WIND ENERGY

Wind energy
Energy recovered from the force of the wind is called wind energy. The wind energy is harnessed by making use of wind mills.

Wind mills
The strike of blowing wind on the blades of the wind mill make it rotating continuosly . The rotational motion of the blade drives a number of machines like water pump, flour mills and electric generators.
Now a days wind mill uses large sized propeller blades and are connected to a generator through a shaft. Wind mills are capable of generating about 100 KW electricity.

Wind Farms
When a large number of wind mills are installed and joined together in a definite pattern it farms a wind farm. The wind farms produce a large amount of electricity.
The minimum speed required for satisfactory working of a wind generator is 15 km/hr. The cost of power generation from wind farms has now become lower than diesel power and comparable to thermal power in several areas of our country.

In India –
The coastal regions of Gujarat
The hill tops in Madhya Pradesh.
The plains in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.

Advantages of wind energy
1.It is a renewable energy source available free of cost.
2.It is more economic.
3.Wind mills are used to supply power to remote and rural areas.
4.It does not cause pollution during energy generation.

Disadvantages of wind energy
1. Low energy density
2. Use of energy storage batteries creates pollution.
3. Variable and irregular.
4. Wind turbines interfere with TV and other electromagnetic communication systems.
5. The wind farms produce unbearable mechanical noise from gear box.
6. Use of energy storage batteries creates pollution.