Wind energy is affordable, renewable, and provides a lot of jobs. It’s a growing sector of energy provision, and it will supply electricity for the United States for many years to come.
There are many wind energy facts that will surprise you. From the number of wind turbines to how much energy they produce, you may not know as much as you think about these power sources.
Learning more wind energy facts will give you a greater appreciation for this environmentally friendly energy source.
To help you fully understand what’s going on with wind turbines and wind energy, here’s a list of 8 wind energy facts.
1. Affordable Power
Wind energy is cheaper than many other forms of energy. Recent prices have been seen as low as under 2 cents per kilowatt-hour in the US.
The initial cost of producing a wind turbine is high. But once it’s in place its energy production is cheap and long-lasting.
2. Wind Turbines
Most turbines in the United States are located on wind farms. These “farms” cluster together turbines. The turbines feature 3 blades.
A wind turbine can be as tall as 300 feet. The blades can be as long as 131 feet. When the wind pushes the blades, their tips can reach speeds of up to 200 miles per hour.
Wind turbines are made of materials such as vinyl, carbon and glass fibers, polyester, and epoxy. The components for things like gearboxes and transmissions are supplied by companies like kor-pak.com.
3. Farms
There are wind farms in 41 US states. These farms sometimes contain hundreds of turbines. The farms are often employers of many people in rural communities.
4. Growing Capacity
By 2018, wind energy accounted for more than 96,000 megawatts of electricity in the US. In 2016 alone, the US added more than 8,000 megawatts of wind energy capacity. One megawatt is enough to power up to 250 homes.
Experts project that by 2050 wind energy will provide enough power to meet one-third of the world’s demand. In the US its the largest renewable source of electricity.
5. Water Friendly
One of the best wind energy facts is that it is environmentally friendly. Wind power uses barely any water. This is unique in producing electricity.
Because of this, projections indicate that wind power will save 30 trillion bottles of water in the US by 2030.
6. Carbon Dioxide Reduction
Wind energy is also environmentally friendly in that it reduces carbon dioxide output. Current wind energy production reduces carbon dioxide output by the equivalent of that produced by more than 26 million cars.
7. Big Employer
The wind energy industry in the US relies on American labor and manufacturing. The industry employs more than 120,000 people.
It’s the fastest-growing employment sector in the US. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 108 percent growth in the number of employees working in the industry by 2024.
8. Lots of Parts
Wind turbines are made up of more than 8,000 component pieces.
Know Your Wind Energy Facts
As you can see, there’s so much to know about wind energy. What’s clear from this list of wind energy facts is that it’s a booming industry. The industry has the potential to power a lot of homes and helps the environment.
With so much growth in wind energy production, many people in the US will soon get their electricity from wind farms.
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