37 Must Know Wind Energy Facts For Kids On Renewable Energy

Natural resources like wind and solar power which can be replenished make renewable energy.

These resources are constantly being replenished, which makes them sustainable. Contrary to fossil fuels, which take millions of years to form, renewable resources can be used over and over again.

Renewable energy has many benefits! It's clean, sustainable, and renewable energy is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint. Additionally, renewable energy is becoming more and more cost-competitive with traditional forms of energy.

Wind turbines use the power of the wind to turn gears. These gears then spin a shaft that is connected to a generator and electricity is produced. Wind turbines can be used either on land or offshore, in the wind industry.

Wind energy is one of the world's fastest-growing and most commonly used renewable energy sources, and for good reason! It's a clean energy that emits no pollution, and mass manufacturing, government subsidies, and advances in wind turbines tech are starting to make more affordable.

In this article, we'll discuss the benefits of wind energy and how it's helping to create a more sustainable future. Learn facts about the wind energy industry here when you read more.

Forms Of Renewable And Non-Renewable Energy

Renewable sources of energy come from natural resources that can be replaced, like wind and solar power.

• Renewable resources are constantly being replenished, so they are sustainable. Unlike fossil fuels, which take millions of years to form, renewable resources can be used over and over again.
• Renewable sources of energy include solar, wind, water, geothermal, and biomass.
• Solar energy comes from the sun and can be used to generate electricity or heat.
• Wind energy is created by the movement of air and produces electricity. Water power comes from the kinetic energy of moving water, which can be used to generate electricity.
• Geothermal energy comes from the heat of the earth’s core and can be used to generate electricity or heat.
• Biomass energy comes from organic matter, like plants and animals, which can be used to generate electricity or fuel.
• Non-renewable sources of energy come from resources that can’t be replaced, like coal and oil. These resources are finite, which means they will eventually run out.
• Non-renewable sources of energy include coal, oil, natural gas, and nuclear power.
• Coal is a solid fossil fuel that is burned to generate electricity.
• Oil is a liquid fossil fuel that is used to power vehicles and heat homes.
• Natural gas is a gas fossil fuel that is used to generate electricity and heat homes.
• Nuclear power comes from the energy released by splitting atoms and can be used to generate electricity.
• The first step in generating electricity from wind energy is to build a wind turbine. Wind turbines are usually built in tall towers because the wind is stronger at higher altitudes.
• Once the turbine is built, the blades are turned by the wind to spin a shaft connected to a generator. This generator then creates electricity that can be used to power homes and businesses.

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Wind Energy

Wind energy has many advantages!

• Wind energy is clean energy, which makes it sustainable. Renewable energy is also a great way to reduce your carbon footprint.
• Additionally, renewable energy is becoming more and more cost-competitive with traditional forms of energy.
• Windmills have been around since 200 B.C. and were invented in Persia and China.
• Winds were used by ancient seafarers to travel to faraway regions.
• Wind power was used by farmers to pump water and process crops.
• Today, the most common application of wind energy is to transform it into electrical energy in order to satisfy the planet's vital energy demands.
• However, non-renewable sources of energy also have some drawbacks. They are finite, which means they will eventually run out. Additionally, they can be harmful to the environment if not used properly.
• The output of a single turbine can fluctuate dramatically and quickly when local wind speeds change.
• The average power production becomes less variable and more predictable as more turbines are linked over greater regions.
• Weather forecasting allows the electric-power network to be prepared for predicted changes in production because of the wind capacity of the area. As the hot air rises, there can be a change in wind power, affecting the production of wind energy.
• One of the most significant genuine issues to wind power grid integration in some countries is the need to build new transmission lines to carry power from wind farms.
• These wind turbines are typically located in remote, sparsely populated areas because of the availability of wind power, to high-load locations, which are typically on the coasts, where population density is higher.
• Existing transmission lines in distant areas may not have been built to carry huge quantities of energy. Peak wind speeds may not correspond with peak demand for electrical power, whether offshore or onshore, in some geographic locations.
• An HVDC super grid might be used to connect widely scattered geographic locations in the future.

How is wind energy created?

Wind energy is created by the movement of air. The wind turns the blades of a turbine, which generates electricity.

• Wind energy is among the fastest production energy sources. Wind turbines transform the kinetic energy of the wind into mechanical energy.
• The mechanical energy is subsequently converted into electrical energy by the generators. Windmills allow sails to propel vessels, which leads to electricity production.
• Modern turbines harness wind energy, which may be as tall as 20-story buildings and have blades three 0.03 mi (0.06 km) long blades. They look like big airplane propellers placed on a stick.
• The wind spins the blades, which transfers motion to a shaft attached to a generator, which generates energy. The faster the wind speeds, the greater electricity production.
• The Smith-Putnam wind turbine, the world's first modern wind turbine (megawatt-size), was linked to the local electric power grid in 1941.
• The turbine ran for 1100 hours until a blade collapsed at a suspected weak area that had not been strengthened owing to material shortages during the war.
• Until 1979, it was the biggest wind turbine ever built. This wind turbine technology was being used for mass production to harness the energy of wind's kinetic energy to produce electricity.
• Onshore turbines are now built-in installed capacity ranging from 2.5 -3 MW, with blades ranging from 0.031- 0.037 mi (0.05-0.06 km) in length. The wind spins the blades, which transmits motion to a shaft attached to a generator, which generates energy.
• In terms of offshore wind, a 3.6 MW offshore wind turbine can power well over 3,312 typical EU dwellings. This is due to the sea breeze.
• Wind power is unusual since it doesn't require anyone or any machinery to pump water to use wind power.
• It's estimated that by 2030 wind power could save approximately 30 trillion bottles of water in the United States alone.
• The largest turbines can generate enough energy to power 600 UK households.
• Hundreds of turbines form wind farms. Wind farms are organized in lines along windy ridges.
• A small turbine or wind project in the backyard can conveniently power a small firm or a residence.
• Many wind farms generate rental money for the rural villages in which they are located, providing a valuable cash source.
• The wind energy business is expanding at a rapid pace.
• From 2000 to 2006, the global generation quadrupled. If current growth rates continue, wind energy will be able to fulfill one-third of global energy demands by 2050.
• Wind energy is the world's fastest expanding source of power production.
• Wind energy investment totaled $25 billion in 2012. Modern wind turbines provide more than 15 times the amount of energy produced in 1990. Wind power is a $10 billion a year industry in the United States!
• Smaller wind turbines can charge batteries or provide backup power lines even to rural communities.
• A small turbine could be linked to the main grid via your power supply or can operate independently (off-grid). They may be mounted on a home's roof if there is sufficient wind speed. These are typically 1-2 kW in size.
• Albert Betz (1885-1968) was a German scientist who invented wind turbines. He discovered wind energy theory and published it in his 1919 book 'Wind-Energie.'
• Block Island Wind Farm is the first commercial offshore wind farm in the United States, located in the Atlantic Ocean 3.8 mi (6.11 km) off Block Island, Rhode Island. Deepwater Wind produced the five-turbine, 30 MW project.

Wind Energy In Relation To Solar Energy

• Renewable sources of energy, like wind and solar, are crucial to creating a sustainable future.
• Solar energy comes from the sun and can be used to generate electricity or heat. Wind energy is created by the movement of air and can be used to generate electricity.
• Both wind and solar are clean, sustainable forms of energy that can help reduce your carbon footprint.
• Solar energy is often used in conjunction with wind energy. High-pressure zones tend to offer clear skies and low surface breezes on daily to weekly timeframes, while low-pressure areas tend to be windier and cloudier.
• On seasonal timeframes, solar energy peaks in the summer, but wind energy is lower in the summer and greater in the winter in many regions. As a result, seasonal variations in wind and solar power tend to balance each other out. Wind hybrid power systems are gaining popularity.
• Wind energy penetration is the percentage of energy produced by wind as a percentage of overall generation. Wind power will account for over seven percent of global electricity consumption in 2021.
• With renewable electricity, just to see the wind and the sun work together is now a reality. The wind turbine tower is covered with high-efficiency panels in this hybridization of wind and solar energy.
• Because it's made to hide the internal electrical consumption of the wind turbine, the energy it creates makes the system even more sustainable.
• Gansu Wind Farm, the world's largest wind farm, features thousands of turbines. Offshore wind farms are also possible.
• Almost all big wind turbines have the same design; a horizontal axis wind turbine with a three-bladed upwind rotor linked to a nacelle on top of a long tubular tower.
• Wind turbine technology has evolved, lowering the cost of wind turbine technicians as well.
• Wind turbine blades are increasingly longer and lighter, and turbine performance and power-generating efficiency have improved.
• In addition, wind farms' capital expenditures and maintenance costs have continued to fall.
• It's been suggested that increasing the usage of wind power would result in more geopolitical competition for essential materials for wind turbines such as neodymium, praseodymium, and dysprosium.
• However, this viewpoint has been questioned for failing to recognize that the majority of wind turbines don't employ permanent magnets to use wind energy.
• Finally, it's important to realize that some facts about wind energy for underestimating the effectiveness of economic incentives for increased production of these minerals are misleading.