Leading world in alternative energy production, wind power is currently making 240,000 megawatts of energy around the world, compared to 70,000 and 11,000 megawatts of energy production for solar and geothermal, respectively. A carbon–free, abundant source of energy, wind power uses no fuel to run and no water for cooling, unlike geothermal and nuclear plants. Turbines only take up 1% of the land required for use, making it easy to duel– purpose wind farms for grazing livestock, or growing vegetables.
In 2012 for the first time wind power in China surpassed energy provided to the country from nuclear power. The US uses wind power to provide 12% of energy production in 9 states including 27% in Iowa, and 26% in South Dakota. In 2013 the Danish used wind power to supply one third of its electricity. In Germany four northern states derive 50% of its power from wind farms. Wind energy is also getting cheaper– the average cost of wind energy has fallen 40% in the last 5 years.
The numbers that go along with wind energy are encouraging, but its biggest opponent is adoption. Raising money and building wind farms can be difficult even though every one of the world’s leading carbon emitters has enough wind potential to completely supply it’s energy needs with wind power. To end our addiction to fossil fuels more money needs to be invested in building wind farms, as well as research to drive the cost for building wind farms down, while increasing turbine’s power efficiency.