Why Wind is Wrong
By: JC Westling; Claire Anderson
Environmental Impacts
- 20,000-30,000 birds are killed annually in the U.S. alone
- Construction destroys underground habitats
Expenses of Wind Energy
Cost of Wind vs. Coal
- A windmill that produces 4,700,000 kWh of energy annually costs $3-$4 million
- To produce that much with coal it coasts $812,000
- Coal is more than 4x cheaper
Side Expenses
- Set up for a M2 windmill costs around $500,000
- Spare parts can be from a simple screw, to a new gearbox which can be spendy.
Social Impacts
Sound
- Windmills can produce a peak sound of 105 decibels
- At a distance they can produce sound at low frequencies that can be bad for the ear
Flying Objects
- 30,000 - 40,000 birds die annually
- The windmills produce turbulent pockets of air for three miles behind them
Negative Factors of Wind Energy
- There's not always wind
- Gearbox wear out
- Birds hit the blades
- The air is very turbulent around them
- People have disturbed sleep patterns who live by them