WIND
POWER
Wind power has
been around for a very long time. Over the years
we have used wind power for many things such as irrigation or energy
for
our homes. Farmers have used windmills to turn
grain into flour. Now we are working to improve windmills.
In places where there is a lot of wind, wind turbines can be
used to harness the wind's energy. Wind power can provide energy
for many things, such as lamps, stoves, or even computers. Large
groups of
windmills located in a close proximity are called wind farms. As
windmill technology advanced from wood and fabric to the large metal
structures high in the air, they became more useful. Now
windmills are made of metal and can reach up to
180 feet in the air! Wind power is becoming more popular
in the United States. In Denmark, wind
turbines make 10 percent of its power.
Wind power sounds like a
great idea, and it is, but there are some drawbacks. For
instance,
the giant blades at the front of the turbine are a danger to birds,
especially migratory ones. We are doing more to prevent the
threat of killing birds. Some people are experimenting with the
idea
of painting the blades on the turbine orange with black stripes
instead of the usual white to alert the birds of the blades.
Many
farm developers think that wind power will become a viable power
in the United States. Some companies are trying to spur the
growth of large scale wind projects. During the 1990's there was a
massive increase in stand-alone wind machines in the United
States. In the future I think wind power will be one of the prime
ways of getting power.
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