The Government Should Support Wind Energy

Wind energy utilizes the energy of the wind that gust across our country, most overlook the benefits and capabilities of wind, and what it can do for us. The Midwest is prime production area for wind energy but constraints with laws and zoning is preventing towers from being constructed across the united states. In 2016, 29% of greenhouse gasses emitted into the atmosphere is responsible by coal burning electrical production plants. Greenhouse gasses are responsible for climate change, and the melting of the glaciers of Canada and Greenway. But renewable energy is still only 14.9% of the total electricity produced in the United States according to US EIA.

For years the United States has been one of the leading countries in greenhouse gas emissions. Wind energy has the potential to become the base of sustainable energy for America’s future. Although there are a few disadvantages to wind energy, the protection it offers along with the economical and environmental advantages provide many reasons to use more wind energy and less coal and fossil fuels in America.

Carbon emissions are changing the planet for the worse. Energy production (mostly coal) is producing a one third of the US 's global warming emissions. Renewable sources produce little to zero percent. The balance of coal and renewable energy in the U.S. needs to be evened out with renewable techniques. Statistics from the Union of Concerned Scientist’s “Benefits of Renewable Energy Use” show that most renewable resources emit less than one pound of CO2E/kWh. These have significantly less of a carbon footprint than coal, which emits 1.4 to 3.6 lbs. CO2E/kWh or natural gas, which emits .6 to 2 lbs. CO2E/kWh. This impressive difference of carbon emissions between renewable and fossil fuel is the key to caring for our environment. A 2009 USC study found that if 25 percent of the US 's

Unlike its sister energy supply, fossil fuels, wind power is a clean resource. Wind turbines don’t pollute the air like power plants, which rely on the burning of coal or natural gas. They’re free from producing atmospheric emissions that cause acid rain or greenhouse gases.

One of the effects with the most impact from the use of fossil fuels is the pollution created. The United States, per the study conducted by WorldBank, is recorded as being the 10th largest contributor of carbon dioxide in the world per capita. In one year producing 17.6 metric tons, another unfathomable amount (Table). In order to dramatically cut this amount of pollutants down, another source of energy must be utilized. Today, there are many potential options available. Three of the most promising are wind, solar, and tidal energy. Solar is energy obtained from the sun, wind is energy generated by spinning

Imagine getting free electricity, or electrical company’s paying you instead of you paying them, today’s windmills just might make this possible. Windmills dating back as far as the 1400’s have been used to turn wind into useable energy for grinding and pumping. Today’s windmills turn turbines to make electricity. They are popping up all over the United States, but the United States is way behind other countries in the development of wind energy. Countries like Denmark, Germany and the United Kingdom are investing billions of dollars into wind energy, including off shore wind farms. Germany is holding the top spot in the production of wind-generated electricity. Denmark, being one of the smaller countries in Europe, produces twenty percent

While this is great to the consumer, the renewable sector’s growth was more stagnant. Attention was diverted to use another greenhouse producing fossil fuel rather than a clean renewable. A trend in U.S. Energy Information Administration’s (2017) data showed renewable sector’s power production since 2008 grew only 5.7% as compared to natural gas production 18%. Another disadvantage to the diversion from renewables is the additional carbon dioxide generated from these additional plants operating. “About 24 percent of U.S. carbon dioxide emissions are related to natural gas in 2011” (Natural gas prices. (n.d.)). The replacement of coal-fired power plants with natural gas has let to a decrease of the green house gases, mainly particulate matter and sulfur dioxide emissions. “Sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions produced in the generation of electricity at power plants in the United States declined by 73% from 2006 to 2015, a much larger reduction than the 32% decrease in coal-fired electricity generation over that period.” U.S. Energy Information Administration (2017). This shows that more efficient control equipment can be used to almost eliminate the trace amounts of sulfur dioxide in natural gas.

Individuals who are antagonistic towards renewable energy feel that it’s more beneficial to use fossil fuels because of the energy they provide us with. Individuals that are supportive of this decision of whether to choose renewable energy over nonrenewable, are tired of the amount of money being spent on coal, oil, and natural gas to produce probably the same among of energy. Myself being a strong advocate of using different forms of renewable energy such as geothermal and wind energy because of the longevity of them and the benefits they have for the economy.

A study done in 2015 by the Royal Society of Chemistry, a non-profit organization of chemical scientists in the UK, shows that, if the US were to switch to utilize solar and wind energy sources, the air pollution mortality will decrease by at least 62,000 premature deaths yearly. In addition, converting would eliminate up to 3.3 trillion dollars per year in “2050 global warming costs to the world due to US emissions,” and the average person would save $1500 in health costs and $8300 on climate costs yearly. (Jacobson). Opposition to cleaner energy sources comes mainly from the business world, which fears the EPA estimated $1.4 billion in factory modifications; however, “$2.9 billion to $5.9 billion will be saved each year due to fewer missed days of work and school, emergency room visits and premature deaths” (Adams). By changing the methods in which we acquire energy, we can change air and life quality in a positive

The reality of the situation is that there is not a single source of energy that will not involve in carbon emission at all. The amount of carbon in wind power is smaller but at the same time, the power produced from wind turbines in comparison to nuclear power plants are exponentially less. The idea in the modern day is to have a relatively clean source of power that still creates enough energy to sustain the nation. With the limited amount of power that is created from wind power, the entire United States could not even come close to being accounted for in regards to

“Coal plants are the nation’s top source of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, the primary cause of global warming. In 2011, utility coal plants in the United States emitted a total of 1.7 billion tons of CO21. A typical coal plant generates 3.5 million tons of CO2 per year2” (Coal power, 2016).

scenario, more than 600,000 wind-related jobs could be supported, accelerating the already tremendous growth of the American wind industry” (Zayas). Installing and operating these large wind turbines creates loads of jobs in our country. Men and Women of our country need to get back to work and these turbines are helping immensely. More men and women working means that they will have more money to support their families. As a result, they will be taken off of welfare and be actually working for their money. This will result in less children starving and more roofs over American family's heads. Certainly, renewable energy should be the main way the country generates its electricity because of wind power which also helps the economy making it an economically sound decision .According to the nonprofit Solar Foundation, “The organization’s annual National Solar Jobs Census for 2016 showed that the solar industry’s contribution to the national employment picture is significant, adding up to one out of every 50 new jobs created last year”( Tina Casey). Renewable energy and especially Solar power is creating jobs in our country. In this country, there are too many people on welfare and not working. Solar energy can help fix this massive problem. More jobs mean less of the nation’s money going to people on welfare. This means the country will have more money to spend on roads, bridge, airports and other infrastructure to make this country a better place. Overall, renewable energy

The graph above shows the price of wind energy was continuing decrease. The European Wind Energy Association (EWEA) expects it will drop to 2 cents in 2020

The U.S should send someone to time travel back to the past to decrease the release of harmful gases into the atmosphere and investing in renewable ones. Even though time travel is not possible, when it is, this idea should seriously be considered. Renewable resources are always readily available, including hydropower, wind power, solar power, geothermal power and biomass. The use of fossil fuels in theU.S is too much and needs to be reduced (Stanford 2016). There are many renewable energy sources that we could switch to. Hydropower and Wind power are some of the easiest and renewable resources ever. However Wind power is one of the most cost-renewable resources and therefore should be a choice that people should use. Wind Power should have been harnessed and used widely many years ago. This is why traveling back in time to support the using of wind power. After traveling back in time, I have decided that wind energy is the way to go. The world should use wind power, to decrease the very dramatic effects of global warming that have happened in about 2000 years. Wind power should be used because it is abundant because wind is everywhere and also it releases no harmful greenhouse gases into the atmosphere like most fossil fuels. Also by investing in wind power, it creates jobs for people, getting the supplies, building, and maintained the wind power plant (Energy Gov 2016). Finally, wind power can also help you save money because after making the wind turbine, little to no

On the environmental aspect, wind energy does not contribute to pollution as almost no waste materials that contribute to pollution are produced by the usage of wind power (Wright, 2005). For example, in the States, wind plants compensate the emission of than 2.5 billion pounds of carbon dioxide and 15 million pounds of other