Earth Science L5

Wind Energy

• Wind turbines convert kinetic energy from wind into electrical energy.
• Windmills are becoming a common sight across the United States due to their increasing adoption as a renewable energy source.

Energy Requirements

• An example of a facility that requires a constant supply of energy to keep people safe and healthy is a hospital.

Renewable Energy Sources

• Wind is a renewable energy source that can be regenerated, and it will blow regardless of whether we use it for generating electricity or not.
• Other examples of energy sources that can be regenerated include solar power and hydroelectric power.

Windmill Design

• The primary reason for the height of modern windmills is to capture more consistent and stronger wind currents.

Hydroelectric Power

• Hydroelectric power provides approximately 20% of the world's total electricity production.
• The primary issue with hydroelectric power production is the dependence on a constant water supply, which can be limited by geographical factors.

Solar Power

• The main difference between passive and active solar power collection is that passive systems use building design and materials to absorb and store heat, while active systems use solar panels to convert sunlight into electrical energy.
• A downside of solar power equipment is that it can be expensive to install and maintain.