Wind Power

It is sufficiently well-known that energy supply is one of the fundamental questions of our time, and it has become even more the main focus of interest through the reactor catastrophes of Chernobyl and Fukushima. Where is the way out between the obviously dangerous atomic energy and coal and oil energy, which not only consume our resources but are also harmful to the environment? It is agreed that a way out can only lie in a practical combination of energy sources. Wind power is one of the supporting pillars, as there is an almost unlimited availability of wind power, which could theoretically cover the whole energy demand on earth. With it, countries lacking in raw materials can make themselves more independent from imports, because the principle is relatively simple: the wind drives a rotor made of steel and glass fibre reinforced plastic, which is assembled at the top of a high mast. Via a shaft, the rotor drives the current generator.

However, the disadvantage of wind power is the fact that it is not constantly available. In order to solve the problem, offshore wind farms are installed, that means wind power plants at sea, where the wind blows more constantly, birds are not disturbed and landscapes are not interfered with.

Such wind power plants are, however, also being further developed on land: the rotors run with less noise, light reflections are minimized by using matt paint. In addition, of course, a minimum distance from residential areas and breeding and nesting areas for birds should be observed.

The problem that electricity from wind power cannot be made sufficiently available at any time is shared, for example, with photovoltaic, that is, electricity created by sunlight. But there are solutions in sight: even today there are times when so much electricity is generated that the electricity grid has not the capacity for it. As a consequence individual wind power plants have to be temporarily shut down. This surplus energy could, for example, be used to produce hydrogen, which could later be converted back to electricity current using fuel cells when the wind doesn’t blow hard enough.

In this way the wind turbines, some of which are over 200 metres high (including the rotor), can play an important part in a future which protects raw materials and the environment. The fact that this might possibly cause higher electricity prices ought to be worth while – for the sake of our environment.