Wind Mills and Wind Power

Have you noticed that wind mills are sweeping the country? Learn more about how we can reap the benefits of the wind.

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In a few decades, the relationship between the environment, resources, and conflict may seem almost as obvious as the connection we see today between human rights, democracy, and peace.   
                           —Wangari Maathai

Wind Turbines 
10 Benefits of Wind Energy Industries

Wind power is sweeping the country. Wind maps show that some regions, especially in the Midwest, have stronger than average winds. These areas are the best suited for the development of wind as an alternative energy source. Landowners, farmers, and rural communities are watching their communities be transformed as windmills sprout and turbines spin. These rural communities that may have once been powered by coal are now creating wind farms and benefiting from wind energy resources.

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10. Supports New Businesses
Harnessing wind energy means new technology, materials, and methods. It promotes many different kinds of manufacturing industries. This includes research consultants, factories and plants that produce parts, construction companies, and supervisory or maintenance organizations.

9. Provides New Jobs   
Wind farms are usually built on open lands such as farms or ranches. These new job sources can be a real boost for rural communities. The employment starts with research, surveying, and development work. Then there are the construction jobs preparing sites and building structures. Finally, there are the permanent jobs maintaining the wind energy industries. These increased job possibilities help convince many young people who might have left the region to stay.

8. Enhances Economic Development
States and regions that adopt wind energy gain from enhanced economic development. Rural communities may find they can easily attract various new wind-related industries.

7. Lessens Environmental Impact
Wind is a clean, renewable energy. The business of electrical generation can be a dirty and disruptive process. Wind energy has less environmental impact. It appeals to energy consumers who support sustainability of resources.

6. Reduces Greenhouse Emissions
Once the turbines are built and the wind blows, the wind energy system works. When it runs, that means that natural gas and coal-fired plants do not run. That’s less reliance on carbon-based, limited fossil fuels. It reduces greenhouse gas emission, and there’s less pollution. Wind energy is clean energy.

5. Lowers Energy Bills
When communities develop wind power, consumer and business costs drop. Wind is an inexpensive energy resource. 

4. Increases Tax Revenues
In areas with established wind turbines, property tax assessed value has increased. This provides increased tax revenues to county AND to school district budgets. This additional property tax revenue is a boon for local governments and communities. 

3. Helps Stabilize Electric Rates  
Over the long term, wind expansion will facilitate a more reliable grid. States can distribute wind turbines across a region to take advantage of wind energy’s variability. This helps stabilize the grid and electric rates by the small-scale, widely distributed power generation of the wind farms.

2. Stays Local
Wind energy is a homegrown resource. It is all produced locally and boosts the community. It decreases reliance on purchasing energy from distant sources.

1. Creates a Reliable Source of Income
Landowners are paid for the use of their land. Farmers and other landowners lease small parts of their land to the energy industry. They then receive an annual payment for each turbine place upon their land. For many rural farmers, wind generation provides an essential and reliable new source of income. 

Switching the grid to harvest wind energy is a huge economic investment. Most wind energy projects turn out to be a plus for everyone: for the environment, for the farmers and landowners, for the people who get jobs in the industry, and for consumers. Energy companies know that it also appeals greatly to energy consumers who support local sustainability.

It makes sense to promote renewable energy, especially for states whose weather includes strong wind conditions. Now, instead of complaining about the weather, we can build wind farms to benefit from it.

Here’s another SimpleTens list about the benefits of conserving energy resources. 

Did you enjoy this SimpleTens list? Read more articles like this in Environment.

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