Energy Tech Review

Kenny Peruzzi

Wind energy is becoming a dominant renewable energy source, accounting for a small but rapidly expanding portion of power output

Fremont, CA: Since wind is significantly strong after the sun has heated the ground for a period of time, wind and solar energy complement each other. Warm air rises from the hottest locations, making space for new air to rush in, resulting in horizontal wind currents. During the day, consumers can use solar energy, and in the evening and at night, they can use wind energy. Wind energy has a larger value in places where solar energy production is too cloudy or dark, especially at higher latitudes.

Utility-scale land-based wind turbines are typically 250 feet tall and have a capacity of 2.55 megawatts, producing enough electricity to power hundreds of homes. While land-based wind farms may be out in the middle of nowhere, they are usually straightforward to reach and connect to existing electrical systems. Smaller turbines, which are commonly used in distributed systems that generate power for local use rather than sale, are roughly 100 feet tall and produce 5 to 100 kilowatts.

Future of wind energy

Engineers are working on developing airborne wind turbines, in which the components are either floated by a gas such as helium or use their own aerodynamics to stay high in the air, where the wind is greater. Offshore, where traditional wind turbines on tall towers are expensive and difficult to deploy, these systems are being examined.

Wind energy technology is also being inspired by trees, which can resist gale force and yet move in response to breezes from every direction. Engineers are speculating on the possibility of creating artificial wind-harvesting trees. This would necessitate the development of new materials and systems capable of converting energy from a tree's complicated movements into the consistent rotation required by standard generators. Wind energy harvested near the ground with compact, less visible technology and in complex airflows, such as cities, is the prize.