mulhern.losi.energy.water.spring.2010

__**Energy and Water Wiki**__

The main problems at hand in today's society is the way we create energy, often resulting in massive amounts of pollution while were are expending fossil fuels. The world has become extremely dependent upon using natural resources, that we are expending are natural resources and in the process of abusing the earth. The United States is to blame for 1/4 of the worlds pollution. Scientists have been working to create new more efficient means of producing energy that is renewable and has minimal harmful emissions. An ideal answer to the problem is wind power.
 * What is the problem at hand?**

The driving force of the problem today is that everyone is dependent on non-renewable resources. Making it difficult to find new sources of energy, if we keep up the ongoing rates of energy ex-pension someday we will run out of resources. Statistics have shown that energy consumption shows no signs of lowering in years to come. media type="youtube" key="CqEccgR0q-o" width="425" height="350" align="center"
 * What is the driving force of the problem?**

Currently people are attempting to solve the problem, by creating Wind Turbines that are extremely energy efficient when it comes to pollution and the making of energy. Although Wind Turbines are not cheap to create or buy they are made to last and over time make their cost back and more. "Though wind turbine prices have increased some since 2005 (see below for more information), in areas with the best resources, wind power is cost competitive with new generation from coal and natural gas plants. In fact, analysis by the DOE Lawrence Berkeley Lab found that wind prices have been competitive with wholesale power since 2003." said the DOE Lawrence Berkeley Lab. There are not many parts that can be broken, most are just holding it together and the others are for the energy acquiring. There are new types of Wind Turbines that represents a significant potential reduction in the cost of generating offshore wind power, by allowing the Wind Turbine to sway in the ocean. Wind Energy FAQ CO2 Emissions: Wind vs. Trees Wind turbines are extremely effective at reducing emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), the leading greenhouse gas. A single 750-kilowatt (kW) wind turbine, typical of those now being installed in power plants around the world, produces roughly 2 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity annually. Based on the U.S. average fuel mix, approximately 1.5 pounds of CO2 is emitted for every kWh generated. This means that an average wind turbine prevents the emission of 2 million kWh x 1.5 pounds CO2/kWh = 3 million pounds of CO2 =1500 tons of CO2 each year. According to //Our Ecological Footprint//, (Wackemagel & Rees, 1996), a forest absorbs approximately 3 tons of CO2 per acre of trees per year. //Thus, a single 750kW wind turbine prevents as much carbon dioxide from being emitted each year as could be absorbed by 500 acres of forest.// And the roughly 3 billion kWh that are produced each year by California's wind power plants displace CO2 emissions of 4.5 billion pounds (2.25 million tons), or as much as could be absorbed by a forest covering more than 1100 square miles. @http://www.awea.org/faq/co2trees.html
 * What are people currently doing or not doing to solve the problem?**
 * Determine the amount of CO2 it produces or inhibits**

The best aspects of the Wind Turbines is that they are completely environmentally friendly and do not emit any harmful gasses or pollution. Wind Turbines have the capability to make themselves slow down if the wind becomes to severe, and are able to rotate to accommodate the smallest breeze. Not to mention the wind turbines are free after the initial installation. This is especially important considering that wind power will most likely be cheaper than fossil fuels in the near future. Another positive about the wind turbines is that they will help the United States be less dependent on fossil fuels, and hopefully when there is enough wind turbines some power plants can be closed down. Not to mention windmills require little assistance considering they are mainly computer operated. Leading scientist Dannemand Andersen says "Because the wind-turbine industry is relatively young, there is only a limited amount of practical experience on the removal and recycling of wind turbines,"
 * Best Aspects of Wind Turbines**

The critics complain that the wind is not a constant force, and in case you loose the wind there's the possibility that there will be shortages of electricity. Critics complain that to produce large enough amounts of power to communities this will require large amounts of wind turbines. Also, for those deeply in love with nature they will complain that the wind turbines clash with mother natures appearance. For you MSEP majors this can present a great inconvenience to the birds..jk..but seriously it will ruin a birds day if you now what I'm saying. For example the Cape Wind Project that is taking place off of Cape Cod, has many negatives. First the Cape Wind threatens the marine environment and would harm the productive, traditional fisheries of Nantucket Sound. Also it would not make a significant contribution to the effort to reduce pollution emissions, and in fact, could aggravate the problem by causing dirty power plants to run more often in order to be ready to generate power instantly when the wind stops blowing. Finally Cape Wind would pose hazards to marine vessel navigation, air traffic control, search and rescue efforts, and fishing vessels and gear deployment. A leading scientist Margareta Pagano says " Living too close to wind turbines can cause heart disease, tinnitus,vertigo, panic attacks, migraines and sleep deprivation, according to groundbreaking research to be published later this year by an American doctor."
 * Critics Discussions**

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This doesn't make up for the majority of the world's energy mainly because it is an up and coming technological advance. Wind turbines are mainly self reliant but many people find them to be visual eye sores. Many believe that they will drop the property value, while they can be massive, the ones passed on the cape will be the area of long island.
 * If it doesn't make up much of the world's fuel/energy supply explain why.**

The important problems this could solve is the world's over usage of fossil fuels. Wind Turbines are able to produce energy with almost no human dependence. Also it would be a source of energy that can be harvested without making green house gasses, and even though we can not depend on the wind to blow continuously, it is still a great resource of energy because the wind will be around while the f fossil fuels will be depleting. In order to produce Wind Turbines at a larger scale there are many different set backs. First Wind Turbines though fuel efficient are extremely expensive. If the price to erect Wind Turbines were to go down than many would become more apt to buy. Also many people believe that Wind Turbines are unattractive and do not want to have them built any where in their neighborhood. Finally to help put the Wind Turbine on the map all of the new technologies of Wind Turbines will start to interest more buyers. For example new technologies like Sway Turbines, Eggbeaters, and Vertical Shaft Turbines.
 * Explain how it could help solve some of the problems or contributes to those problems.**
 * Explain what it would take to do your thing better or in a larger scale.**

[[image:Sway_Wind_Turbine.jpg width="410" height="308" align="left"]][[image:egg_beher.jpg width="412" height="308" align="right"]]
Here at the Academy we use wind turbine power to generate a majority of our energy. Any organization that is willing to sacrifice ,only now to help the earth and save money later. Here at the academy we use a windmill because we reside in a relatively windy spot. It makes sense that they have put a windmill here because there seems to be a pretty much constant flow of wind. Some organizations aren't using this technology because they feel they are in a location where it wouldn't benefit them in the long run.
 * Explain who uses that technology and why. If it isn't used very much explain that instead.**

http://www.saveoursound.org/site/PageServer?pagename=Myths_Facts_Top10_8Globalwarming(cape wind negs) http://www.earthtechling.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/Sway_Wind_Turbine.jpg http://img.dell.com/images/global/corporate/environment/windmills.jpg http://www.homelyscientist.com/files/2007/05/windowslivewritertheseeggbeaterscouldpoweryourdrive-13980turbine7.jpg http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/7/1/9/4/7/ar117665191474917.jpg http://www.graberassociates.net/new/images/Wind-Farm-Negative-COLOR.jpg http://www.ucsusa.org/clean_energy/technology_and_impacts/energy_technologies/how-wind-energy-works.html http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/09/070921071653.htm
 * Works Cited**