Wind Energy

The UK's position in the world makes it one of the best locations for using renewable energy.

We certainly get wind energy and occasionally some sun! In fact, in Europe, we get the most suitable weather for renewable energy systems to work.

Wind Farms
The most common way of getting energy from the wind is through setting up 'Wind farms'. The first wind farm was set up in November 1991. In March 2004 there were 1,043 wind turbines in operation at sites around the UK, providing or 0.3-0.4% of the UK's electricity supply. When they were first introduced they were very expensive, however over the years, initial costs have fallen, and therefore the cost of getting electricity from the wind has dropped considerably.

How Wind Turbines Work
Wind turbines generally have 3 blades and they rotate at 10-30 revolutions per minute. The blades face into the wind, the wind forces them to go round, which then spins a shaft inside the turbine, which is connected to a generator which produces the electricity.

Wind power It is ideal for generating electricity at a local level - European wind schemes are typically clusters of around 10 - 40 turbines, providing enough electricity for 4,000 to 16,000 households. Some countries such as Denmark and Germany also have a high proportion of single turbines. The electricity can be fed directly into the distribution network, reducing electricity distribution and transmission losses. By contrast, electricity from larger power stations has to be transmitted on high voltage power lines and travel long distances before it gets to the point of use
Wind turbines are now smaller and almost silent – so are becoming an option for households to reduce their energy bill. 

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