subject: Wind Power Vs. Solar Power [print this page] The recent environmentally friendly trend has led to a surge in the amount of research being conducted to find feasible means of alternative power sources. Right now the majority of our power comes from the burning of fossil fuels like coal. While this has been a powerful method for producing electricity, it has also had a catastrophic effect on our atmosphere. The damage to the ozone layer has been largely attributed to the burning of fossil fuels. In addition, there is gathering fear that the demand for sources like coal to provide power all across the world will be outweighed by the supply. In short, the Earth is running out.
Solar Power
One of the most popular ideas for alternative energy revolves around the usage of power from the sun. The basic idea here is that power can be gathered and stored with solar panels, then converted into useable energy to power anything currently being operated by conventional electricity. The benefits of solar power are the minimal pollution output levels, and the fact that sunlight is a never ending resource. Considered renewable, this word doesnt quite describe it properly. In truth sunlight is an option that we will never run out of. It is environmentally sound, and fairly reliable. Once a system to gather and convert the power has been initially set up, it is also extremely affordable.
The big down side to using solar power is storage. There has to be a way to harness enough energy during the sunny days to allow for consistent power flow during the night and cloudy days. At this time there simply isnt a solar power company with a large enough system to be able to deliver these demands.
Wind Power
This alternative energy technology is the second most popular idea. Essentially, this method uses gigantic windmills that turn when the wind blows them. This creates energy that is then stored and converted into useable energy. This has proven to be a very efficient and affordable option as well, and is just as environmentally conscious as solar power.
The big negatives with wind power involve the amount of wind. There are certain places across the globe that get enough wind throughout the year to provide power- but there are others that have very little wind. There is very little chance that wind power could ever replace all forms of electricity due to this fact. While it is a very efficient method for high wind areas, other areas would be better off by far using a different technique for harnessing renewable power. Areas of the planet with very high winds could likely still not meet the demands of several cities or towns, so transferring wind power to another plant is also unlikely.
