About wind, and alternative energy

Wind energy is a clean, renewable source of energy that harnesses the kinetic energy of wind and turns it into energy we can use practically. Wind causes the rotor of the turbine to spin which works an electric generator. The state of Illinois has the 16th highest wind energy in the US. According to a federal research lab, wind energy has the potential to supply 20% of the US’s electricity. In June 2001, Illinois enacted the Illinois Resource Development and Energy Sercuity Act, which adopted a statewide goal of having at least 15% of energy be renewable energy by 2020. Although solar power has enormous potential for energy production, wind power technology is more developed than solar power is, and is therefore more economically efficient and productive. For example, to produce energy for a large home or office using 45kWh per day (at an average wind speed of 12mph) the approximate cost would be $5-6/Watt for wind and $9-10/Watt for solar. Geothermal energy is also a renewable source of energy that has enormous potential; however, like solar it is still rarer than wind power and therefore is very difficult to find funding for. Additionally, geothermal units are difficult to install and connect to already existing power systems and are a good option when building from scratch.