Activity 3.2.3 – Alternative Energy

 Alternative Energy: Wind Energy

    Alternative Energy is commonly known as renewable energy due to industrialized countries not relying on them as their main energy source(s). Conventional Energy sources like renewable energy have been increasing in price, becoming more scarce by the year, and theoretically nearly entirely consumed soon. Meanwhile renewable energy like solar energy derives from solar activity which will last 4 billion years, which will outlast human sustainability. For this reason solar energy is considered as a “completely renewable” energy source. Emerging economies of developing third and first world countries are exponentially consuming energy in decades and will require more rapidly depleting fuel sources or create infrastructure for renewable energy sources. Unfortunately solar energy is expensive and most nations and their communities are making an easier transition to wind energy.

    Wind energy is powered indirectly by solar energy due to uneven solar heating which causes temperature changes. Unlike solar energy wind energy is less expensive. The advantages of renewable energy still apply to wind energy. A nation dependent on wind energy can eliminate, or at least reduce major oil spills, and pipeline leaks from energy transportation of oil energy sources. Additionally nations with communities separated by long distances and rough terrain can be powered by a community wind farm. Furthermore, wind energy does not produce greenhouse gas emissions or air pollutants that can negatively impact not only its region but the world’s ecosystems. Unfortunately wind energy has some disadvantages as well. 

    Wind energy does require cement as foundation to erect wind turbines which do emit greenhouse emissions, but is only emitted in its erection and not during the entirety of its production cycle. Although wind speed, force, and direction can vary, wind turbines are usually equipped with a yaw motor that can move the wind turbine and its propellers to the most optimal position to receive wind. Additionally environmental impact may be minimized but not non-existent, wind turbines can cause the deaths of avifauna due to its spinning propellers even more so if turbines are erected in the paths of migratory bird’s migration path. Fortunately this can be mitigated by researching areas to erect wind turbines but also add the disadvantage of time and money consuming research that can dissuade short-sighted tax payers and politicians. Contrastingly would benefit communities that may be located near wind turbine farms since they do produce noises that can irritate humans. And finally wind turbines have been recorded to leak oil due to the oil used to lubricate the wind turbines which is rare. (Mutiti et al., 2018)

    Since I have begun the pursuit of my career in Information Technology, I have always thought of my career resulting in me providing computational technical support for solar energy organizations. I have now re-aligned my long-term goal to apply to organizations involved in the exponentially multiplying, efficient, and mass achievable renewable energy wind industry.

References:
Mutiti, S., Mutiti, C., Manoylov, K., VandeVoort, A., & Bennett, D. (2018). Introduction to environmental science, Chapter 4, "Alternative Energy" (3rd ed.). Biological Science Open Textbooks. University System of Georgia.