What is a Wind Turbine and How Does It Work

The most pressing issue facing the world would be the depletion of non-renewable resources at an exponential rate. We are way past the red flags of Climate Change, and we are facing the most sinister adversary in the form of Climate Emergency. While one can list a myriad of actions that the official bodies of the climate change can undertake to combat this pressing crisis, one must not forget the global impact of the collective action of the public.

Global warming will not just affect the gentry of the world. Thus, combating measures are to be taken by everybody in varying degrees. Ask yourself, what contributes most to global warming? Carbon emission would be the most common and answer, and that is indeed the case. The global carbon emission is rising at an alarming rate and prompting the greenhouse effect to worsen the condition of our ailing planet. Each day we proceed towards our own doom by not managing our resources well.

Electricity, an element that is direly needed by anyone and everyone, whether it be a big processing industry, agricultural land, or a small household, we all need electricity regardless of the source. Note, regardless of the source. So why not generate electricity from eco-friendly sources which do not harm our planet in any way?

Why Wind Energy is so Important? 

The wind is a renewable resource, and we know we would not run out of it. The wind is an excellent source from which electricity can be generated as it is omnipresent and does no harm the planet in any way. In countries like the Netherlands, wind farms consisting of various wind turbines are used on large-scale that power up an entire area. This model has been adopted by many other regions and has received good results.

While you might think that the wind turbine can only be used on large-scale with big windmills, I beg to differ. Mankind has come far enough to enable each family to generate electricity through the means of blowing wind. This job is done by a device called the home wind turbine. Not only home wind turbines useful for the environment but also help in reducing our electricity bills and rid the municipal bodies of some burden. 

What is a Wind Turbine?

A wind turbine is a device that converts the kinetic energy of the wind into electrical energy. This electrical energy can further be used to power up various electrical appliances. Using wind turbines at homes can be considered to be of service to the individual and society as a whole.

If enough families cease to use conventional methods of generating electricity and adopt eco-friendly methods, a lot of climatic problems could be mitigated for the time being. Thus, a wind turbine is one of the essential household commodities. In this article, we will discuss the conventional wind turbine and how does it work.

How Does a Wind Turbine work?

The fundamental structure of a wind turbine is, there are three blades that are turned by the blowing wind around a rotor. The rotor of the turbine is linked with the main shaft, which facilitates the spinning of a generator, which then generates electricity. From a distance, one may wonder what purpose do wind turbines serve as all it does is rotate with no direction whatsoever. The wind turbines facilitate the conversion of the kinetic energy of the wind to electrical energy.

The turbine is used in all kinds of machines in the power plants to generate electricity. It is even responsible for the generation of hydroelectricity. Rotor blades play a central role in the generation of electricity. When the blowing wind blows past the blade, the blades are prompted to spin corresponding to the speed of the wind. The wind in the process forfeits some of its kinetic energy, which is gained by the turbine.

The longer the wind blows, the more energy will be generated by the turbine. This source especially comes in handy for people inhabiting areas with fast wind speed throughout the year. They can meet all their electrical needs by the conversion of fast blowing wind into an efficient electricity supplier.

The speed of the wind will vary; nevertheless, thus to maintain an equilibrium, several wind turbines can be linked to form a joint unit or a farm. In rural regions or region which are located near power plants have a number of wind farms that forms a power grid and renders power on a large scale. 

You must have seen the image of a wind turbine or even seen one in real life. You would know hoe colossal a wind turbine is. The blades of the wind turbine are usually 70m in diameter, so each blade is pretty big. These blades magnify even the slightest breeze and make the blades rotate. So you do not need constant gush of wind to function properly. Albeit, it will prove to be more effective if the wind is blowing fast.

However, very fast wind speeds can hinder its functionality, but the inherent design of the turbine is enough to combat this shortcoming. In other words, there is a minimum and maximum standard of performance, which sustains an effective operation. Apart from regular maintenance, nothing extravagant needs to be done to take care of it. It is to note that a wind turbine does not generate as much energy as is done with fossil fuels. Fossil fuels are leagues ahead of wind turbines is its aptitude for generating electricity. A wind farm can power about 1000 houses.

Conclusion:

Among other eco-friendly means of generating electricity, Wind Turbines are something that should be adopted on a large scale. Using environment-friendly means of electricity generation heals the ailing planet as well as assists you on a personal level. Electricity generated via coal and other fossil fuels is not only harmful to the environment, but also the cost of generation is hefty. This is just one of the shortcomings of using conventional means of electricity generation. Fossil fuels are naturally occurring substances that take millions of years to develop. 

Did you know if we continue to use up non-renewable resources such as coal and petroleum at the current rate, the aggregate stock will be all exhausted within fifty years? FIFTY YEARS! This means we all will see the precious resources of the world deplete if we do not change our ways. The sustainable development and conservation of resources is not something we should expect from the government alone. There is an ample measure we can take as individuals to ensure that we do not deprive the future generation of these resources, and they will continue the legacy.

There is no alternative to life on Earth as of now, no matter what you hear about water on Mars. Thus, we should do everything in our power to conserve what we have. This includes using wind turbines to generate electricity because it offers a myriad of opportunities now and hope for the future.