|
Wind power represents the harnessing of energy from wind and converting it into another useful form of energy. Throughout history, applications powered by the wind have been used by mankind. However, these applications were essentially limited to the pumping of water and to the grinding of grains. Technological advancements have now paved the way to effectively harness the wind to produce electricity.
How do wind generators work?
Modern wind driven electric generators employ mechanical devices commonly referred to as wind turbines. These turbines utilize large fan or propeller-like blades to tap into the wind’s energy. The force of the wind causes the blades to rotate, which in turn provides the mechanical force necessary to drive an attached electrical generator that produces the resulting electrical current. Typically, greater wind speeds will lead to higher electric outputs. As a rule, the generation of electricity will fluctuate along with variations in wind speed. For this reason, wind turbines are best located in areas with sufficient annual wind speeds.
Information relating to the geographic elements of potential wind turbine placement as well as other related data can be obtained from the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
Wind For Schools
| Progress Energy Carolinas is partnering in North Carolina’s first rural wind power education program to be implemented in Madison County.
A regional partnership will install small wind turbines at three schools in Madison County and develop a K-12 alternative-energy curriculum as part of an effort to introduce wind power to rural communities and initiate community discussions around the benefits and challenges of alternative-energy resources.
|
 |
|
A fourth installation will be established at the Madison County Cooperative Extension Office.
The partnership includes the Appalachian Regional Commission, Mountain Valleys Resource Conservation and Development, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Progress Energy Carolinas, French Broad EMC, the Madison County School System, the Madison County Cooperative Extension Service, Appalachian State University, Sundance Power and Southwest Wind Power. The schools participating in this initiative are Hot Springs Elementary, Madison Middle School and Madison High School. Each school will have a 2- or 3-kilowatt (kw) wind turbine installed on its property. The first turbine will be installed at Madison High in May 2009 with the other installations following shortly thereafter.
“Progress Energy is pursuing renewable energy as part of a balanced strategy for meeting the region's growing energy needs reliably, affordably and in an environmentally responsible fashion,” said Robert Sipes, vice president of Progress Energy Carolinas’ western N.C. region. “Supporting innovative projects like this is part of our commitment to work with our communities to secure the region’s energy future. This project has the added benefit of getting our children thinking about energy, because we will be relying on their knowledge and innovation to expand the role of renewable energy in the years ahead.”
The Madison County Wind for Schools project is modeled after the U.S. Department of Energy’s Wind for Schools initiative.
|
|
|
