixing heat that is already there, with cooler air below it. If you think of it as a pot of soup on a stove, the sun provides the heat, the greenhouse gases form the lid, and the action of the windmills would be like you stirring the soup, albeit with a very small spoon. Life on Earth, as we know it today, evolved at temperatures that were present before the lid was on.

It is true that this mixing of air could impact local weather in the vicinity of the windmills, but experts believe that this effect can be reduced with enhanced turbine blade designs that minimize mixing and by siting the turbines in areas that are naturally more turbulent.

Here then are the wind power pros and cons.
Pros

Clean energy, no fuel to drill, frack, mine, transport or burn

Renewable and sustainable

Costs are relatively low and continue to decrease

Abundant domestic supply (16X current electric demand!)

The power is essentially free once the infrastructure is paid for.

Low life cycle carbon footprint. Breakeven in eight months.

Can be used almost anywhere.

Cons

As mentioned earlier, the wind is inconsistent, unsteady and unpredictable

Wind power is not cheap and like many energy sources, rely on government subsidies to remain competitive.

Wind farms are generally located in rural areas that might be otherwise picturesque. They are considered by some people to be an eyesore.

Some people complain of noise from the turbines.

Wildlife impact. Not only birds, but bats have experienced fatalities.

Localized impact on night-time temperatures and weather

At the end of 2011, the US had 46,919MW of installed wind capacity. This number is expected to grow rapidly, whether or not production tax credits (PTC) are renewed. There have been a number of recent mergers among wind developers as the industry consolidates.

In summary, wind power, is not a perfect solution, but it is far better than just about anything else we have available at the moment. I would consider it a good long term transitional energy source over the next fifty to a hundred years.

The other good thing about wind: unlike nuclear power, or tar sands oil, which will each leave a long term toxic legacy, when we are finally done with wind, we can simply take down the towers and allow nature to grow back in.

[Image credit: Theodore Scott: Flickr Creative Commons]

What about other energy sources?

RP Siegel, PE, is the President of Rain Mountain LLC. He is also the co-author of the eco-thriller Vapor Trails, the first in a series covering the human side of various sustainability issues including energy, food, and water in an exciting and entertaining format. Now available on Kindle.

Follow RP Siegel on Twitter.

RP Siegel, author and inventor, shines a powerful light on numerous environmental and technological topics. His work has appeared in Triple Pundit, GreenBiz, Justmeans, CSRWire, Sustainable Brands, PolicyInnovations, Social Earth, 3BL Media, ThomasNet, Huffington Post, Strategy+Business, Mechanical Engineering, and engineering.com among others . He is the co-author, with Roger Saillant, of Vapor Trails, an adventure novel that shows climate change from a human perspective. RP is a professional engineer - a prolific inventor with 52 patents and President of Rain Mountain LLC a an independent product development group. RP recently returned from Abu Dhabi where he traveled as the winner of the 2015 Sustainability Week blogging competition.Contact: bobolink52@gmail.com

Follow RP Siegel @RPSiegel

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When we think of wind power, we generally think of those large high tech towers with slowly spinning blades that have sprung recently up on hilltops in many areas of the country. But the fact is, wind is one of the oldest sources of power used by man.

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Geography:
Texas comprises a series of vast regions, from the fertile and densely populated Coastal Plains in the southeast to the high plains and mountains in the west and northwest according to Encyclopedia Britannica

Climate :
According to World Travel Guide, Dallas experiences hot summers with higher humidity and thunderstorms; west and southwest Texas is hot and dry. Average temperature: 34 to 36ºC (93 to 96ºF) during summer; 12 to 14ºC (54 to 57ºF) during winter; and 19 to 22ºC (66 to 72ºF) for coastal winter temperatures.

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An Onshore Wind Turbine is a photograph by Ashley Cooper which was uploaded on July 26th, 2016.

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Windturbines In Sunset is a photograph by E Petersen which was uploaded on April 12th, 2010.

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Windmill farm after The Storm is a photograph by Richard Stillwell which was uploaded on January 30th, 2012.

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Windturbines In Sunset is a photograph by E Petersen which was uploaded on April 12th, 2010. The photograph may be purchased as wall art, home decor, apparel, phone cases, greeting cards, and more. All products are produced on-demand and shipped worldwide within 2 - 3 business days.

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Cattle And Windmills In Alberta Canada is a photograph by Yva Momatiuk and John Eastcott which was uploaded on December 7th, 2016.

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After The Storm is a photograph by Richard Stillwell which was uploaded on January 30th, 2012. The photograph may be purchased as wall art, home decor, apparel, phone cases, greeting cards, and more. All products are produced on-demand and shipped worldwide within 2 - 3 business days.

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An Onshore Wind Turbine by Ashley Cooper

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An Onshore Wind Turbine is a photograph by Ashley Cooper which was uploaded on July 26th, 2016. The photograph may be purchased as wall art, home decor, apparel, phone cases, greeting cards, and more. All products are produced on-demand and shipped worldwide within 2 - 3 business days.

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Cattle And Windmills In Alberta Canada by Yva Momatiuk and John Eastcott

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Cattle And Windmills In Alberta Canada is a photograph by Yva Momatiuk and John Eastcott which was uploaded on December 7th, 2016. The photograph may be purchased as wall art, home decor, apparel, phone cases, greeting cards, and more. All products are produced on-demand and shipped worldwide within 2 - 3 business days.

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Windmill Farm Outside Of Pincher Creek is a photograph by Robert Postma which was uploaded on May 21st, 2012.

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Windmill Farm Outside Of Pincher Creek by Robert Postma

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Windmill Farm Outside Of Pincher Creek is a photograph by Robert Postma which was uploaded on May 21st, 2012. The photograph may be purchased as wall art, home decor, apparel, phone cases, greeting cards, and more. All products are produced on-demand and shipped worldwide within 2 - 3 business days.

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What could be the economic impact? How much money would it cost? How much would it save the average person? 

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What could be the economic impact? How much money would it cost? How much would it save the average person? 

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According to  AWEA ( American Wind Energy ),
Wind energy is one of the most affordable forms of electricity today, with utility executives noting “Wind prices are extremely competitive right now, offering lower costs than other possible resources”.

Recent improvements in turbine technology have reduced the cost of wind energy, allowing electricity consumers and utilities to lock in low, affordable electricity rates through 20 to 30 year contracts.

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What are the current policies to support or develop the resource? If none, is there a debate about using it? Describe the issue. 

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What are the current policies to support or develop the resource? If none, is there a debate about using it? Describe the issue. 

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According to AWEA ( American Wind Energy ), A number of states legislative and regulatory activities influence the wind industry's ability to compete in the electric market.  A few of the key state-level policies AWEA pursues include:
1) Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS), also known as a renewable electricity standard (RES)
2) The federal production tax credit (PTC)
3) Favorable transmission policies
4) Prudent siting policies
5) the Case study in exemplary state policy
6) Partners in state policy

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Are there disadvantages to THIS type of renewable energy?

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Are there disadvantages to THIS type of renewable energy?

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According to the web site ¨Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy¨ some disadvantages of wind power are:
1) Wind power must still compete with conventional generation sources on a cost basis.
2) Good wind sites are often located in remote locations,
3) Wind resource development might not be the most profitable use of the land.
4) Turbines might cause noise and aesthetic pollution.
5) Turbine blades could damage local wildlife.

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Advantages and Challenges of Wind Energy

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Wind energy advantages explain why wind power is one of the fast-growing renewable energy sources in all the world.

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What are specific advantages of using THIS renewable resource? 

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What are specific advantages of using THIS renewable resource? 

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According to the web site ¨Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy¨ some advantages of wind power are:
1) Wind power is cost-effective.
2) Wind creates more jobs.
3) Wind enables U.S. industry growth and U.S. competitiveness.
4) It's a clean fuel source.
5) Wind is a domestic source of energy.
6) It's sustainable.
7) Wind turbines can be built on existing farms or ranches.

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Advantages and Challenges of Wind Energy

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Wind energy advantages explain why wind power is one of the fast-growing renewable energy sources in all the world.

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Picture(s) to help explain/show what this type of energy is

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Picture(s) to help explain/show what this type of energy is

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How much of the United States’ overall energy consumption/production currently comes from this type of energy? 

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How much of the United States’ overall energy consumption/production currently comes from this type of energy? 

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According to the IER (Institute for energy research) administration, 6% of U.S. electricity production comes from Wind power and  only  1.9 % of the energy is consumes by Americans.

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Historically, harnessing the power of the wind as an energy source has freed man from manual labor for centuries. Windmills were first broadly used to mill grain by turning stones, and later as an efficient means of pumping water into storage for later use on demand. Today, wind power is turned into electricity by converting the rotation of turbine blades on windmills into electrical current.

Courtesy DOE/NREL PPM Energy

Wind power is typically generated by large-scale wind farms which are located either on land or just off shore where they are connected to power grids that distribute their electricity to end users. Some small consumers of power also employ wind power where construction of transmission lines is expensive or prohibited.

Today, wind power provides 1.9 percent of all the energy consumed in the United States. Though wind power has increased substantially since 1970, it constitutes only a small fraction of U.S. electricity supply. In 2015, wind power accounted for 4.7 percent of all electricity generated in the U.S.

Wind power can be viable for companies in areas where prevailing conditions are favorable, especially if the government compels the production of renewable energy.

However, sufficient wind for economically generated power is not always available. For example, according to the Energy Information Administration, relatively few areas in the eastern half of the United States are rated as having "class six" winds-15.7 mph at a height of 33 feet-or "superb" for wind power generation. Other areas of the country hold great promise for expanding wind power generation, but in many instances opposition has grown just as the industry has approached commercial viability.

Like solar power, wind power requires an extensive amount of land or, in the case of near-shore power generation, sea. For comparison purposes, and taking into account capacity (or load factors), the land area covered by a wind power station of the same energy output as a nuclear power station would be about 2,000 times as great.

Recent technological and efficiency gains have led to more sophisticated wind units, capable of producing over 3 megawatts each, and trading surface disturbance for the larger, higher and more visible newer units.

Though wind farms release no emissions into the air, they have their own set of environmental problems. Rotating wind turbines can injure or kill birds and bats. They also strike some individuals as aesthetically degrading to the landscapes and seascapes they occupy. Some complain of noise. Others have objected to the transmission lines necessary to transmit electricity from remote locations to the electricity consumers.

Wind power has seen substantial growth in recent years, aided by tax subsidies and state government mandates to purchase renewable energy through establishment of "renewable portfolio standards," or RPS. Many utilities mandated by the government to sell a certain amount of their electricity from renewable sources have turned to wind power as one of the less expensive renewable power sources.

The Federal Government has extended the production tax credit (PTC) for wind several times since it was first introduced as part of the Energy Policy Act of 1992. The American Taxpayer Relief Act passed on January 1, 2013 extended the production tax credit through 2013, but with definitional differences that make the tax credit more expensive for taxpayers than its original incarnation. While the original PTC stipulated that the wind unit must begin operation in the year of the credit, the extension that was passed indicates only that the project must begin construction in 2013 with no specific date for beginning operation. It is therefore a significant expansion of the current law. Further, the Internal Revenue Service upped the credit from 2.2 cents per kilowatt hour to 2.3 cents per kilowatt hour. It is paid on electricity generated for the first 10 years of operation of the wind unit. More recently, Public Law No. 113-295 extended the PTC through 2014, and in December 2015, Congress extended it for 5 years in the Omnibus Bill. The new legislation retroactively extended the PTC for 2015, leaving the incentive at its 2.3 cents per kilowatt hour level through 2016 and phasing it down at 80 percent of its present value in 2017, 60 percent in 2018 and 40 percent in 2019. The rules allow wind projects to qualify as long as they start construction before the end of the period.

In lieu of the production tax credit, President Obama's economic stimulus signed into law in February 2009 made a 30 percent investment tax credit available to wind farms. Previously, wind farms were allowed under the section 1603 grants to take that 30 percent as an immediate rebate of their investment cost instead of taking the 30 percent over time as a tax credit. The 1603 program expired at the end of 2011.

Besides the subsidies that wind power receives, more than half the states have renewable portfolio standards requiring a certain percentage of their electricity to be generated from qualified renewable energy technologies. These standards have helped to develop onshore wind energy as it is the least expensive qualifying renewable technology. No offshore wind farms have been built to date, though there are proposals for offshore wind farms along the Atlantic coast and in the Great Lakes. Offshore wind is more than 2.5 times more expensive than onshore wind, according to the Energy Information Administration.

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Historically, harnessing the power of the wind as an energy source has freed man from manual labor for centuries. Windmills were first broadly used to mill grain by turning stones, and later as an efficient means of pumping water into storage for later use on demand.

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How is this energy captured and delivered? Are there limitations to where the energy can be captured versus where it’s used?

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How is this energy captured and delivered? Are there limitations to where the energy can be captured versus where it’s used?

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According to Sciencing, The energy is captured in the grid then  it is transported to the consumer via a series of transmission and distribution networks. Each component of the network changes the voltage of the electrical power to optimize its transition to the next part of the network.

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How Does Electricity Move From the Wind Turbine to the Businesses and Communities That Buy It?

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Electricity produced in wind turbines is transported to the consumer via a series of transmission and distribution networks. Each component of the network changes the voltage of the electrical power to optimize its transition to the next part of the network. Due to the structure of these networks it is currently not possible to buy wind energy alone.

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How does it work? Describe the science behind it and/or the equipment that is used. 

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How does it work? Describe the science behind it and/or the equipment that is used. 

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According to Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy, When the wind blows past a turbine, the blades capture the kinetic energy and rotate, turning it into mechanical energy. This rotation turns an internal shaft connected to a gearbox, which increases the speed of rotation by a factor of 100. That spins a generator to produce the electricity.

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Wind is a form of solar energy caused by a combination of three concurrent events:

1. The sun unevenly heating the atmosphere

2. Irregularities of the earth's surface

3. The rotation of the earth.

Wind flow patterns and speeds vary greatly across the United States and are modified by bodies of water, vegetation, and differences in terrain. Humans use this wind flow, or motion energy, for many purposes: sailing, flying a kite, and even generating electricity.

The terms "wind energy" and "wind power" both describe the process by which the wind is used to generate mechanical power or electricity. This mechanical power can be used for specific tasks (such as grinding grain or pumping water) or a generator can convert this mechanical power into electricity.

A wind turbine turns wind energy into electricity using the aerodynamic force from the rotor blades, which work like an airplane wing or helicopter rotor blade. When wind flows across the blade, the air pressure on one side of the blade decreases. The difference in air pressure across the two sides of the blade creates both lift and drag. The force of the lift is stronger than the drag and this causes the rotor to spin. The rotor connects to the generator, either directly (if it's a direct drive turbine) or through a shaft and a series of gears (a gearbox) that speed up the rotation and allow for a physically smaller generator. This translation of aerodynamic force to rotation of a generator creates electricity.

Types of Wind Turbines

The majority of wind turbines fall into two basic types:

When wind turbines of any size are installed on the "customer" side of the electric meter, or are installed at or near the place where the energy they produce will be used, they're called "distributed wind.

Many turbines used in distributed applications are small wind turbines. Single small wind turbines-below 100 kilowatts-are typically used for residential, agricultural, and small commercial and industrial applications.

Small turbines can be used in hybrid energy systems with other distributed energy resources, such as microgrids powered by diesel generators, batteries, and photovoltaics.

These systems are called hybrid wind systems and are typically used in remote, off-grid locations( where a connection to the utility grid is not available) and are becoming more common in grid-connected applications for resiliency.

Learn more about distributed wind from the Distributed Wind Animation or read about what the Wind Energy Technologies Office is doing to support the deployment of distributed wind systems for homes, businesses, farms, and community wind projects.

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Learn the basics of how wind turbines operate to produce clean power from an abundant, renewable resource-the wind.

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According to inspire,  Wind  power or energy  is obtained from wind through the great use of windmills and turbines.

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Since the Industrial Revolution, people around the world have been dependent on fossil fuels as a source of energy. Within the past thirty years, it's become evident that fossil fuels - much like the dinosaurs that were believed to have died to produce them - aren't a sustainable resource. Burning fossil fuels is taking a serious toll on the planet in the form of carbon emissions. This has led to the development of newer, cleaner sources of renewable energy. One of the foremost technologies among these is wind power.

The idea of using the wind as a power source isn't completely new. After all, sailing has powered ships for over 7,000 years, and windmills have long been used to process grain. Today, advancements in wind turbine technology allow us to harness the wind with greater efficiency. Depending on where you live, you may have driven past a wind farm. Throughout 40 different US states, around 1,000 large-scale wind farm projects generate a combined 74,000 megawatts of electricity. By 2020 the American Wind Energy Association projects that wind will provide 10% of America's power needs.

What's going on inside a wind turbine?

The journey from wind in the air to electricity begins with a circular arrangement of large rotor blades, which together serve as the turbine.

Turbines are designed with optimal curvature so they can capture as much wind as possible. The wind turbine's job is to capture kinetic energy from the wind's motion, which spins the blades in turn.

The blades serve to spin gears inside a gearbox. This is located inside the nacelle - that's the main body of the turbine - to which the blades at the front are attached. The drive shaft's rotation, powered directly by the blades, is slow - around 16 RPM (revolutions per minute). The gears wind up, convert this motion into a much faster rotation of 1600 RPM. This powers the electrical generator. This generator produces usable power for the electrical grid, where it makes its way to local homes. Learn more about what the grid actually is here.

Wind farms: on land and at sea

A wind farm is a collection of numerous wind turbines, designed to harness enough electricity for utility applications.

There are two main types of wind farms: onshore wind farms and offshore wind farms.

Onshore wind farms are clustered in a particularly windy area of land. One example is California's San Gorgonio Pass wind farm. This area was chosen because it's one of the windiest spots in the state, making it capable of generating power more times during the year. There are similar wind farms scattered across the United States. Quietly generating clean electricity for homes across the country.

Offshore wind farms take advantage of the higher and more consistent wind speeds that are found at sea. Offshore turbines can harness quite a bit more power than wind farms located on land, but the logistics of constructing them are more challenging. However, as the technology continues to progress, it's becoming possible to make better use of high-output offshore wind farms. They're currently being developed for the US market, and the first power from an offshore turbine went online in August 2016.

The Future of Wind Power

As a technology, wind power is still in its infancy.

This powerful, clean, and fully renewable resource is one of the best candidates for viable alternatives to fossil fuels. For years, wind power has been one of the fastest growing clean energy technologies in the United States. In both Europe and the US, there are plans to increase wind power to 20% of the total generated electricity by 2030.

Offshore wind energy is a particularly promising new frontier. The winds at sea are stronger and more consistent than those on land, making offshore wind farms an appealing resource for clean, efficient energy generation. The obstacle has been a matter of logistics. Building wind farms located offshore is an expensive and challenging undertaking, as is transmitting electricity efficiently from the wind farm to the power grid.

Engineers and researchers are already working on these problems, and in the future, the power of wind is expected to grow even more. Simple yet remarkably effective, wind turbines will continue to be a powerful and plentiful source of clean energy throughout the coming decades.

How can you help?

Switching to wind energy to power your home is something that you can do yourself right now.

If you'd like to know more about clean energy programs with Inspire, check out our clean power plans for both business and residential.

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Where Does Wind Power Come From? Wind Farms & Turbines | Inspire

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Since the Industrial Revolution, people around the world have been dependent on fossil fuels as a source of energy. Within the past thirty years, it's become evident that fossil fuels - much like the dinosaurs that were believed to have died to produce them - aren't a sustainable resource.

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Wind