Wind Farms

Yahoo News had an interesting article on Wind Farms today, centered around a farm in our lovely state of Missouri, in Rockport. The defintion of a windfarm, according to the all knowing Wikipedia, "is a group of wind turbines in the same location used for production of electric power. Individual turbines are interconnected with a medium voltage (usually 34.5 kV) power collection system and communications network. At a substation, this medium-voltage electrical current is increased in voltage with a transformer for connection to the high voltage transmission system. A large wind farm may consist of a few dozen to about 100 individual wind turbines, and cover an extended area of hundreds of square miles (square kilometers), but the land betwen the turbines may be used for agricultural or other purposes. A wind farm may be located off-shore to take advantage of strong winds blowing over the surface of an ocean or lake."

Wind farms only account for 1% of U.S. electricity, but they appear to be gaining in popularity and support. Eric Chamberlain, who manages the Rockport, Missouri wind farm points out an extremely valid point: it doesn't pollute the environment, it provides tax revenue, and creates jobs.

The wind farm in Rockport is managed by Wind Capitol Group, whose corporate offices are in downtown Saint Louis. Their company strategy is building wind farms with a project strategy that places serious focus on community involvement and developing relationships to guide a project toward success.

As many things are continually trying to be more "green," I see wind energy as a very up and coming solution.

Yahoo Story