Is Wind Power Renewable or Non-Renewable?

Is Wind Renewable or Nonrenewable

There are numerous ways of harnessing energy: wind, solar, coal, gas, biomass, geothermal, tidal are among the most commonly used sources. Some are better for the environment than others. Some energy comes from renewable sources that occur naturally or occur regularly, while others rely on a finite amount of oil and other fuels that take much longer to replenish.

One of the more efficient ways of achieving cleaner, renewable energy is through the cultivation of wind farms. A wind farm is a group of wind turbines in the same location used to produce electricity. It saves money, causes minimal damage to the environment and its surrounding wildlife and is cultivated from an infinite source of energy.

Can You Use Wind Power To Power Your Home?

Many experts believe that in decades to come, wind will come to the forefront of renewable energy sources, and may become one of the most commonly used sources, both commercially and for individual properties and residences.

Experts believe that wind power will soon be at the forefront of the clean energy revolution, and in many states you can easily switch to renewable energy to start powering your home with 100% clean and renewable energy from sources like wind power.

And did you know that in most deregulated states, a renewable energy company like Inspire can help you lower reliance on fossil fuels and provide more clean energy to the grid? It has never been easier to switch to renewable energy sources in your everyday life.

Wind power has some of the lowest environmental impacts of any source of electricity generation and is becoming increasingly common, although hydropower is currently the largest renewable energy source for electricity in the United States. While it’s far more environmentally friendly than fossil fuels, it contributes to low-level water pollution levels. Because of this, it may not be as sustainable an energy source as wind power.

What is considered a renewable resource?

So what exactly is a renewable energy source? Renewable energy has gained a lot of attention in recent years due to an increased awareness of the damaging effects of nonrenewable energy sources. Aside from saving money, renewable energy sources are beneficial due to the decreased amount of damage they cause to the environment.

A renewable energy source is one that comes from natural sources that are naturally replenished every day – or close to it. Solar, wind, geothermal and hydroelectric action are all examples of renewable energy sources. More focus should be placed upon such energy sources as the norm because they are much easier to cultivate, and sources never deplete.

What makes wind a renewable resource?

The fact that there is a limitless supply of wind makes it renewable. The same goes for solar energy – the sun will always shine, and there will always be wind; the amount just depends on the day.

Wind energy produced through wind farms does not pollute the earth with nitric oxide, nitrogen dioxide or sulfur dioxide, smog, or acid rain, which many other forms of traditional fuels do. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) predicts that wind energy may prevent 12.3 gigatons of greenhouse gases by 2050.

What type of energy is wind?

Wind is considered a green energy source. It is sustainable, renewable and does not release carbon emissions as a by-product.

How does wind power work?

Wind power works (in most cases) when the wind causes two or three aerodynamic, propeller-like blades on a wind turbine to rotate around a rotor (thus capturing the winds kinetic energy). This action spins a shaft, and an additional motor helps increase the speed. This turning helps a generator create an electric current to make electricity.

Wind turbines typically rise 100 feet or more into the air to take advantage of the faster wind speeds from higher altitudes. Because these turbines are tall, the space they take up is mostly high above us, which means that the ground area they use is notably small. The area around wind turbines can be left alone or used for farming.

Is wind a sustainable energy source?

Wind is very much a sustainable energy source. It uses kinetic energy that exists naturally in the wind and converts it to electrical energy that we can use to power anything and everything that operates on electricity. Wind power is sustainable because it is an energy source that does not create waste or cause carbon emissions, soot, smog, acid rain or global warming. Alongside solar and waste to fuels, wind power is among the cleanest and most sustainable energy sources we can use.

Wind farms also indirectly save the country money by reducing the costs spent on importing fossil fuels. Those saved dollars can be used to support domestic infrastructure, helping make us more self-sufficient.

Is wind power considered green energy?

Yes, wind power is considered to be green energy because it produces zero carbon emissions. Clean energy refers to ways of generating electricity that produce no or minimal carbon emissions, while green energy refers to renewable sources of energy (solar, wind) with zero carbon emissions during operations.

It’s important to note this difference as there are numerous renewable (aka “green”) energy sources that aren’t actually good for the environment. For example, we can burn garbage (known as waste-to-energy or bioenergy) to produce electricity. Of course, we have been producing non-recyclable waste for years, and until this changes, waste-to-energy will continue to be a renewable source. Yes, it is a solution, but the smoke produced contributes to climate change and harms the atmosphere.

If you want to ensure your energy comes from a clean energy source and not just a “green” one, we’re here to help. Find out more about how Inspire can help you make the best decisions for the world and your wallet here.

How much of electricity production is produced by wind energy?

In 2019, wind energy was the source of around 7.2% of total U.S. electricity generation, which is enough to power 27.5 million homes. Wind energy also produced about 42% of the electricity generated from renewable energy sources. This was a huge jump from a few years before this: in 2012, the amount of wind energy produced in the United States was at the point of being able to power 15 million homes.

Why is wind energy important?

Wind energy is an extremely important and beneficial source of energy for several reasons:

• It is sustainable. The wind has been and always will be available to us. While certain days may provide more wind than others, it remains an infinite source of energy. This means it guarantees longevity and will never run out.
• It’s a cheap energy source for the home. Utility companies can offer wind energy to homes that can help to hedge against uncertain fuel costs. This is a much safer option than fossil fuels, which fluctuate depending on resources and worldwide costs.
• It leads to the creation of jobs. In 2019, the wind industry supported 120,000 jobs across all states, plus Puerto Rico.
• As for future jobs, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has projected a 96% growth in wind technician jobs from 2016 to 2026, which will make it one of the fastest-growing occupations in America.
• It’s much safer than its counterparts. Wind energy reduces the amounts of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides that pollute the air when fossil fuels are burned. These reductions in air pollution saved spending on medication from asthma and respiratory issues, thus creating $9.4 billion in public health savings in 2018 alone.
• It creates revenue, directly and indirectly. Over 99 percent of wind farms are in rural areas. As wind farms pay tax base in these areas, it creates new revenue to fix roads, fund law enforcement, and provides local jobs. For example, in 2009, Invenergy’s High Sheldon wind farm started generating electricity, and the project’s benefits were enough to eliminate local taxes for the first eight years of the project’s life.
• Wind projects pay over $1.6 billion to state and local governments, as well as private landowners every single year.
• It is cost-effective. In fact, it’s free! Energy sources such as fossil fuels often fluctuate in price. In contrast, wind energy is usually provided based on a fixed price over a long period of time, often around 20 years. Typically, wind farms repay their carbon footprint in six months or less, which provides decades of zero-emission energy that displaces fossil fuel energy.
• It saves the use of water. Wind turbines don’t require water to produce electricity or cool power generating equipment, unlike other renewable sources. Wind power saves the use of billions of gallons of water every year, which means less it doesn’t pollute the water. Last year, wind energy generation reduced water consumption at existing power plants by approximately 103 billion gallons, which is the equivalent of 723 billion bottles of water.

How is wind energy useful to us?

Wind energy is useful to us for the same reasons it’s so important to us. It saves money, it saves water, but most importantly, it causes far less damage to the environment than its non-renewable counterparts. Wind turbines leave wildlife in their surrounding areas almost entirely untouched and undamaged. Because wind energy does not require any water to cultivate, it is drought-proof, which is especially pertinent in areas of the country (and the world) that are prone to droughts. Also, the wind comes from a source that will literally always be available to us, so our sources will never deplete.

What are some advantages of wind energy?

Wind energy is a cost-effective option costing only cents on the dollar per kilowatt-hour. Wind energy diminishes the price unpredictability that fuel prices add to traditional energy sources because its electricity is supplied at a fixed price over a period of time, and its source of energy is abundant.

Wind energy creates hundreds of thousands of jobs, making it one of the fastest-growing occupations in the country. Wind has the potential to provide more than 600,000 employment opportunities in manufacturing, installation, maintenance, and related services over the course of the next several decades.

Wind power offers long-term benefits. The energy produced by wind can be captured to send power throughout the grid for as long as the wind blows. Add in the fact that it's an environmentally friendly fuel source, wind power can reduce the necessity of air-contaminating energy sources such as fossil fuels like coal, oil, and more.

What are some challenges of wind energy?

On a cost basis, wind power must still compete with conventional sources, and currently, while prices have dropped, there is not enough infrastructure in some places to create truly competitive prices. Rural areas offer far more wind farms than cities, but require energy transportation from the country to urban areas. Furthermore, wind energy development may not be the most cost-effective use of land as it can take up valuable space.

Turbines have the potential to impact the environment with noise and odor. Although wind power plants have a lower environmental impact than traditional power plants, there is worry about the noise generated by the turbine blades and the visual impact on the landscape.

Additionally, wind turbines have the potential to harm local wildlife as the structures can kill birds and bats. Engineers are working on reducing this issue with technological advancements and research is underway to find ways to limit the impact of wind turbines on these animals, such as bladeless turbines.

How does wind energy impact the environment?

Wind-generated power is renewable, meaning no resources are depleted and no greenhouse gases or other pollutants are released into the atmosphere at the time of generation. However, this does not imply wind energy has no environmental impact. Turbines still require production, deployment, and connections to the energy grid to generate electricity.

Engineers need to use steel, concrete, glass-fiber, carbon-fiber resins, and other components to the detriment of the environment, along with shipping and installation costs. However, these expenses are a fraction of the costs associated with coal-fired power plants and other forms of nonrenewable energy sources. In addition, when a wind turbine expires, many of its parts are recyclable for future technologies.

How much energy does wind power produce in the United States?

In the last three decades, wind energy generation has increased dramatically. Advances in wind energy technology have reduced the cost of generating electricity from the wind. Government and economic incentives in the United States and elsewhere have aided growth in wind power.

Wind energy generation in the United States has climbed from around 6 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) to 338 billion kWh in the last two decades. Wind turbines generated a little over 8% of total utility-scale electricity generation in the United States. Wind energy facilities have at least one megawatt (1,000 kilowatts) of power-producing capacity.

How much carbon emissions does wind energy reduce every year?

In practically every state, wind energy contributes to decreasing carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and sulfur dioxide emissions. Going forward, wind energy can play an even bigger role in reducing emissions. Evidence supports more than a dozen utility and independent grid operator studies confirming that wind can reliably supply larger electricity needs and reduce emissions.

Annually, wind helps to save 319 million metric tons of CO2 emissions, which is the equivalent to 69 million cars’ worth of emissions. Those emissions are nearly entirely front-loaded in the case of wind and solar generation. In contrast, emissions from fossil-fueled power plants occur continuously when coal and natural gas are burned. Considering the upfront costs can be written off over time, wind power emits 99% fewer greenhouse gases than coal-fired power plants, 98% fewer greenhouse gases than natural gas, and a surprising 75% fewer greenhouse gases than solar power.

What is the future of wind energy?

Wind energy has a bright future and promises to become the best source of renewable energy both onshore and offshore. In general, wind energy is easily accessible, making it a viable power source. Wind energy also contributes to a stable domestic supply chain while increasing hundreds of thousands of jobs in manufacturing, construction, maintenance, and support services.

Furthermore, wind energy is a cost-effective option with fewer fluctuations in the future compared to natural gas and fuel prices. Consumers can expect to save almost $300 billion in the next few decades by reducing price spikes and supply disruptions over time. Consider wind's ability to boost a community's earnings for more benefits: by 2050, local governments will have collected $3.2 billion in new tax revenue via land lease fees and property taxes, reducing taxes on the people.

Wind energy improves the planet by reducing pollution emissions in the atmosphere by preventing air pollutants such as nitric oxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and particulate matter. Over the next few decades, we can expect over 12 gigatons of greenhouse emissions savings. Lastly, wind energy helps preserve water supplies saving billions of gallons of water by 2050.

How many homes can a wind turbine power?

The average American home uses just under 900 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of power each month, according to the US Energy Information Administration. Wind turbines have an average capacity of 2.75 megawatts per day, meaning one turbine can power almost three homes for an entire month each day. To put it another way, an average turbine can generate 843,000 kWh per month at only 42% of capacity or enough power for over 940 average homes in the United States. In 2020, one wind turbine made enough electricity to power one house for an entire month, in under an hour.

A megawatt of power can power around 1,000 households for a month, although wind turbines rarely produce their full capacity due to variable wind speeds. However, with technological advancements over time, we can expect the capacity to improve, allowing wind turbines to create enough energy to power entire towns. Keep in mind not all wind turbines are large enough for this amount, but it gives a rough idea of what to expect in the future.

How can you use renewable wind energy at home?

Most American homes do not have enough land for their own wind turbine, but many farms have room for several. A wind farm's turbines are connected so that the electricity generated may be transported from the wind farm to the power grid. Electric utilities or power operators will transmit the electricity to where people need it once wind energy is connected to the main power grid.

Smaller transmission lines, known as distribution lines, collect electricity generated from wind farms and convey it to bigger transmission lines in a network. From there they can transport the electricity across great distances to where it is needed. Smaller distribution lines bring power to your town, home, or company.

Smaller wind turbines are purchasable for the average homeland size. However, many communities implement zoning regulations that take away the option for many landowners. People who can implement these systems can lower electricity bills from 50% to 90% but have a high upfront cost. Installing a wind turbine at home is a significant financial and time commitment. Fortunately, there are much easier ways to connect your home to wind energy, like accessing a clean energy plan from Inspire.

When you become an Inspire member, not only will you access 100% clean energy and help reduce carbon emissions, you will receive a predictable monthly rate for electricity supply to reduce bill volatility throughout the year.

To get started, visit our homepage and enter your address and/or ZIP Code. If Inspire’s clean energy supply plans are available in your area, you can proceed with linking your utility and discover the beginning of consistent and predictable monthly energy bills.

Access clean energy for one flat monthly price—subscribe today.