Myths & Facts About Wind Power
Myth: Wind energy is expensive.
Fact: From strictly a cost of energy perspective, wind power is competitive with conventional sources of energy in areas with moderate to good wind speed. Given that there is no fuel component to wind power, it is not subject to some of the price volatility that can be experienced by other sources of energy and, therefore, provides a stable price for utilities and consumers.
If external costs (those not included in the market price for energy), such as costs resulting from treatment of air pollution related health conditions and the cost of securing ample sources of fossil fuels, are considered in the evaluation of the relative price of wind power or other forms of renewable energy, these renewable energy sources are much less expensive than fossil fuel burning sources of energy.
Myth: Wind energy is unreliable and must be "backed up" by conventional generation.
Fact: Regional grid operators are responsible for maintaining electric supply reliability at the lowest cost. To achieve the level of reliability required in today's society, a wide range of management tools are incorporated. The fact is, grid operators must "back up" all sources of generation in case of sudden outages or spikes in electricity demand. Wind energy would not increase the need for "back up" generation and it would not require different management tools until it was responsible for a larger portion of electricity supply. The reality is that wind energy is naturally variable, but not unreliable. Wind farms are built in windy areas, and seasonal and daily wind generation patterns can be anticipated. And, in contrast to conventional power plants, wind farms need not shut down altogether for maintenance and repairs - a turbine fault, when it occurs, can be repaired while the other turbines continue to operate.
Myth: Wind turbines operate only a small fraction of the time.
Fact: Wind turbines generate electricity most (65-80%) of the time, although the output amount is variable. No power plant generates at 100% "nameplate capacity" 100% of the time. Nameplate capacity refers to the maximum generation potential of a power plant. A conventional power plant is occasionally closed for maintenance or repairs, or runs below full capacity to best match demand.
Wind farms are built in areas where the wind blows most of the time, but because of variations in speed, a wind farm will generate power at full rated capacity about 10% of the time. On average, throughout the year wind turbine power generation is 30% to 40% of its rated capacity.
Myth: Wind energy provides hardly any electricity.
Fact: The U.S. Department of Energy estimates America's wind energy potential to be much larger than today's total U.S. electricity consumption. Tapping only a fraction of that potential would provide a significant part of America's electricity supply. While there will be challenges, it is possible that wind could supply up to 20% of the total electricity used in the United States within the next 20 to 25 years. Beyond that, advances in technology and in electric system management techniques could allow wind and other renewable energy technologies to become even more important. In the United States, wind energy currently produces approximately 17 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity, equivalent to powering about 1.6 million average American homes year-round. A typical two-megawatt turbine generates enough electricity for 600-800 homes.
Myth: Wind turbines are inefficient.
Fact: Wind turbines are efficient and that is part of their beauty. One of the simplest ways to measure overall efficiency is to look at the "energy payback" of an energy technology, i.e., the amount of time it takes to produce a given amount of energy. The energy payback time for wind is similar to or better than that of conventional power plants. A recent study by the University of Wisconsin-Madison calculated the average energy payback of Midwestern wind farms to be between 17 and 39 times as much energy as they consume (depending on the average wind speeds at the site), while nuclear power plants generate only about 16 times and coal plants 11 times as much energy as they consume.
Wind turbines are also highly efficient in a larger sense: they generate electricity from a natural, renewable resource, without any hidden social or environmental costs - there is no need to mine for fuel or transport it, no global warming pollutants created, and no need to store, treat, or dispose of wastes.
Myth: Wind farms are ugly.
Fact: Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and many people throughout the world find wind turbines on the landscape to be a graceful addition to the view. While larger than their predecessors, modern wind turbines have sleeker lines and fewer rotations per minute, which also adds to their visual appeal.
Myth: Wind farms are noisy.
Fact: Advances in system designs and appropriate use of setbacks from residences have helped to reduce sound issues associated with wind turbines. Aerodynamic noise has been reduced by adjusting the thickness of the blades' trailing edges and by orienting blades upwind of the turbine tower. To put this into perspective, the sound generated from a wind turbine 250 meters from a residence is no noisier than a kitchen refrigerator.
Myth: Wind projects decrease property values.
Fact: There are numerous factors that affect property values. Publicly available studies have shown that there is little or no statistical evidence that property values decrease in the immediate vicinity of wind turbine facilities. EverPower believes that proper planning and constructive community involvement will result in a project that adds value to the area.
Myth: Wind projects don't contribute to the local tax base.
Fact: Wind farms support the local tax base, helping to pay for schools and roads. Economic development associated with a new wind farm extends far beyond taxes. Wind energy offers new employment opportunities both directly from the wind farm operation and construction and indirectly from the companies that will support the development, construction, manufacturing and operation of wind turbine projects throughout the state and the country. In addition, money for services needed to support a large construction project, including increased hotel stays and restaurant revenues, will be pumped into the local economy.
Myth: Turbine shadow flicker is harmful.
Fact: Shadow flicker is the term used to describe what happens when rotating turbine blades come between the viewer and the sun, causing a moving shadow. Shadow flicker is almost never a problem for residences near new wind farms and, in the few cases where it could be, it is easily avoided. For some who have homes close to wind turbines, shadow flicker can occur under certain circumstances and can be annoying when trying to read or watch television.
However, the effect can be precisely calculated to determine whether a flickering shadow will fall on a given location near a wind farm, and how many hours in a year it will do so. Potential problems can be easily identified and solutions range from providing an appropriate setback from the turbines to planting trees to disrupt the effect.