The Institute for Energy Research estimates that wind power is about twice as expensive as conventional gas-fired power, and that solar power is almost three times as expensive (relative to its capacity value).

Wind power is a capital-intensive means of generating electricity. as such, it competes with electricity generated by nuclear or coal-fired generating plants (with or without carbon capture). It is expensive and inefficient to run large nuclear or coal plants so that their output matches fluctuations in demand.

Wind power causes absolutely no pollution. It is a sustainable and renewable source of energy, which will reduce your carbon footprint from the point of installation. Reduces your energy bills. Once you’ve paid for your turbine, wind power is essentially free.

The typical wind turbine is 2-3 MW in power, so most turbines cost in the $2-4 million dollar range. Operation and maintenance runs an additional $42,000-$48,000 per year according to research on wind turbine operational cost.

Writing in the International Journal of Sustainable Manufacturing, they conclude that in terms of cumulative energy payback, or the time to produce the amount of energy required of production and installation, a wind turbine with a working life of 20 years will offer a net benefit within five to eight months of being …

Turbines might cause noise and aesthetic pollution. Although wind power plants have relatively little impact on the environment compared to conventional power plants, concern exists over the noise produced by the turbine blades and visual impacts to the landscape.

Wind is a renewable energy source. Overall, using wind to produce energy has fewer effects on the environment than many other energy sources. Wind turbines may also reduce the amount of electricity generation from fossil fuels, which results in lower total air pollution and carbon dioxide emissions.

The two major disadvantages of wind power include initial cost and technology immaturity. Firstly, constructing turbines and wind facilities is extremely expensive. The second disadvantage is technology immaturity.

Wind is a more efficient power source than solar. Compared to solar panels, wind turbines release less CO2 to the atmosphere, consume less energy, and produce more energy overall. In fact, one wind turbine can generate the same amount of electricity per kWh as about 48,704 solar panels.

It is unfortunate then that wind energy has its own dark side: thousands of birds and bats are killed annually by wind turbines. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service estimates that between 140,000 and 500,000 bird deaths occur at wind farms each year.

Up until 2013, no human deaths were a result of a wind turbine fire incident. That all changed on Tues., October 29, 2013, when two of the four mechanics servicing a wind turbine in Ooltgensplaat, Netherlands, were killed.

Scientific consensus suggests it does not. Twenty-five peer-reviewed studies have found that living near wind turbines does not pose a risk on human health. The studies looked at a range of health effects from hearing loss, nausea, and sleep disorders to dizziness, blood pressure, tinnitus, and more.

Pros and cons of wind energy

What is the inherent weakness of all wind machines? Explanation: An inherent weakness of all wind machines are the strong dependence of the power produced on wheel diameter and wind speed, being proportional to turbine wheel area, i.e. to the square of its diameter and to the cube of wind velocity.

Various Cons of Wind Energy

• Wind Reliability.
• Wind Turbines Could Be Threat to Wildlife.
• Wind Turbines Could Lead to Noise and Visual Pollution.
• Are Expensive to Set Up.
• Cost Trade-off.
• Safety of People at Risk.
• Wind Power Can Be Harnessed at Certain Locations Only.
• Shadow Flicker.

“Wind turbines generate electricity but also alter the atmospheric flow,” says first author Lee Miller. “Those effects redistribute heat and moisture in the atmosphere, which impacts climate. “The direct climate impacts of wind power are instant, while the benefits accumulate slowly,” says Keith.

Wind turbines extract kinetic energy from the air around them, and since less energy makes for weaker winds, turbines do indeed make it less windy.

Why do the turbines not spin at times? The most common reason that turbines stop spinning is because the wind is not blowing fast enough. Most wind turbines need a sustained wind speed of 9 MPH or higher to operate. Technicians will also stop turbines to perform routine maintenance or repairs.

120 mph

In the United States, between 1950 and January 31, 2007, a total of 50 tornadoes were officially rated F5, and since February 1, 2007, a total of nine tornadoes have been officially rated EF5. Since 1950, Canada has had one tornado officially rated an F5.

In reality, there is no such thing as an F6 tornado. When Dr. Fujita developed the F scale, he created a scale that ranges from F0 to F12, with estimated F12 winds up to mach 1 (the speed of sound).

Alabama and Oklahoma lead the way with seven “5-rated” tornadoes, followed closely by Texas, Iowa and Kansas with six such tornadoes each. The most EF5/F5 tornadoes in a single year were in 1974 when the April 3 super outbreak spawned seven in a 24-hour period.

Rhode Island has reported the least number of tornadoes of any state in the Lower 48, followed by Vermont, New Hampshire and Massachusetts. In general, New England experiences the fewest number of tornadoes of any region in the nation.

The nation’s most recent EF5 ripped across hapless Moore, Oklahoma, on May 20, 2013.