Wind – Infinite Energy
As our quality of life improves, consumption of energy is bound to increase. Most of mankind’s energy needs are obtained from exhaustible fossil fuels. Apart from the adverse effect on climate, use of fossil fuels for production of energy is a crime against future generations. By burning fossil fuels for energy generation, we are violating the fundamental principles of economics. The very definition of economics taught to us is ‘Economics is a science which deals with ends and scarce means which have alternative uses’. The scarce fossil fuels have far better alternative uses than burning for energy. A kilogram of oil can produce far more valuable petrochemicals than the electrical energy it would produce.By Dr Kane, President, World Wind Energy Association
Mankind has started becoming wiser. The growth of the renewable energy sector has been phenomenal, and the wind energy sector, in particular, has grown exponentially. The cost of generation of energy by wind has become competitive with conventional thermal power. In real value terms the cost of generation of electrical energy by wind has been continuously reducing and will continue to do so. At the same time, the cost of electrical energy produced by burning fuel has been continuously going up and will continue to do so.
Today, renewable energy does not contribute a substantial portion of the world’s energy requirement, but it is steadily growing and the growth rate is exponential. The potential of wind energy alone is unbelievably large. A team at Stanford University in California has carried out an exhaustive study and has reached a conclusion that is based upon scientifically recorded reliable source data. This indicates that if only the areas having an annual average wind velocity greater than 7m/s are taken into account wind worldwide could produce approximately 72 trillion watt hours of electrical energy per year. This is equal to about 54,000 million tonnes of oil equivalent. Even if only 20% of this power is captured, it is more than the total energy requirement of the entire world for all purposes. The world’s current energy demand is 7,000 to 10,000 million tonnes of oil equivalent. If we consider just the electrical energy requirement of the entire world, this potential is seven times the world’s needs, which is 1.6 to 1.8 trillion watt hours.
Rejoice! Wind energy is the apparent ultimate solution of the world’s energy needs.