Benefits Of Wind Turbines And Solar Panels
The nation s wind supply is abundant and inexhaustible.
Benefits of wind turbines and solar panels. Wind and solar energy provide air quality public health and greenhouse gas emission benefits as they reduce reliance on combustion based electricity generation. Wind power capacity has grown 15 per year and wind is now the largest source of renewable power in the united states. In the united states these benefits vary dramatically by region and over time. Wind is a more efficient power source than solar.
In fact one wind turbine can generate the same amount of electricity per kwh as about 48 704 solar panels. Without efficiency and reasonable limits to energy use solar and wind power only benefit the environment so much. Obviously wind energy wouldn t be the only form of primary energy in the usa. A single 1 megawatt mw turbine can generate enough electricity to power 225 300 homes.
Wind turbines don t produce atmospheric emissions that cause acid rain smog or greenhouse gases. Solar panels can take up large chunks of desert previously used by a host of wildlife from pronghorns and tortoises to coyotes and rattlesnakes. This means that they have the ability to generate power 24 hours a day whereas solar panels only generate power during sunlight hours. Bats and birds are killed every year by wind turbines.
Solar hydro geothermal and biofuels will also play roles with solar being at least equal to wind generation. The one benefit of wind over solar for your home is that wind turbines can generate power 24 hours a day since they aren t dependent on sunlight. Wind power is considered more efficient than solar because these systems use less energy release less carbon dioxide and produce more overall energy. In the last 10 years installed wind capacity has increased by nearly 880.
Over the past 10 years u s. Wind is a domestic source of energy. Compared to solar panels wind turbines release less co2 to the atmosphere consume less energy and produce more energy overall. Wind energy makes up 4 4 percent of the total us electricity generation.
The primary benefit of wind over solar power for your home is that wind turbines aren t dependent on sunlight.