Could wind energy really be a viable alternative to conventional power generation? What are the obstacles to creating a workable renewable energy system based upon wind farms? Turbine developments have seen rapid and dramatic improvements in terms of weight, efficiency and power output, however the wind doesn’t always blow. Can we count on wind energy as a reliable and long term renewable energy source?

We can’t compare this stuff in a vacuum. Unless someone develops free energy these resources will all have their tradeoffs. The big problem with wind (and solar) is the power being intermittent. If a cheap energy storage method could be found (Holy Grail of Energy) wind energy would become a much more competitive alternative. So no wind is not a 100% alternative to conventional generation but it could be a large part of a solution given its grid competitive cost. Also we don’t have to send troops to far off shores to protect our wind resources…. we’ve got wind right here! Most people don’t account for the military, diplomatic and geopolitical strategy in their costs of conventional energy.

Visual pollution? While not many people want a wind turbine in their backyard, this is a huge problem with conventional coal and natural gas plants. Do you want your house continually covered with a thick layer of ash?
Noise? OK, so a wind turbine is not silent. But neither is the wind. At high winds most modern large turbines are very quiet, so quiet you probably won’t hear them at high wind speeds. I have shown video of local 660kw+ turbines and most people say “where’s the sound?” not because the sound is muted but because it makes so little noise. Yes crickets, birds and human beings are also noise pollutants. Go see a turbine for yourself. Oh and people don’t curl up with a book near the local coal plant either because its so quiet.
Consistency. Wind is not there everyday which means you are going to have to subsidize it with something. Yes this is true. But part of the problem is the unpredictability of the grid demand. Therefore coal plants must also be subsidized with peaker plants and the ability to feed in power from nearby grid systems. All power generation requires planning and strategy. Good cheap storage would help a lot here.
Environment. Annually house cats and windows kill many more birds than wind turbines do.

Wind is really less of a problem to set up than most people think. Toronto has had a huge wind turbine in the heart of the city for years now. It’s actually one of our more photographed landmarks. Kills remarkably few birds (especially in comparison to the skyscrapers), and isn’t all that noisy.

But anyway: The Energy in the future will be generated from a variety of sources (wind, nuclear, liquefied coal, biofuel, etc.).

One more thing we to focus on is the consumption and how to reduce it.

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