Wind power is one of America’s cleanest and most abundant energy resources. But it only works when the wind blows, making it less reliable than fossil fuels or nuclear power. Can wind power overcome its challenges and secure a place in a clean energy future? This week, energyNOW! looks at how the US is harnessing the power of the wind today, and what lies ahead for this renewable energy source. Capturing The Wind The biggest challenge facing wind energy is intermittency. Wind often blows strongest when power demand is lowest, and weakest when electricity is needed the most. Because today’s power grid needs electricity to be consumed the moment it’s generated, that means wind turbines send electricity to the grid half as often as an average coal plant. But what if wind farms could store the power that isn’t needed right away and sell it later when demand is high? Correspondent Patty Kim visits a new battery storage system built alongside a wind farm in the heart of coal country. The Midwest’s Wind Power Hub The Department of Energy says the potential for wind power is greatest in middle America, where strong, steady breezes blow across the prairie. But the wind farms built there often have to send their electricity across several states to find the homes and businesses that need it. So how can energy from small-town wind turbines reach big city power sockets? Correspondent Lee Patrick Sullivan goes inside the Midwest power grid’s control room and meets the people …
Video Rating: 5 / 5
January 23rd, 2012 at 10:22 pm
I have many ideas and concepts to improve current wind turbine tech like for instance the largest scale windmills deployed today to improve output by up to 500%. A simple reconfigure that would allow upscaling of the generator setup.
January 23rd, 2012 at 11:19 pm
WORLD RECORD: BIGGEST WIND TURBINE
Visit: windturbinecarriedbywheels.weebly.com
ZERO-NOISE from gears and generators since they are sealed underground.
SAVES THE BIRDS AND BATS since slow-moving.
DOES NOT NEED TO OCCUPY A WIDER LANDSCAPE since the turbine can be very tall.
MAY BE LOWER-COST since it may use timber and other cheaper things.
ELUDES HURRICANE FORCE since the blades automatically close.
NO FIRE since well-cooled.
HELPS THE WIND ENERGY COMPANIES since it is FREE FOR ALL.
January 23rd, 2012 at 11:45 pm
WORLD RECORD: BIGGEST WIND TURBINE
Visit: windturbinecarriedbywheels.weebly.com
ZERO-NOISE from gears and generators since they’re sealed underground.
SAVES THE BIRDS AND BATS since the turbines are slow-moving.
DOES NOT NEED TO OCCUPY A WIDER LANDSCAPE since the turbine can be very tall.
MAY BE LOWER-COST since it can use parts of junked trucks and others.
ELUDES HURRICANE FORCE since the blades automatically close.
HELPS THE WIND ENERGY COMPANIES since it is FREE FOR ALL.
January 24th, 2012 at 12:22 am
WORLD RECORD: BIGGEST WIND TURBINE
windturbinecarriedbywheels.weebly.com
ZERO-NOISE from the gears and the generator because they are silenced underground (Only the outer parts of the turbine may create sound.).
This SAVES THE BIRDS AND BATS (since slow-moving) and helps the wind energy companies (since it is FREE FOR ALL.).