Wind Power
& How it applies to food supply
What exactly is wind power & How it works
Wind is a form of solar energy and wind turbines take the wind, kinetic energy, and form it into mechanical energy, electricity. When the wind blows, it blows into the turbines and the three blades capture it and begin to rotate. As the blades spin the power into the back of the turbine the generator increases, causing them to move faster which then when it hits a certain speed that produces the electricity. Which the electricity can be used for pumping water or grinding grain.
Timeline of the Turbines
In Ancient Greece and China they used different models of the windmills to power their ships when they had to sail long distances, this was before they found out what all it can do for food. Britain had developed many wind turbines and was showcasing what all they could do, so in the early 1970's the U.S. got on the bandwagon. Sine then they have had many advances in what all wind turbines can do. They have come up with many ways for it to help farmers with their crops, for example, corn in Indiana, and grinding up grain and pumping water.
What you need to know
- The wind energy produced by these turbines is so powerful that the largest wind turbine can power just over 600 homes. A small turbine in your backyard has enough power to give electricity to your home or a small business. Many wind farms give income to rural communities.
- The land in between the turbines is very popular farming land. Many farmers will try to get the land to plant their crops there because the turbines can grind up their grains for them and have many other benefits for their crops.
- There has been a 25% increase in wind turbines in the last decade. They are showing great potential in the future and manufactures hope that they will lessen our carbon footprint.
- Wind Turbines can be very large in size as tall as 200 meters and the blades can move as fast as 200 mph, so that means they are very expensive to produce and keep up to date and going. Putting all that money into it they are thinking it will save them even more money in the long run.
- The United States "corn belt" has overlapped with the "wind belt" which is meaning that where it is meeting it is helping the corn that is planted there have better results. They have seen that instead of planting trees on the out skirts of the field to mix up the air they have tried wind turbines. It is important because it is showing a new way to have better crops using the turbines which has good effects in the end for the economy and environment.
Citations
"Wind Energy Basics." Wind Energy Basics. Web. 14 Jan. 2016.
"35 Facts About Wind Energy - Conserve Energy Future." ConserveEnergyFuture. 24 Dec. 2013. Web. 14 Jan. 2016.
By Mason Inman, For National Geographic News published December 21, 2011. "Wind Turbines May Help Crops on Farms, Research Says." National Geographic. National Geographic Society. Web. 14 Jan. 2016.
"Wind 101: The Basics of Wind Energy." Wind 101: The Basics of Wind Energy. Web. 14 Jan. 2016.