Wind
Costs, Comparative Costs to other sources of Power, and Comparative to average costs.
It cost around 7 cents to produce wind energy
The subsidy for the production tax credit began at 1.5 cents per kilowatt in 1992 but has since increased due to inflation. The current rate is approxiamately 2 cents a kilowatt.
The total cost to produce a kilowatt of wind is 7.5 cents. This is a little higher than 4.5 cents for coal and nuclear energy, but much lower than the 13.9 cents it costs for a gas turbine. Although this may be a little bit more expensive than others, wind is one of the cleansest and most reusable and renewable resources. They cause little to no pollution and are very safe to produce compared to more dangerous energy sources such as nuclear.
Rachelle Reihl
Wind energy is a good alternative for an energy source but isn't the cheapest form of energy. In 2008. Hydroelectric energy would be most cost efficient at $0.03 per kWh. Nuclear energy and coal were tied at $0.04 per kWh. Wind came in third at $0.08 per kWh. Natural gas was at $0.10 per kWh, and solar energy was the highest at $0.22 per kWh.
Rachelle Reihl
Wind energy is a clean way to get energy. It uses wind power to generate energy with no air emissions, no fuel to mine, transport or store. There are no water pollution and no wastes. Wind turbines are a good way to go green and recieve electricity. Just one typical turbine (750 kW) provides enough power for 328 typical homes.
Wind energy is a safe alternative. Wind energy does not require dangerous manipulations that Nuclear energy requires. When producing wind energy you also are safer because of the dangerous radiation that is produce during the process to make Nuclear energy. Wind energy does not require the combustion of materials like coal and oil. Wind is clean and it is a limitless supply of energy that can be stored. Of course Wind energy is considered a visual pollution and birds tend to fly into them. When there is no wind it can easily be substituted for solar or hydroelectricity. Solar energy complements Wind energy. There is more solar energy in the summer and the winter is the prime time for wind energy.
According to the World Wind Energy Association as of 2010 83 countries are using wind power as a commercial baisis. In 2010 wind power generated 430twh or 2.5% of worldwide electricity usage. Denmark in 2011 used 28% of there energy from wind turbines. The same year Portugal, Spain and Ireland were all above 14% and Germany was at 8%. World-wide there are now over 200,000 operating turbines.
Since there is no way to be clean and efficient in the world of politics and economics, there has to be some costs that go along with the generation of clean energy. Energies like wind and solar tend to be more expensive than your normal fossil fuels and other pollutive substances. Although the costs of wind energy is slowly decreasing due to larger generators being put in turbines, the cost to manufacture and maintain these massive structures is pricey, and contributes to the overall costs of the energy produced. Overall It costs more to produce these clean energies than it is to produce that of dirty fossil fuels.
Michigan is quickly becoming the international hub of the clean energy economy. With its alternative energy resources, infrastructure and supply chain in place that makes Michigan the best place in the world for the wind energy manufacturing industry to locate and create jobs. Michigan has a requirement for 10% renewable energy by 2015 that has led to increased alternative development in the state since it was passed in 2008. In 2010 wind power produced 0.3% of all of Michigans power. Finally, Traverse City would like to get 30% of its power from renewable sources by 2020. There are 292 wind turbines in operation and 240 more to be working by 2014.