Wind energy has been around for a long time, whether we notice it or not; the first sailboats were created around 3,000 BC, and the first windmills were created in Persia (200 B.C.). In the middle ages, people started using windmills to grind wheat into flour and pump water. Unlike hydro power, these early windmills weren’t influenced by water freezing in winter; the only thing required to power them was wind, which was plentiful in places such as Denmark and Scotland. Windmills were also fundamental in building America and made a huge impact during the mid-to-late 1800’s.
Windmills work by converting kinetic energy into electric energy through a complex process. Horizontal-axis turbines, the ones we see most commonly today, start
generating energy when the wind passes over the blades creating lift and causing them to spin. Then, the shaft connected to the blades spins, and the shaft powers the gearbox. The gearbox assists the process by attaching the low-speed shaft to a higher-speed shaft, boosting the average spins per minute by 2,800% (an average of 50 turns per minute to an average of 1400 turns per minute). Lastly, the high-speed shaft powers the generator, moving the energy to a transformer, which converts the energy into the right voltage for the power grid. If the placement of the turbine is just right, the energy generated per year by a wind turbine with a 3 MW (megawatt) capacity can produce up to 6 kWh (21.6 trillion Joules) per year- that’s enough to power more than 1,500 standard households!
Here in the US, the use of wind power as an energy source is mostly concentrated in midwestern states such as Idaho, Montana, Utah, Wyoming, and Colorado. These states 
have the greatest potential for wind power to be used. But, not everyone agrees with the use of wind power, which is becoming a problem in society today. People argue that it’s not environmentally friendly, and that by putting up turbines, we’re destroying fragile ecosystems. Another concern of scientists in the U.S. is that wind doesn’t blow steadily, so we can’t rely on it for power all the time. Thirdly, the turbines aren’t cheap to put up and use; a commercial-style 2 MW turbine can cost $3-4 million dollars, and a 10 KW machine (the size needed to power a large home) costs about $30,000 total. If all energy generated by the turbine is used for the home, the cost of energy can be reduced to as low as nothing, saving about $150 a month! But, since that saves $1,800 a year, it would take 17 years to break even. This creates low economic viability, but can be a great source is multiple turbines are used in the form of a wind farm to generate electricity for the power grid. Then, you get paid for the electricity! That’s why wind farms are the most common places to see turbines instead of for personal use. Either way, wind turbines are good for long-term saving, but have low economic viability.
The environmental feasibility for wind turbines is interestingly high; wind power is very good for the environment. First of all, wind energy emits zero pollution, creating an 
energy source that cuts down on emissions. Also, contrary to popular belief, wind turbines do not kill many birds, accounting for only one ten-thousandth (0.0001) of bird deaths annually. Thirdly, wind energy provides a use for open clearings with infertile ground; for example, the seaside, with infertile sand and lots of wind makes an ideal location. Although the wind turbines have many positive features, many people argue that fossil fuels are still used to make turbines. That’s true; many manufacturing plants use fossil fuels for their primary source of fuel. Yet, since the nonexistent emissions of generating the power are reducing pollution, the amount of emissions break even and then are reduced. So, my overall opinion is that wind turbines are a good thing; they don’t pollute, are safe for birds, and use otherwise unused land.
Thank you for reading!
Brenna
Emerald City Energy 