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| Wind is free but when we
want to harness its power to make electricity, we must
consider the best place to do this so as to maximize
its potential. |
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WIND
This may seem an obvious requirement but even in consistently
windy places, the
quality of the wind is important. Turbines can turn into the
wind as it changes
direction and are designed to run at a fairly constant speed
even though the force
of the wind may change. Despite this, the ideal winds should
come from more or
less the same direction for long periods of time and be reasonably
continuous in
strength. Obstructions in the landscape can create turbulent
or dirty wind. |
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PEOPLE
If we are to use the wind to produce electricity then it makes
sense to choose a site
which is near to where the power may be needed, either for
homes or industry.
Modern wind turbines are quiet but there is a small amount
of sound produced by
the mechanical parts and a "swishing" sound from
the blades This noise is often
lower than the sound of the wind itself but it is possible
that people may object to
having turbines too close to their homes. |
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LANDSCAPE
Modern wind turbines are arguably quite elegant to look at,
but some people may
object to having them in view, especially in places of special
beauty or historical
significance. By their very nature, windy places tend to be
very open or high up and
taller wind turbines are more efficient so it is inevitable
that they will become an ever
more familiar sight. Perhaps we should learn to love them,
much as we enjoy the site
of an old windmill and accept them as an integral part of
the rural landscape and our
sustainable future. |
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THE ELECTRICITY GRID
Some jurisdictions are placing wind farms
very close to their communities in order to make towns or
villages more electrically self-sufficient. In most places
however, the wind farms are located close to the "grid." The
grid is a system of cables and wires (conductors) that
distribute electricity throughout a geographical area. The
grid in Ontario, for example, connects up to grids in
neighbouring provinces and states. Good access to the grid is
an important factor for wind farms and special conditions need
to
be met to ensure the wind farm's electricity is compatible to the
electricity flowing in the grid. |
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ROADS
The
components for wind turbines are large and must be assembled
on
site.
As many of the sites are located in the countryside,
good roads are vital for shipping the components. Rail connections and harbours
are sometimes important as well if the turbines are
coming from a distance or from another
country.
Some wind farms are built out at sea but it
usually makes more economic sense to build where access
is not too much of a problem . |
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