Wind Energy Conversion Proposals for Rural Low-Wind Areas

Introduction to Wind Energy

Wind power generation is a hotly debated subject in political, business, and legal circles today. The increased pressure from the public to reduce dependence on foreign oil has prompted governments to seek alternative ways of producing energy, and wind power is among the most enthusiastically discussed options. Man-made carbon emissions have spurred debate on environmental concerns as the public worries about global warming and its long-term effects on the planet, leading to the exploitation of alternative energy sources with ever-greater vigor. Wind energy is seen as green energy, and it is one of the fastest-growing sources of electricity around the world (Brown & Escobar, 2007).

Wind Energy Growth in the United States

In the U.S. alone, wind energy is being exploited with immense interest and vigor, resulting in the production of more than 12,000 MW of wind energy — enough to provide power to 3 million homes in the country. Had this source not been utilized, the country would need 40 million barrels of oil per day to generate the same amount of electricity. Consumers are now increasingly interested in green sources of energy, and even if they must pay a slightly higher price, many are willing to do so in order to keep the environment cleaner and the planet safer.

Immense potential is seen in many regions of the country, including Texas, which alone has the capacity to produce 10 GW of wind energy. With increased production, it is expected that wind energy will become cheaper and that people will be able to consume it more readily by 2020.

In the United States, wind energy still constitutes only one percent of the total energy supply, but it is growing at a rapid rate and is being researched with serious enthusiasm. It all began in the 1980s in California, when wind farms were built to test the possibility of producing renewable energy. Within the next 20 years, things changed dramatically as more and more states became willing to build wind farms. Some of the largest farms are now found in Texas, California, Kansas, and Wyoming. In Texas, where capacity has been astounding, some 2,000 wind turbines can be seen, and this number is likely to grow as interest in renewable energy increases (Brown & Escobar, 2007).

Proposal for Wind Energy Conversion in Rural Areas

While the enthusiasm is immense and the benefits numerous, wind energy is still fraught with problems. Apart from environmental concerns, there is a significant economic challenge as well. Production of wind energy is very costly, and it may therefore not be easy to convert this power into a consistent energy source in rural areas where electricity is still a luxury.

For this reason, this paper examines the possibility of wind energy production in rural areas of developing countries, since many third-world nations leave rural communities without reliable power. The proposal focuses on wind energy production in India.

India is a poor nation in terms of per capita income. Even though it is growing steadily in economic power, the country still has a large population living in rural areas, most of whom are deprived of electricity. Wind energy exploration has therefore generated immense excitement in India, as it is believed to be a good source of energy capable of lighting millions of rural homes.

Because wind production is costly, India needs to find ways to produce wind energy at economical rates. For this reason, skilled technicians and designers are looking into cost reduction "by increasing the size, tailoring of turbines for specific sites, exploring new structural dynamic concepts, developing custom generators and power electronics, in addition to implementing modern control-system strategies" (Orosa, 2010). It has been found that in order to reduce cost and produce energy more efficiently, some of the important factors to keep in mind include "the power in the wind, the load factor, wind turbine axis orientation, the area required, and the grid connection" (Orosa, 2010).

References

Shikha, S., Bhatti, T.S., & Kothari, D.P. (2003). A new vertical axis wind rotor using convergent nozzles. Large Engineering Conference on Power Engineering, 177–181.

Orosa, J.A., Oliveira, A.C., & Costa, A.M. (2010). New procedure for wind farm maintenance. Industrial Management & Data Systems, 110(6). Emerald Group Publishing.

Orosa, J.A. (2010). A proposal for wind-energy conversion for low wind-speed areas of India. International Association for Energy Economics.

Brown, B.T., & Escobar, B.A., Jr. (2007). Wind power: Generating electricity and lawsuits. Energy Law Journal, 28(2).