WIND ENERGY > About Wind Energy

There is a growing appreciation in the world for the importance of both conservation and the development of clean, safe, renewable energy sources. Combined, these efforts can help to reduce the strain on the environment as well as provide the users of these renewable sources with valuable shelter from the ever increasing price of fossil fuels and the volatility of energy markets.

No single renewable energy source is the right answer for every application, but for those in good wind areas with the room for a wind turbine, this can be a powerful and profitable answer. Wind is a resource that arrives free of charge and leaves no complicated or harmful byproducts in its wake. It can generate power for you around the clock, every day of the year, even when your office or school is closed.

In the United States alone, the wind industry is a $9 billion/year industry, growing at 45% per year. In 2007, the U.S. led the world in wind power installations for the third year in a row. Global wind capacity increased by more than 20,000 megawatts (MW), with 5,244 MW installed in the U.S. Spain and China were the second and third largest markets last year with 3,515 MW and 3,449 MW of wind power capacity added respectively. All three broke the single-country record for new wind power installed in one year, set in 2002 by Germany (3,244 MW).

Useful links:

• For general information about wind energy, try The American Wind Energy Association
• For general wind maps, try The US Department of Energy,  AWS Truewind, or FirstLook 
• For data about energy issues, try The Energy Information Administration from The US Department of Energy