Harnessing the Power of Wind:
The Potential of Wind Energy in the United States
We live in a society obsessed with technology and consumed by its ever-increasing need for energy. Currently, Americans rely heavily on three main fossil fuel technologies (oil, natural gas, coal) to power their energy-consuming devices. Not only are these fuel technologies harmful to the environment, since they release large amounts of pollutants, but they are also finite (more so oil and natural gas). Additionally, the use of them (especially oil) makes America heavily dependent on foreign nations. This reliance has the potential to have negative affects economically, politically, and socially since many of the regions America imports oil from are in volatile …show more content…
The Oklahoma City metro area is considered one of the windiest metro areas in the country with an average wind speed of approximately 12.2 miles per hour. However, wind speed fluctuates quite considerably even in Oklahoma. During the summer, when most of the energy and storm systems are north of Oklahoma, wind speeds are generally light and weather is often stagnant for long periods of time. Also, most places throughout the country experience a diurnal fluctuation in wind speed. At night, as the boundary layer decouples from the free atmosphere and mixing ceases, wind speed often decreases substantially (barring low-level jet features, …show more content…
Net metering is a system in which producers of renewable energy receive money for any additional power they generate. Another incentive came when the U.S. passed the production tax credit (PTC) in 1999. This tax break provides $21, during the first ten years, for every MWh produced. The PTC helps to mitigate much of the upfront costs associated with turbine manufacturing and the delivery of wind energy. The additional savings brought upon by these incentives will continue to make wind energy a more viable resource in the
The Potential of Wind Energy in the United States
We live in a society obsessed with technology and consumed by its ever-increasing need for energy. Currently, Americans rely heavily on three main fossil fuel technologies (oil, natural gas, coal) to power their energy-consuming devices. Not only are these fuel technologies harmful to the environment, since they release large amounts of pollutants, but they are also finite (more so oil and natural gas). Additionally, the use of them (especially oil) makes America heavily dependent on foreign nations. This reliance has the potential to have negative affects economically, politically, and socially since many of the regions America imports oil from are in volatile …show more content…
The Oklahoma City metro area is considered one of the windiest metro areas in the country with an average wind speed of approximately 12.2 miles per hour. However, wind speed fluctuates quite considerably even in Oklahoma. During the summer, when most of the energy and storm systems are north of Oklahoma, wind speeds are generally light and weather is often stagnant for long periods of time. Also, most places throughout the country experience a diurnal fluctuation in wind speed. At night, as the boundary layer decouples from the free atmosphere and mixing ceases, wind speed often decreases substantially (barring low-level jet features, …show more content…
Net metering is a system in which producers of renewable energy receive money for any additional power they generate. Another incentive came when the U.S. passed the production tax credit (PTC) in 1999. This tax break provides $21, during the first ten years, for every MWh produced. The PTC helps to mitigate much of the upfront costs associated with turbine manufacturing and the delivery of wind energy. The additional savings brought upon by these incentives will continue to make wind energy a more viable resource in the