Wind farms are a great way to capture wind energy as evidenced by the recent increases in wind turbine farm installations. Considering raw power output, combustion based power stations are capable of much more than wind turbine systems. The energy stored in combustion fuels is significant, and as long as these fuels can be obtained at reasonable rates they will outperform the wind power market.
This is not as terrible of a fact as might initially seem. The reality is that the things we have grown to love are provided by a solid industrial base. An industrial base including mining, timber, metallurgy and manufacturing of farm equipment to harvest our food supply. This base of heavy industry needs reliable electricity in very big amounts.
Let’s face it, when it comes to smelting ores, machining metals, and forging steel (just to name a few), these types of operations take a whole lot of juice. Large and variable infrastructures are difficult to power on wind or solar energy alone. The heat energy and motive power required is far too significant.
Wind turbines do have their place, however. Wind machines are an age old, tried and true, simple way to tap a source of free energy. It just means wind turbine are more adept for supplying power in residential applications and for small commercial applications.
To illustrate, a commercial size power plant capable of 500 MegaWatt output will fit in the area of 1/4 square mile without challenge. As a comparison consider a wind power farm of equal capacity. At 2 MegaWatts per wind turbine, then over 250 wind turbines would have to be put in place. Imagine the area this would require! Keep in mind, also, that a steady supply of Wind is required which is not always the case.
Clearly, in locations that make sense wind power solutions should be part of our energy portfolio. But we can not abandon our combustion technologies where efficiencies and pollution controls continue to improve, combustion is the heart of our economy driving our heavy industry.
