WK 5 Renewable Resource Paper

Renewable Resource
Wind Power: Its Pros and Cons
John Doe.
GLG/220
March 9, 2015
Jane Doe

Wind Power: Its Pros and Cons The journey to find an alternate source of energy that is in accordance with past events and current trends in technology has introduced new methods for human beings to care for the environment and to protect earth’s natural resources. An alternate source of energy that this paper will be covering is wind power. This is not a new discovery but overtime it took a fresh and better tactic. History will reveal that hundreds of years ago, windmills were already use in Europe in wind farms with wind turbines in order to gain as much as wind energy as possible. This is an effective method in producing the maximum wind energy; however, there are pros and cons that one has to be aware with in this kind of alternative source of energy. Missouri produces wind energy coming from more than 2,500 square miles land that the state use as 63% portion of electricity. Windmills are producer of clean energy; however worn-out windmills produce otherwise. One hazardous element of wind turbines is carbon fiber composite. When wind turbine is worn-out, it has to be burned and trashed out, a process that is perilous to the atmosphere. This wind turbine replacement is necessary. One material of wind turbine is thermoset plastic; this usually creates the wind turbines’ strength and low weight requirement. A breakage from this wind turbine might destroy houses and buildings nearby and pieces of the blade might be scattered meters away. Wind power accidents are much common compared to nuclear accidents. Recorded in 2008 were casualties of 16 civilians and 41 workers—a continuously increasing number. During high winds, the turbines should be stopped and the rotation should be stopped in order to reduce this staggering figure of casualties. Moreover, a regular check-up on these wind turbines should be made in order to prevent bugs build-up and the wearing of the blades because if not 20-30% is estimate product loss. According to O’Sullivan, 2011, money is an important element in maintaining the quality of blades in order to maintain the wind power.
Wind Power: The Pros There are many pros of wind power as a renewable resource of energy. It is estimated that wind turbines can usually generate 500 kilowatts of power that can lessen the carbon dioxide emission by approximately two tons per year (Kidd, n.d.) . This lessening of the greenhouse effect caused by burning of fossil fuel is just one of the many pros of this alternative energy source. Wind power does not emit any hazardous elements in the air, ground or water. And most importantly, wind power is a renewable energy that in the presence of atmosphere and sun should be a continuously possible source of energy. Building of wind turbines poses no danger to farmlands, this even adds up value to the farmer, since wind turbines when build can be a source of lease and rental. Imagine, even the in-between areas of lands in windmills can be used as crop planting and/or pasture land. Aside from this, wind turbines can also be used as a source of living. Building and maintaining of wind farms increases the employment rate of a certain locale. Moreover, the community can take advantage of the expected increase in tourism and workers in acquiring lands in the area. Bluegrass Ridge Farm in King City, Missouri erected 27 turbines in 600 acres of farmland in 2007 (Rock, 2007). And after this, the locale has recorded increase in tax revenue, tourism dollars and civic pride that aided in the leveling of schools, improvement of infrastructure and emergency services (Rock, 2007).

Wind Power: The Cons
In the presence of advantages are the cons of using wind power as an alternative energy resource that are fluctuation of wind that resulted to power fluctuations, noise pollution, and wreckage of scenery and air pollution—brought about by producing and transporting new windmills (Ryan, 2009). Fluctuations of wind means fluctuation of wind power, thus fluctuation of electricity and this would further mean that the locale has to suffer blackouts or would need to resource from other sources. Until now, experts are still finding way to resource more wind energy and store the same in future usage, but up-to-the-minute, this technology is not yet developed (Luoma, 2009). Another con of the wind energy is the noise pollution. Imagine a car going 70-miles per hour on a highway, and one can imagine how it is during wind turbines’ full blown action (Ryan, 2009). This kind of noise is irritating and disturbing in the neighborhood. Moreover, creation of wind farms are land-eating up that breaks the good scenery and may even require cutting of trees and natural vegetation in order to construct the windmills. The last disadvantage of wind farms is that its parts are made out of metals, plastics and the likes—materials that have to be produced and transported. And with the creation of these parts, is the usage of coal or nuclear related source of power. This in effect, also brings pollution in the planet. Trucks that use internal combustion energy that transports the wind mills are also polluting the atmosphere. And this pollution is also similar when disposing these materials.

Conclusion In everything, there are pros and cons, and it is up to the implementers to weigh the two, which is heavier and if the technology is viable. Wind turbines for a fact produce clean energy that is valuable to the environment; however, with the presence of disadvantages, one should be cautious to weigh the options. Erections of wind turbines are in bulk so when use these create a noise pollution that the neighborhood might find irritating. However, this disadvantage is milder if compared to the hazard of fossil fuels. The society should differentiate the pros and cons of wind energy in order to get the most benefits and fewer mishaps in the environment.

References
Blanc, M. (2006, Nov 12). Change in the Wind. Columbia Daily Tribune, pp. n/a-n/a.
Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/379201744?accountid=35812
Kidd, J. S. & Kidd, R. A. (n.d.) Clean Energy and Reducing Air Pollution. Science online. Retrieved from http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID= WE40&SID=5&iPin=AIR0013&SingleRecord=True
Luomo, J. (2009). The Challenge for Green Energy: How to Store Excess Electricity. Environment 360. Retrieved from http://e360.yale.edu/content/feature.msp?id=2170 O 'Sullivan, J. (2011). Broken wind turbine blades create mountainous waste problem.
Retrieved from http://co2insanity.com/2011/06/12/broken-wind-turbine-blades-create-mountainous-waste-problem/
Rock, S. (2007). Commercial wind farm proves to be a windfall. United States, Washington: McClatchy - Tribune Information Services. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/456836061?accountid=35812
Ryan, V. (2009). Advantages and Disadvantages of Wind Power. Retrieved from http://www.technologystudent.com/energy1/wind8.htm

References: Blanc, M. (2006, Nov 12). Change in the Wind. Columbia Daily Tribune, pp. n/a-n/a. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/379201744?accountid=35812 Luomo, J. (2009). The Challenge for Green Energy: How to Store Excess Electricity. Environment 360. Retrieved from http://e360.yale.edu/content/feature.msp?id=2170 O 'Sullivan, J. (2011). Broken wind turbine blades create mountainous waste problem.  Retrieved from http://co2insanity.com/2011/06/12/broken-wind-turbine-blades-create-mountainous-waste-problem/ Rock, S. (2007). Commercial wind farm proves to be a windfall. United States, Washington: McClatchy - Tribune Information Services Ryan, V. (2009). Advantages and Disadvantages of Wind Power. Retrieved from http://www.technologystudent.com/energy1/wind8.htm