Wind power on the rise

Wind is the fastest growing energy source in the world, and in the US wind farms have popped up in more than 30 states, producing enough energy to power an estimated 2.5 million homes a day. Thanks to growing concerns over natural gas prices, a desire for energy independence and incentives for renewable energy production, it’s expected this trend will continue. A clean, renewable energy source, wind energy systems generate no water or air emissions.

While critics of wind power point to a price discrepancy, noting that construction costs for wind-powered generators can run double those of fossil fuel plants, supporters counter that once wind facilities are constructed, there are no fuel costs, because wind, of course, is free. Likewise, they say that since maintenance is considered minimal, wind-power costs are competitive.

Experts say it’s relatively easy to harness the energy in wind- essentially you put a rotor on top of a tall tower, the wind blows the rotor, which is connected to a shaft, which drives an electrical generator to produce electricity. The American Wind Energy Association forecasts 6 percent of all homeowners in the U.S. will receive their electricity from wind by 2020.