A windmill is a structure that converts the energy of wind into rotational energy by means of vanes called sails or blades. Centuries ago, windmills usually were used to mill grain (gristmills), pump water (windpumps), or both, according to an online dictionary. Yes, windmills are a great source of renewable energy. Windmill electricity production does not contribute to air or water pollution so it helps save the environment due to the effects of global warming. Therefore, windmill energy may be the solution to the increasing price of petroleum and gas.
Seeing the advantages of windmill energy may be the reason why Texas has generated more electricity from wind than coal this year. This may not be understood by many years and years ago when speaking about energy production using wind. But it is remarkably different now.
According to the report of the Energy Information Administration, Texas has been known to be the biggest user of coal in the United States. Coal energy has its own benefits. Its availability makes it affordable for consumers. Plus, there is no lag time with coal energy. It can easily be accessed in case there is a need for power. It is capable of burning extra energy even on peak demand times. But it might not always be the case since a lower cost of renewable energy may already be available. The wind energy is making its way.
There is a reason why Texas chose wind energy over coal and that reason is the weather. Most of the coal plants in Texas are called peaking power plants or peaker plants. They are called that way because they generally run only when the demand is high or what they usually call as peak demand for electricity. Since they only supply power occasionally, there is a much higher cost per kilowatt-hour than the basic charge of power. Texas only has mild spring and moderate summer, therefore, the demand seemed to be lower than they expected and these peaking power plants were often online. Due to this, Texas has become a national leader in clean energy solutions.
Texas is perfectly located for constant, sustained winds that can be utilized for energy production since it has totally open spaces and flatlands. Because Texas is blessed with abundant wind energy, wind power has surpassed coal in Texas. No wonder they are still number one when it comes to wind generation.
The windmill energy production also results in financial benefits. These savings come from health and pollution-related matters. For example, due to fewer carbon dioxide emissions and less sulfur dioxide and nitrogen pollution, they save millions to billions of dollars. Aside from that, the wind industry supports more than 24,000 workers proof that wind energy can help not just the environment but also the economy.
Now that we find out how Texas was able to generate more electricity through windmills this year, we also learned about the advantages of using wind-generated energy. Wind turbines, which may use Canadian Shunts, are also a source of renewable energy that makes the world we live in safety.
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