Harnessing the Wind – we’re #1! Current largest wind farm: Horse Hollow Wind Energy Center 421 wind turbines 735 megawatts. 47,000 acres of land in Taylor and Nolan County, Texas. Texas’ next “cash crop”? 500,000 Texas homes currently, expanding 10 times in next decade In 2012, wind generated 10,407 megawatts (1 megawatt = 500 homes) 13% of state’s electricity How does it work? How does it work? Area swept by blades can be size of 747 plane Tips of blades can be going 200mph Height – 240ft (taller than Statue of Liberty) Nacelle – size of greyhound bus How does it work? World’s largest German turbine: (394-feet) behemoth capable of generating 5 MW Need 8 mi/hr winds to generate electricity; max electrical production at 1518 mi/hr winds; turbines cut off at 55 mi/hr winds Yaw motor – nacelle moves to face turbine directly into wind Applications Typical wind farm: 100Megawatts (MW) Coal fired power plant – 500-600 MW One 1.5MW turbine could power about 350 homes/year Best wind is in the morning, but peak demand is in the afternoon So what if you currently have wind electricity? Do your lights go out on still days? Our electric “grid” = power plants connected to consumers Our electric “grid” = power plants connected to consumers Advantages High efficiency Moderate capital cost No air pollution Can use land for grazing Renewable Domestic Able to use current electric grid Disadvantages Land use – requires space Visual pollution – some people don’t like the look Noise – 275 yards away, it sounds like a refrigerator Bird and bat deaths Winds peak in morning and March-May Wind in your home?