subject: Disadvantages of Wind Energy [print this page] Although usually people talk about the great benefits of renewable power sources, we should not overlook the fact that there are also downsides to some green technologies. If you are interested in a wind-powered system, you should check both the advantages and the disadvantages of wind energy. On the average, wind energy can be converted into electricity with the help of wind turbines. The availability of an electrical generator in the system will transform wind power into electricity.
The number of turbines is the main problem with a wind-powered system. Maybe wind-energy is cheap to produce, but the initial investment in the wind turbines could be considerable. Another problem is the noise the wind turbines make when placed in inhabited areas. Some people even call this the biggest of all disadvantages of wind energy. The other problem is that you can't predict wind intensity and speed. It is a lot more advantageous in coastal areas, or out at the ocean, but for inland regions, wind turbines are not always efficient.
This variability reduces the reliability of wind as a major power source in urban areas for instance. Wind is efficient as a source of energy in isolated locations with obstacles. Therefore, if we see the bigger picture here, we may get to the conclusion that wind power could prove more expensive to produce and transfer by transmission lines, than we may have thought in the first place.
Some critical voices even reproach the unsightliness of wind farms. The efficiency may be worth the aesthetic sacrifice as long as you get results. Another downside that sounds a bit exaggerated is that wind turbines kill birds when they spin at high speeds. The available data does not allow us to draw a conclusion in this respect, that's for sure.
The interference with television reception is one more of the disadvantages of wind energy that you can frequently read about in online materials. Although this is not a general case, some people have reported interferences with the radio and TV signals because of the wind turbines nearby. You can further clarify the exact nature of the TV or radio signal problem by asking a pro to check everything for you. A specialist is the person to go for answers to your questions!
