This, again, is another post about alternative energy. As you can see, I am really passionate about this topic. And the main reason for that is that it is the future of our world, whether we like it or not. We will have to stop depending on fossil fuels soon and start looking at other alternatives. But instead of talking about solar energy, I'll be focusing on a new advancement in wind energy. As we know, wind energy has been around forever. People have used windmills forever for several industrial uses. But today, we are more accustomed to seeing wind turbines as the prominent machines that utilize the power of the wind.
Interestingly enough, wind energy is an indirect form of solar energy. The sun heats the surface of the earth and so the air on the surface and also heats up and will rise as a result. Then colder air in the atmosphere moves into the spots where the hot air used to be. This continuous movement of air is what we refer to as "wind."
Wind turbines are machines that capture the wind to generate electricity for commercial and domestic use. The blades of the fan spin due to the wind and consequently spin a generator in the hub of the turbine and generate electricity. It's really quite fascinating to think how people even thought about building this technology.
The primary problem with wind energy, just like solar energy, is the lack of efficiency. It is a little more cost-efficient than solar energy, but it still not considered a practical option. Another major complaint is that wind turbines make a lot of noise and may also disturb activity in the air. Fortunately, a small power company in California named Makani Power was recently granted 3 million dollars to augment their already efficient AIRBORNE wind turbine.
Yes, I said airborne, not on the ground. It's pretty revolutionary! And it's pretty simple. When it's not in use, it will be stowed to the ground. When there is enough wind to generate a significant amount of energy, the turbine will be launched in the air and hover like a helicopter in a circular formation in the air. Then wind will spin the propellers and generators on the turbine in order to generate and store electricity.
Now, why exactly would people want this Makani turbine instead of the conventional wind turbine? Cost-efficiency is a big answer. It can produce almost twice the amount of energy for nearly half the cost. It can also reach much higher altitudes where winds are much faster and much more consistent. They can also be used in the water, which increases the potential of wind energy.
All in all, the Makani turbine is a game changer! It's a huge advancement in wind energy. People can stop looking down upon wind energy and finally start to respect it for once. Just kidding, I'm sure it's not that way. But start getting excited because alternative energy is coming soon, very soon!
Interestingly enough, wind energy is an indirect form of solar energy. The sun heats the surface of the earth and so the air on the surface and also heats up and will rise as a result. Then colder air in the atmosphere moves into the spots where the hot air used to be. This continuous movement of air is what we refer to as "wind."
Wind turbines are machines that capture the wind to generate electricity for commercial and domestic use. The blades of the fan spin due to the wind and consequently spin a generator in the hub of the turbine and generate electricity. It's really quite fascinating to think how people even thought about building this technology.
The primary problem with wind energy, just like solar energy, is the lack of efficiency. It is a little more cost-efficient than solar energy, but it still not considered a practical option. Another major complaint is that wind turbines make a lot of noise and may also disturb activity in the air. Fortunately, a small power company in California named Makani Power was recently granted 3 million dollars to augment their already efficient AIRBORNE wind turbine.
Yes, I said airborne, not on the ground. It's pretty revolutionary! And it's pretty simple. When it's not in use, it will be stowed to the ground. When there is enough wind to generate a significant amount of energy, the turbine will be launched in the air and hover like a helicopter in a circular formation in the air. Then wind will spin the propellers and generators on the turbine in order to generate and store electricity.
Now, why exactly would people want this Makani turbine instead of the conventional wind turbine? Cost-efficiency is a big answer. It can produce almost twice the amount of energy for nearly half the cost. It can also reach much higher altitudes where winds are much faster and much more consistent. They can also be used in the water, which increases the potential of wind energy.
All in all, the Makani turbine is a game changer! It's a huge advancement in wind energy. People can stop looking down upon wind energy and finally start to respect it for once. Just kidding, I'm sure it's not that way. But start getting excited because alternative energy is coming soon, very soon!
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