Saturday, June 27, 2009

Knowing About The Cost Wind Energy Ratio

There are so many advantages to turbine wind energy, which is probably why it is the fastest growing source of resources renewable energy in the United States, if not the world. Through the construction of tall wind mill farms, kinetic energy is generated and stored from the constant natural wind source.

As a result, no fossil fuels are burned or pollute our earth. The rainforests and habitats need not be destroyed in search of resources, since these farms are erected on existing farms, plains and ranches. The wind turbines are domestically produced, as is the wind itself, so there are no foreign imports.

Another excellent reason to invest in plant wind power is that the cost wind energy charges have decreased substantially in just 20 years and are likely to diminish even more in the years to come.

Infrastructure is another factor for cost wind energy estimates. In certain areas, costly transmission lines must be built to take the plant wind power to the population centers. These lines will need ongoing repair and maintenance, as will the towers, to protect them from natural disasters, hurricanes, ice storms, lightning and terrorism.

These obstacles will result in higher prices for wind farm owners and for consumers. The jobs renewable energy creates are highly skilled careers that often require relocation and recruitment bonuses, since the industry is growing faster than its workforce and threatens to topple the whole enterprise. Therefore, the cost to run the utilities may not be as inexpensive as previously thought.

Today, many utility companies are incorporating cost wind energy into their grid systems. Utility customers can opt for 10% of their electricity to come from turbine wind energy. In most cases, the added cost of this feature is just 2¢ per kilowatt hour or roughly $1.60 more per month.

However, in a market like New York state, where the price of oil and other fossil fuels is considerably high, customers save $305 million per year by choosing the 10% alternative wind energy option on their bills.

While economics should certainly be considered, many advocates of wind energy implore, "What price tag would you put on the planet?" As stewards of the earth, we must aim to leave the world a better place for our children.

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