Wind Energy – the fuel of the
future is ready for
the SouthCoast today
(Information courtesy of the American Wind Energy Association, www.awea.org)
Wind energy, the fastest-growing energy sources, is gaining attention
worldwide because of its dramatically improved technology and economics.
Some of the reasons why wind is one of the best choice to help power
SouthCoast Massachusetts, New England and all of America into the
next millennium.
Wind Energy is Clean
A single 750-kilowatt wind energy turbine, operated for one year
at a site with Class 4 wind speeds (winds averaging 12.5 to 13.4
mph at 10 meters height), can be expected to displace a total of
1,179 tons (2.36 million pounds) of carbon dioxide, 6.9 tons of
sulfur dioxide, and 4.3 tons of nitrogen oxides, based on the US
average utility generation fuel mix. More wind power means less
smog, acid rain, and greenhouse gas emissions.
Wind Power Means Jobs
The highest wind energy resources in the US are located in rural
areas like the Great Plains and the coastal areas around New England
and the Gulf of Mexico. Wind energy brings jobs and income to revitalize
communities. Worldwide, the wind and solar industries are likely
to be one of the biggest sources of new manufacturing jobs in the
next century.
Wind Energy is Abundant
With today’s technology, wind power and wind energy turbines
could provide 20% of America’s electricity (or about the amount
nuclear power provides) with wind turbines installed on less than
1% of its land area. And within that area, less than 5% of the land
would be occupied by wind equipment – the remaining 95% could
continues to be used for other purposes.
Wind Energy is Affordable
Several US utilities today offer their customers the option to purchase
wind-generated electricity at a price premium of 2 to 2.5 cents/kWh.
At that price, the average household could obtain 25% of its electricity
from wind for $4-5/month – and the cost of wind generation
is continuing to decline.
Wind Energy is Inexhaustible
To generate the amount of electrical power that America’s
wind resources could supply, 20 billion barrels of oil per year
would be needed (that’s nearly as much as the current entire
world production of oil). But unlike oil fields, wind energy is
renewable, year after year, forever.
Wind Energy is Domestic
It will never be subject to embargoes or “price shocks”
caused by international conflicts.
Wind Energy is Environmentally Preferable
Traditional energy sources carry a host of serious environmental
baggage: air pollution and acid rain; the possibility of changing
the earth’s climate; radioactive waste disposal; oil spills;
and more. Wind energy’s environmental impacts are trivial
in comparison.
Wind Energy is Attractive
Unlike traditional energy infrastructure like cable and power lines,
or even cell phone transmission towers, modern wind turbines are
tall, graceful kinetic sculptures which many people find visually
striking and elegant.
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