The wind energy can be discussed as one of the most growing and developing energy sectors in the United States. The country ranks the second among the largest producers of the wind energy in the world because the United States has the great potential in developing the wind farm market and the whole wind industry in more than ten states (Nelson 170; Raven, Berg, and Hassenzahl 241). In spite of the fact that today the United States uses electricity provided with the wind energy to cover only 4% of the energy needs, this source of energy should be chosen as primary in the country because it is profitable, renewable, and sustainable.
The wind energy is produced as a result of the work of many wind turbines which resemble traditional windmills. Wind turbines are tall constructions which have moving blades, the gear, and the generator to transform the wind energy into electricity. The turbine works when blades are moving and turning. The energy produced with the help of the generator is transformed into electricity distributed with the help of cables. Powerful wind turbines can be more than 100 m tall in order to produce more electricity, but small turbines are more actively used in the modern villages and farms of the United States (Jeffs 170).
One turbine can provide about 250 houses with the necessary electricity, and the number of turbines which can be located in regions is very high (Raven, Berg, and Hassenzahl 241-242). As a result, the turbines which can be built in such states as California, Minnesota, North Dakota, Taxes, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Nebraska will become ready to address the needs of residents and provide the other states with the necessary amount of energy.
Wind energy is renewable and sustainable, and the negative impact on the environment is minimal. It is the “world’s fastest-growing source of energy” because the wind energy is clean (Raven, Berg, and Hassenzahl 241). The production process does not require the use of water to produce electricity, and there are no harmful emissions from the work of the turbines (Jeffs 172). That is why, this source of energy is discussed as sustainable from both the environmental and consumer perspectives. All the energy produced with the help of wind turbines can be fully used without involving complex technological processes.
The main challenges associated with making wind the primary energy source in the United States are the cost of electricity and dependence on the geographical factor and wind blowing. The implementation of wind turbines in states is an easy, but expensive process. At the current stage, it is necessary to develop technologies effective for storing and distributing the wind energy among states.
It is necessary to guarantee the availability of electricity in the northern states of the USA because of the dependence on the geographical factor. However, in spite of the fact that the current wind energy projects cost more than $28,000,000, the costs of the produced electricity are inclined to decrease, while focusing on the reduction of costs in “$0.04 to $0.06 per kilowatt-hour in 2010” (Nelson 170; Raven, Berg, and Hassenzahl 241-242). The economic profits from constructing the wind turbines are expected to be significant.
The wind energy should be used in the United States as the main source of energy because it is sustainable and depends on using traditional sources of energy. Small turbines are not only easily constructed but also powerful. The energy which can provide thousands of houses with electricity is renewable and non-harmful for the environment.
Works Cited
Jeffs, Eric. Green Energy: Sustainable Electricity Supply with Low Environmental Impact. Boca Raton: CRC Press, 2010. Print.
Nelson, Vaughn. Introduction to Renewable Energy. Boca Raton: CRC Press, 2011. Print.
Raven, Peter, Linda Berg, and David Hassenzahl. Environment. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons, 2012. Print.