Are wind turbines harmful for human health?
Health Canada published its independent study in 2014, and clearly concluded that wind turbine noise exposure was not associated with health conditions.
Do wind turbines harm wildlife?
Environmental & Conservation groups such as the opens in a new windowAudubon Society recognize that one of the largest threats to bird species is the threat of climate change, and support the installation of properly-sited wind power facilities as an effort to reduce the impact of climate change on bird populations. While wind turbines do kill individual birds, the industry has made great strides over the past decades understanding how turbines can be sited to minimize the impact on birds. On aggregate, modern wind facilities kill far fewer birds than other threats to birds such as house cats, skyscrapers, or automobiles.
More information can be found at opens in a new windowCanWEA.
What are the challenges of wind power?
Challenges such as unpredictable wind patterns, noise, operations and geography are analyzed before designing a wind site. The wind industry continues to research and understand the challenges and advantages to ensure that wind energy is utilized to its full potential.
What happens when the wind stops blowing?
Modern electricity grids are designed to deal with minute-to-minute variation in load from customers and supply from suppliers. While it differs from grid to grid, most system operators agree that a typical grid can incorporate 10-20% wind generation without any additional operational considerations. With wind forecasting technology improving year over year, wind production levels can be accurately predicted at 5-minute, hourly, and daily intervals.
What is required for a wind site to be successful?
For a wind project to be successful, wind developers must abide by government rules, regulations, and establish a mutual relationship with the community.
How long do wind turbines last?
Wind turbines can last for a span of 20-25 years. Factors such as harsh weather conditions, and unexpected patterns can affect the life of a wind turbine.
How Wind Energy Works
Wind turbines operate on a simple principle: the energy in the wind turns two or three blades around a rotor. The rotor is connected to the main shaft, which spins a generator to create electricity.
More simply put, a wind turbine is the opposite of a fan. Instead of using electricity to make wind, like a fan, wind turbines use wind to make electricity. The wind turns the blades, which spin a shaft, which connects to a generator and makes electricity.
Wind turbines convert the kinetic energy in the wind into mechanical power. This mechanical power can be used for specific tasks (such as grinding grain or pumping water) or a generator can convert this mechanical power into electricity.
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