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Wind energy is the leading resource of renewable energy in the USA. Its electricity generation surpasses that of solar and hydro combined based on 2021 data.
From Europe to the US, the calls for the utilization of wind energy are not only sustained but growing alongside calls for a more persistent energy transition towards renewable energy sources away from fossil fuels. The issues range from energy independence to national security and more government support.
But this phenomenon begs the question–will this trend continue? Do the technology and economics hold up?
What is wind power?
Wind power or wind energy is the process that uses the renewable energy of wind to generate electricity. Human beings have used wind energy to generate power for many years now, from sails of a ship to floating wind turbines.
All wind power generation occurs in a similar way: using the wind to turn a blade that is converted into a more useful process like moving a boat or generating electricity.
Why Wind?
The evidence is clear that wind power is reliable at the commercial and residential levels. Wind turbines have improved by leaps and bounds from the design to the mechanical and electrical aspects. Turbines are at the forefront of modern electricity generation, and technological development is phenomenal.
Today, wind projects in the North Sea will use offshore wind turbines with 12 to 13 MW capacities. Such size wind farms might soon rise in the Atlantic Sea near New Jersey, New York, and Delaware.
On the residential side, it would be an important decision for your household or business to install a wind turbine. It would also take specific parameters to determine your property’s best wind turbine investment. If you’re looking for a reliable source of electricity, the wind is one that you can’t miss. If the opportunity is there, the wind can significantly benefit your household.
Is wind more expensive?
Although it’s a bit pricier on average, the costs plunge when the winds blow fast–similar to the Texas energy market. It also depends on your location and the time. According to a University of Texas analysis, wind can be the cheapest option in Central plains, upstate NY, the Northeast region, and the Appalachian Mountains (all highlighted green). The study examined the potential scenarios only based on the lowest-cost technology to guide future policymakers.
There are also various options to lower consumer bills, such as OREC (Offshore Renewable Energy Certificates) for offshore wind and other legislative measures. These measures can lower the cost of wind energy in terms of cents per kilowatt hour for consumers. Although the cost of electricity can go down by as much as 30 to 40% due to subsidies, this comes back to environmental benefits, tax revenues, and economic stimulation, similar to the Texas wind story.
Texas also can provide a cheap option for wind energy customers because of its transmission lines, which utility companies built over a decade ago. The state’s transmission infrastructure allowed bigger wind farms to invest more into larger turbines and higher efficiencies.
What are the local community benefits from wind projects?
Often, communities have the opportunity to mobilize and ask wind farm developers for benefits and investments into local training programs, education, and other subsidies related to the welfare of the community. On the economic side, wind power plant owners also pay a fee to landowners for installing a turbine on their land.
In a way, companies are beginning to understand wind’s role in the community as an economic driver and a socially responsible development unit. Examples are Ørsted’s wind farms on the Atlantic Coast that adopt best practices in helping the community build resilience.
Renewable electricity generation in the USA
The most advanced and developed renewable energy source in the USA is wind. Most notably, wind turbines can reduce greenhouse gas emissions without limiting the ability to provide regular electricity. The volume of electricity produced by wind turbines in 2021 shows why.
Based on data by Energy Information Administration in 2021, wind turbines are contributing to 9.2% of all electricity produced by the United States, which is ahead of hydropower and solar.
In the calculation of renewable electricity production, wind power is nearly 50% of all renewable electricity produced in the United States.
Unlocking the American wind energy potential
The nation’s wind supply is yet to be unlocked, especially offshore wind farms. According to the US Department of Energy, the country’s offshore wind potential is estimated at two terawatts or 7,200 terawatt-hours annually. 86 GW of additional capacity will be enough to power more than 20 million homes with only a 4% development!
In this regard, the Atlantic coast has jumpstarted the offshore wind industry in the USA and is receiving billions of dollars in investment. The goal of states like New Jersey and New York is to get offshore wind power plants online before 2030. Wind resource development in these states is being fast-tracked to achieve their goals for green energy in the next decade.
Why is wind an excellent renewable energy resource?
Simply put, the wind is everywhere. The wind is also free, and it blows where it will. The limitations are in the available technology and constraints in resources.
If you have a wind meter or anemometer that tells you that the wind speeds in your area can harness a wind turbine, it would be wise to consider how much it would take to invest in a turbine.
Advantages of wind energy
Like any renewable energy resource, wind energy receives energy from an unlimited source. The earth’s spin and light from the Sun produce atmospheric conditions that make air masses move around the globe under the circumstances of geography and terrain. As a viable source of electricity, it is also clean and green and does not release emissions.
Unlike conventional power plants, wind turbines produce energy based solely on blade design, wind speeds, and engine efficiency. Traditional power plants use lots of water to make the turbines turn–from coal to natural gas to nuclear power plants. A commercial wind farm potentially saves billions of gallons of water every year because its turbines run on wind energy.
Pros and cons of wind energy
The caveat is that the wind does not blow as often as we pump oil. With oil and gas, a switch is available that turns on a pipeline and a steady stream of gas. However, fossil fuel plants like nuclear plants have hidden costs–water.
Fossil fuel plants and nuclear plants use a lot of water to convert into steam and turn the turbines. According to EIA, 43.9% of all turbines in the USA are steam turbines. As the population grows, water may be harder to manage.
It is also clear that water is one of the most, if not the most, precious resources on earth. Its abundance, however, can quickly reach a limit if non-renewable sources continue to expand with cities.
On the other hand, wind turbines run purely on the wind and can operate without water. The costs of wind turbines are directly linked to the supply chain, as modern wind turbines source rare earth magnets mainly found in China.
Recycling wind turbine blades
Fiberglass, carbon fiber, and plastic constitute turbine blades because they are durable and can withstand extreme weather, vibration, and winds.
Fiberglass, at the moment, can be recycled. Still, commercial recycling is not yet achieved at scale to efficiently remove all decommissioned wind turbine blades. This means that most of the blades are only hauled and dumped for good–in the meantime.
However, some innovative companies use recycled wind turbine blades for 3D printing materials. It would be time and more investment to scale up the technology.
Recyclers can also work wind turbine blades’ durability to their advantage. Miljøskærm, a company that recycles the wind blades for sound barriers, is a step in the right direction. We can unlock other potential applications with a circular approach to the turbine supply.
Are the supply of rare earth for permanent magnets in wind turbines limited?
The circumstances regarding the rare earth monopoly of China might change beginning in 2023, as the mine-to-magnet supply chain in the USA will start to be established at the Round Top deposit in Hudspeth County, Texas.
USA Rare Earth with Texas Mineral Resources, the company that will mine the rare earth minerals at Round Top, has an initial production rate of 100 years. The minerals that USGS assessed at the site include 16 of the 17 rare earth minerals, which include Neodymium–the rare earth mineral used to build permanent magnets for large turbines.
The mining site also contains Gallium for semiconductors and lithium for electric car batteries. The polymetallic deposit site was considered a national strategic asset for the USA.
Deciding if wind energy is for you
There are several logistics, cost, and site implications when decision time hits you, and you are seriously considering a reliable off-grid energy source. Before studying the cost implications of the turbine, consider other factors:
- Your house’s energy efficiency. Suppose your house’s electricity consumption can be made more efficient. In that case, you might get a smaller turbine than you intended.
- Size of your lot and property. Ideally, it would be good to have 1 acre of land, which will profit from the wind energy your turbine will produce.
- Wind speeds. How often and how strong the wind blows depends on the earth’s surface irregularities, which have various wind speeds because of topography and uneven heat from the surface. Higher altitudes have stronger winds, and wide-open rural areas have less obstruction than the city.
- Zoning and permitting ordinances. It would be best to consider county restrictions, wildlife ordinances, state restrictions, and other zoning laws. Some areas also have aesthetic restrictions, while some have radar interferences. Check with your local building inspector or planning board for required permits.
Wind Turbine Specifications
Consult the manufacturer or dealer to understand the turbine design that will work best for your property. Turbine specifications requiring your assessment would be:
- Turbine height. In some places, it would be enough to have a wind turbine as high as 30 meters. Still, for some areas, the developer can extract wind energy only with a taller tower. As a rule of thumb, a wind tower must be 9 meters or 30 feet higher than the highest obstacle within 90 meters or 300 feet of the tower. This is one of the reasons why standalone turbines are usually installed in farms and rural areas. Though turbines are safe to operate in urban areas, structures can prevent the flow of wind, thus limiting the energy produced by the turbine.
- Wind turbine capacity. The manufacturer can provide the overall wind energy output of your turbine. The manufacturer will also inform you about the cut-in and cut-out speeds that are the operating ranges of the turbine.
- Wind turbine installation and maintenance cost. Factor in the installation cost and see how much of your upfront investment fits your budget.
Conclusion
The wind power capacity of wind farms is increasing, and at the same time, the technology is maturing. The supply chains are also beginning to develop in the USA. At the same time, past projects have proven that wind can offer a competitive commercial price compared to other sources.
The energy generated by the wind is also due to an exponential increase when many offshore wind farms go online. For the residential side, it takes a careful assessment, which is worth it for that living off-grid, those with no access to the state grid, or if incentives are available.