The Need
Wind Energy - Some Basic Facts
Wind energy is currently the only large scale economically viable renewable energy generation method to start the battle against climate change. Wind energy provides renewable energy from a never ending resource, and in its generation does not produce carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, causing climate change and more turbulent weather.
Every unit of energy produced by the wind displaces a unit of energy from traditional power stations which leads to a reduction in the emission of carbon dioxide and other gaseous emissions.
The benefit of Milton Keynes Wind Farm is that it will supply clean electricity equivalent to the needs of between 6,700 and 9,000 homes, around 7-9.3% of the households in the Milton Keynes Council area. It will displace up to 36,300 tonnes of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) from entering the atmosphere annually, which in broad terms is equivalent to the emissions from approximately 13,000 cars per year.
Wind farms payback the energy used in building the wind farm in around 9 months. This includes all the energy used in quarrying of raw materials, processing, manufacture, transportation and construction.
At the end of the wind turbines life, 25 years, they can be decommissioned quickly and simply, with little disturbance and the site reinstated to its former landscape.
Wind energy projects usually are connected into the local distribution grid.
Wind energy projects typically provide for a community fund to be spent in the local area. This could be spent on energy efficiency measures in local homes and businesses, or on any other worthwhile community project. We would like your suggestions on what you think would be a worthwhile community benefit project.
The British Isles is the windiest place in Europe, with 40% of the whole of Europe’s wind resource.
Wind speed gets faster the higher you go, and the faster the wind the greater the power output and energy supplied over the course of a year to the local area. Therefore, the same wind turbine located in the same place on a smaller tower will provide less clean renewable energy, than the same turbine on a taller tower.
There are currently 110 onshore and 4 offshore wind farms operational across the UK, providing energy equivalent to the demand of 733,430 homes.
Wind turbines are growing in size and power output, and are therefore delivering larger percentages of UK demand. Wind power now provides over 1% of the UK's electricity supply and this is set to grow significantly over the coming years.
Wind turbines are easy to transport, construct and decommission and if sited correctly have limited environmental impacts (being easily offset by the benefits).
It is expected that Milton Keynes Wind Farm will provide electricity equivalent to the demand of upto 9,000 homes.
For other facts and figures go to links and downloads
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