Sykes.Scannell.MMA.Spring.2009.EnergyandWater

= = = Solar Panels and Wind Turbines = = = = = = Problem at Hand: = = = =Our world’s natural resources are on the decline and our atmosphere’s pollution is on the rise. Due to this, we must strive to switch our current energy resources. This switch has encouraged people to install systems using renewable energy to power their homes. Two types of these systems include solar panels and wind turbines.  = = = =Both solar panels and wind turbines allow homeowners to power their houses with free, renewable, environmentally friendly resources. The question is whether these systems are feasible for homeowners to install and utilize. Both solar and wind energy systems require a large initial investment. This initial cost can be reduced through both state and federal incentives offered for engaging in renewable energy projects. After this reduction of cost homeowners can expect to recoup their investment in approximately 13 years for a solar project and 15 years for a wind project. Any energy produced after this break even point would be essentially free to the homeowner. = = = =After reviewing the pros and cons of each system we have determined that it is unrealistic for a homeowner to invest in the installation of one in today’s economy. However our research did lead us to believe that in the near future these systems will have decreased in price and increased in efficiency and electricity generation. With these future expectations, homeowners will be able to successfully power their homes with the renewable energy sources at a reasonable price. = = = =Most American homes are powered today by an electric grid, which relies mainly on coal, nuclear electricity, and natural gases as its sources of energy. These methods tend to fluctuate in cost, are non-renewable, and can be very harmful for the environment. There are many alternatives to using such inefficient systems of power. Two substitutes are solar and wind energy. Solar and wind energy are 100% eco-friendly and are also completely renewable. Using solar panels and wind turbines to power your home can ultimately provide you with years of free energy (“ Annual” 1). = = = =Solar Panels = = = = = =A solar panel, or photovoltaic module, is a device that obtains thermal energy from the sun and converts it to electricity. In the late 1800s, Henri Becquerel discovered the photovoltaic effect, a way to produce energy directly from the sun. Using the photovoltaic effect, Charles Fritts invented the first solar cell by coating sheets of selenium with gold in 1983 (Secrest 1). Today, solar panels have evolved into cheaper, more efficient designs that can be found powering the cheapest calculators to billion dollar satellites. = = = = = = = =Parts= =<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; msoansilanguage: EN-US; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-US; msobidilanguage: AR-SA; msospacerun: yes;"> = =<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">To fully understand how solar panels work, solar cells must first be described. Each solar panel is made up of an array of solar cells which consist of six layered parts: = =<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;"> = =<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;"> = =<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;"> = =<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;"> = =<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;"> = =<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">A. The cover-glass is the solar cell’s protection against harsh weather conditions and any debris. = =<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; msoansilanguage: EN-US; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-US; msobidilanguage: AR-SA;">B. Since silicon is naturally reflective, the glare causes much of the sun’s energy to simply bounce off and be lost. An anti-reflective coating is used to dull down the silicon and allow the cells to operate at maximum efficiency. = =<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; msoansilanguage: EN-US; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-US; msobidilanguage: AR-SA;">C. <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">A Contact Grid is used to separate the silicon (SI) from the coating. = =<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; msoansilanguage: EN-US; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-US; msobidilanguage: AR-SA;">D. <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">N-type SI is negatively charged silicon. = =<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; msoansilanguage: EN-US; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-US; msobidilanguage: AR-SA;">E. <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">P-type SI is positively charged silicon. = =<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; msoansilanguage: EN-US; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-US; msobidilanguage: AR-SA;">F. <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">The back contact is used as a conductor to transfer the electricity out of the panel and into a device (Aldous 1). = =<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; msoansilanguage: EN-US; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-US; msobidilanguage: AR-SA;"> = =<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; msoansilanguage: EN-US; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-US; msobidilanguage: AR-SA;"> = =<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; msoansilanguage: EN-US; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-US; msobidilanguage: AR-SA;"> = =<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; msoansilanguage: EN-US; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-US; msobidilanguage: AR-SA;"> = =<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; msoansilanguage: EN-US; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-US; msobidilanguage: AR-SA;"> = =<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; msoansilanguage: EN-US; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-US; msobidilanguage: AR-SA;">The solar cells are connected in an array, as shown in figure 1, to form the entire solar panel. Generally the solar panel will have a back frame elevating it from the roof to protect it from running water, snow, and ice which can cause damage. It also allows the panel’s angle to be adjusted for prime sun absorption. = =<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; msoansilanguage: EN-US; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-US; msobidilanguage: AR-SA;"> = =<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; msoansilanguage: EN-US; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-US; msobidilanguage: AR-SA;"> = =<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; msoansilanguage: EN-US; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-US; msobidilanguage: AR-SA;"> = =<span style="font-size: 16pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'mso-ansi-language;">How a Panel Functions = =<span style="font-size: 16pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'mso-ansi-language;"> = =<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; msoansilanguage: EN-US; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-US; msobidilanguage: AR-SA;"> = =<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; msoansilanguage: EN-US; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-US; msobidilanguage: AR-SA;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">Energy from the sun’s rays is emitted onto the panel and passes through <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">N-Type (negative) and P-Type (positive) <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">silicon. <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">When photons from the sun pass through the silicon, electrons are knocked free from the negative end and flow to the positive. The <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">two types of <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">silicon are used against each other, creating an electric field. The flow of current along with the field’s voltage is transferred as direct current through a cable. <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;"> An inverter then converts the DC power into an alternating current that goes into the home’s fuse box. From the fuse box, the electricity can be used to either power the home or be sold back to the grid (Secrest 1). = =<span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; msoansilanguage: EN-US; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-US; msobidilanguage: AR-SA;"> = =<span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; msoansilanguage: EN-US; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-US; msobidilanguage: AR-SA;"> = =<span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; msoansilanguage: EN-US; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-US; msobidilanguage: AR-SA;"> = =<span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; msoansilanguage: EN; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-US; msobidilanguage: AR-SA;"> = =<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">Even with all parts working together for maximum efficiency, solar panels typically only absorb around 25% of the sunlight that hits it. This is because photons from the sun’s rays tend to vary in energy. Some photons are too weak to knock electrons free from the silicon, where no matter how strong photons are, they are limited to only knocking one electron free at a time. Also silicon is simply a semiconductor, meaning it has a relatively high resistance. Since resistance damps voltage, some is lost in the silicon (Secrest 1). = =<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;"> = =<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;"> = =<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;"> = =<span style="font-size: 22pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'mso-ansi-language;">Wind Turbine = =<span style="font-size: 22pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'mso-ansi-language;"> = =<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;"> = =<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; msoansilanguage: EN-US; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-US; msobidilanguage: AR-SA;">A wind turbine is a device used to generate electricity using wind energy. These turbines are based on the old design of a windmill, where farmers used wind energy for the process of grinding grain. The current day wind turbines are much more advanced than the outdated windmills. Today’s wind turbines are capable of converting the wind’s kinetic energy into electrical energy. The electrical energy created can then be used to power anything from homes to industrial buildings (U.S. Department of Energy 1). = =<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; msoansilanguage: EN-US; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-US; msobidilanguage: AR-SA;"> = =<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; msoansilanguage: EN-US; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-US; msobidilanguage: AR-SA;"> = =<span style="font-size: 16pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'mso-ansi-language;">General Description = =<span style="font-size: 16pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'mso-ansi-language;"> = =<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; msoansilanguage: EN-US; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-US; msobidilanguage: AR-SA;"> = =<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; msoansilanguage: EN-US; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-US; msobidilanguage: AR-SA;">Horizontal axis wind turbines are the most common design of wind turbines being used today. This design is made of four major parts including the tower, the rotor, the nacelle, and the wind vane. The tower is what the turbine sits on, keeping it high in the air as to receive the best wind conditio ns. The rotor consists of the blades and the hub together. Most of today’s turbines use a three blade design in which all blades connect to the hub which then connects to the nacelle. The nacelle sits on top of the tower and encloses the parts needed for the energy conversion, which will be left to later explanation. The last main part of the turbine is the wind vane. The wind vane is a simple but necessary part of the turbine; it is how the turbine knows the direction of the wind (U.S. Department of Energy 1). = =<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; msoansilanguage: EN-US; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-US; msobidilanguage: AR-SA;">Wind turbines come in a vast variety of sizes. The size of the turbine depends on the desired electrical output, which is typically measured in Kilowatts. Wind turbines designed for residential homes are usually approximately 10 kW with a tower height of around 100 ft. The turbines must be placed this high in order to receive the best wind possible. Winds higher in elevation are more stable and powerful allowing the turbine to maximize electricity generation (U.S. Department of Energy 1). = =<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; msoansilanguage: EN-US; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-US; msobidilanguage: AR-SA; msospacerun: yes;"> = =<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; msoansilanguage: EN-US; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-US; msobidilanguage: AR-SA; msospacerun: yes;"> = =<span style="font-size: 16pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'mso-ansi-language;">Description of Parts and Functions = =<span style="font-size: 16pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'mso-ansi-language;"> = =<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; msoansilanguage: EN-US; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-US; msobidilanguage: AR-SA; msospacerun: yes;"> = =<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; msoansilanguage: EN-US; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-US; msobidilanguage: AR-SA; msospacerun: yes;">The four main components of a wind turbine along with each smaller part can be seen in figure 3, which displays how each component interacts with another. = =<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; msoansilanguage: EN-US; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-US; msobidilanguage: AR-SA; msospacerun: yes;"> = =<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; msoansilanguage: EN-US; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-US; msobidilanguage: AR-SA; msospacerun: yes;"> = =<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; msoansilanguage: EN-US; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-US; msobidilanguage: AR-SA; msospacerun: yes;"> = <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; msoansilanguage: EN-US; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-US; msobidilanguage: AR-SA; msospacerun: yes;"> <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; msoansilanguage: EN-US; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-US; msobidilanguage: AR-SA; msospacerun: yes; msobidifontweight: bold;"> = = <span style="font-size: 16pt; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> Operating Description
 * <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; msoansilanguage: EN-US; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-US; msobidilanguage: AR-SA; msospacerun: yes; msobidifontweight: bold;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Anemometer- Measures wind velocity which then is used by the controller. <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">
 * <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; msoansilanguage: EN-US; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-US; msobidilanguage: AR-SA; msospacerun: yes; msobidifontweight: bold;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Blades- <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">When set with the correct //pitch// the blades rotate and transfer the winds kinetic energy to the //low-speed shaft//.
 * <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; msoansilanguage: EN-US; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-US; msobidilanguage: AR-SA; msospacerun: yes; msobidifontweight: bold;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Brake- <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">Used to stop the blade rotation.
 * <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; msoansilanguage: EN-US; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-US; msobidilanguage: AR-SA; msospacerun: yes; msobidifontweight: bold;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Controller- <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;"> Determines when the turbine will be run and when it will be shut down in regards to wind velocity. Common wind speed parameters range from 10 to 50 MPH winds.
 * <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; msoansilanguage: EN-US; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-US; msobidilanguage: AR-SA; msospacerun: yes; msobidifontweight: bold;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Gear box- C <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">onnects the //low-speed shaft// with the //high-speed shaft//. The rotational speed output of the gearbox supplies the generator with the necessary rotation speed to create electricity.
 * <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; msoansilanguage: EN-US; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-US; msobidilanguage: AR-SA; msospacerun: yes; msobidifontweight: bold;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Generator- <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">Converts the mechanical energy into electrical energy much like an alternator. The generator outputs the 60-cycle signal for AC power.
 * <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; msoansilanguage: EN-US; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-US; msobidilanguage: AR-SA; msospacerun: yes; msobidifontweight: bold;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">High-speed shaft- <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">Supplies the generator with the mechanical energy to be converted.
 * <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; msoansilanguage: EN-US; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-US; msobidilanguage: AR-SA; msospacerun: yes; msobidifontweight: bold;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Low-speed shaft- C <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">onnects the rotor to the //high-speed shaft//
 * <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; msoansilanguage: EN-US; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-US; msobidilanguage: AR-SA; msospacerun: yes; msobidifontweight: bold;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Nacelle- Supplies t <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">he housing for all internal parts. The Nacelle is located at the top of the //tower.//
 * <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; msoansilanguage: EN-US; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-US; msobidilanguage: AR-SA; msospacerun: yes; msobidifontweight: bold;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Pitch- The angle of the //blades// in relation to the wind. <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">The pitch controls how fast the //blades// are capable of rotating.
 * <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; msoansilanguage: EN-US; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-US; msobidilanguage: AR-SA; msospacerun: yes; msobidifontweight: bold;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Rotor- <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">The combination of the //blades// and the //hub.//
 * <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; msoansilanguage: EN-US; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-US; msobidilanguage: AR-SA; msospacerun: yes; msobidifontweight: bold;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Tower- P <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">uts the wind turbine high in the air. These are commonly cylindrical and made from steel.
 * <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; msoansilanguage: EN-US; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-US; msobidilanguage: AR-SA; msospacerun: yes; msobidifontweight: bold;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Wind vane- <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">How the turbine knows what the direction of the wind is. This direction is used by the //yaw drive//.
 * <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; msoansilanguage: EN-US; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-US; msobidilanguage: AR-SA; msospacerun: yes; msobidifontweight: bold;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Yaw drive- <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">Keeps the turbine facing into the wind with the use of the //wind vane// measurements.
 * <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; msoansilanguage: EN-US; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-US; msobidilanguage: AR-SA; msospacerun: yes; msobidifontweight: bold;">Yaw motor- Supplies the //yaw drive// with power.

<span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'mso-ansi-language;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> The process the wind turbines use to convert from kinetic to electrical energy is fairly simple. This process begins with the turbine adjusting its blades’ pitches. The blades being set to the correct pitch allows them to rotate freely in the wind. Once rotating, the blades and the hub turn the low-speed shaft. The other end of the low-speed shaft is connected to the gear box. Inside the gearbox the low-speed shaft drives the high-speed shaft through a series of gears. These gears increase the rotation speed giving the high-speed shaft a greater rotation speed. The high-speed shaft then connects to the generator. This generator is where the actual transformation of energy occurs. The mechanical energy is used to pass a conductive piece or wire through a magnetic field. This causes the electrons contained within the wire to start moving creating a current flow. When the winds are stronger, the conductive piece will pass through the magnetic field more often, which ultimately produces more electricity. This electricity can then be directed to whatever peripheral it is meant to power.

Practical Use of a Wind Turbine: Wind power to fire

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Wind and Solar Pros

Wind and Solar power provide many of the same advantages. Generally, they can be summed up into three categories:

<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">//Reliability:// <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; msoansilanguage: EN-GB; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-US; msobidilanguage: AR-SA;"> //Environmentally Friendly:// <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; msoansilanguage: EN-GB; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-US; msobidilanguage: AR-SA;"> <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">//Investment// : <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; msoansilanguage: EN-US; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-US; msobidilanguage: AR-SA;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> <span style="font-size: 16pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Wind and Solar Cons
 * <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">After installation, solar panels require minimal and cheap maintenance. With virtually no mechanical or moving parts, solar panels nearly never break. Wind turbines require more maintenance, but will usually only cost two percent of the initial cost annually (AWEA 1).
 * <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; msoansilanguage: EN-US; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-US; msobidilanguage: AR-SA;">The sun and wind are renewable energy sources. The sun rises and wind can be expected every day, allowing energy to be converted from them.
 * <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">Neither Solar Panels nor wind turbines emit fumes, smog, or contaminants into the atmosphere.
 * <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; msoansilanguage: EN-GB; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-US; msobidilanguage: AR-SA;">Using these “green” energy sources helps conserve fossil fuels such as oil, coal, and natural gasses which contribute to global warming.
 * <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">Wind and solar energy will pay for themselves through reduced electric bills or even selling back converted energy to the grid.
 * <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; msoansilanguage: EN-GB; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-US; msobidilanguage: AR-SA;">Systems leave owners less vulnerable to increases in future energy costs.
 * <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; msoansilanguage: EN-US; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-US; msobidilanguage: AR-SA;">Homes that have panels or turbines increase in value by as much as twenty dollars for each dollar saved on an annual basis (Schaeffer 1).
 * <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; msoansilanguage: EN-US; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-US; msobidilanguage: AR-SA;">Rebates are available in most states to help with the costs of either system.

<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">//Initial cost:// <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;"> <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; msoansilanguage: EN-US; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-US; msobidilanguage: AR-SA;">//Installation Sites// <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; msoansilanguage: EN-US; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-US; msobidilanguage: AR-SA; msospacerun: yes;">
 * <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">The Initial cost for either system is very high.
 * <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">Panels require a large amount of space to be installed. This can cause a high degree of difficulty installing where space is limited or costly (“Disadvantages” 1).
 * <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; msoansilanguage: EN-US; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-US; msobidilanguage: AR-SA;">Wind turbines usually require a site of approximately one acre in size and also have an average wind speed of at least 10 MPH.

Solar and Wind energy are new technologies with incredible benefits for the planet. Corporations and governments around the world promote and utilize these energy sources more and more every day. Industries are able to support the high investment prices to reap the rewards of renewable energy. Homeowners have a much more difficult time generating the funds for the initial investment. In the declining economy, purchasing solar or wind is impractical. On average, it will take thirteen years for solar and fifteen for wind to recover the original cost. Waiting this long to simply make money back is unreasonable and ultimately unnecessary. Roth & Rau AG and Innovalight are solar cell and inkjet manufacturers who plan on combining their two technologies to print solar cells from a printing press. This will dramatically decrease the cost and size of solar panels, causing it to be a superior future option compared to its current state (Kagle 1). The future for the advancement of wind turbines will focus on the blades. General Electric is studying how they can improve the shape of the blade and the material it is made of to decrease cost and increase electricity production (LaMonica 1). These changes will decrease the cost and size of the turbine needed to produce the same amount of energy using today’s turbines. With constant technological advancements such as these, the initial cost and the time to recoup the investments will decrease drastically.

<span style="font-size: 16pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">**Works Cited**

<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Aldous, Scott. “How Solar Cells Work.” __HowStuffWorks__. 2009. 2 June. 2009 <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; msoansilanguage: EN-US; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-US; msobidilanguage: AR-SA;">[].

“ Annual Energy Review (AER).” __EIA__. 2 Jun. 2008. Energy Information Administration. <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">21 Apr. 2009 <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">[].

“Disadvantages of Solar Energy.” __Clean Energy Ideas__. 2008. 21 Apr. 2009 <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">[].

“How Wind Turbines Work.” __EERE__. Nov. 30 2006. U.S. Department of Energy. 25 May. 2009 [].

<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">Kagle, Curt. “Printing Solar Panels.” __O’Reily Media__. 25 Mar. 2009. 15 May. 2009 [].

<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">LaMonica, Martin. “GE reshapes the future of wind power.” __C-net__. 28 Aug. 2008. 21 Apr. 2009 [].

Schaeffer, John. “Why Solar?.” 2007. __Real Goods Solar__. 1 June. 2009 <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">[].

Secrest, Rose. “Solar Panel.” __How Products are Made__. 2007. 15 May. 2009 <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">[].

<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; msoansilanguage: EN-US; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-US; msobidilanguage: AR-SA; msospacerun: yes;"> <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">

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