Is the Electricity Produced by Wind Turbines Completely Clean?
Once the wind turbine is built and placed, the energy it produces is clean. There is no CO2 emission related to wind produced electricity. Nor is sulfur dioxide, mercury or any other type of pollution produced as with fossil fuel energy production. The production process of the wind turbine uses resources such as steel, aluminum, and concrete, and there are costs related to the transportation and set-up of the turbine. The period of “pay back” is usually only a matter of months though. Fossil fuel plants are used as back up for wind power when the turbines are not producing enough energy to satisfy consumer needs. Even though this is true, wind energy reduces the consumption of fossil fuel, thus leading to a reduction in emissions. Wind turbines do not use water for the generation of electricity unlike nuclear power plants and fossil fuel plants, which both use water for cooling. Why Do People Complain About Having a Wind Farm Near Them? Some people are sensitive to the noise produced