Nachshon Draiman, How Wind Energy In Los Angeles Helps The Environment
In 2006, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power in an alliance with
General Electric, went ahead in constructing a 120 megawatt wind farm, named
the Pine Tree Wind Project. It is hoped that it will one day satisfy about
twenty percent of the utility's energy demands. During the year 2004, wind
energy in the entire state of California produced more than 4,200 million
kilowatt-hours of electricity, approximately 1.5 percent of all electricity
generated. About 95 percent of all of the state's wind generating apparatus is
located in three areas: Altamont Pass, San Gorgonio and Tehachapi.
Wind power plants are comprised of turbines that take advantage of the energy
in wind motion to create mechanical energy, which is then changed into
electrical energy. Wind turbines can be placed near farms, homes and businesses
in breezy locations, such as along the West coast. Turbines are deployable in
areas where it isn't cost-efficient to run power lines.
The parts of a wind farm include turbines, which feed through an underground
power station and a connection from the farm to the closest power grid. Wind
power is more accessible in certain seasons because the climate affects wind
speed. In Los Angeles, speeds are greatest in the sweltering summer period. An
estimated three-fourths of all yearly wind energy is generated during the
spring and summer.
Though power created by older wind turbines is not as cost effective as some
other forms of energy generation, new generation wind turbine designs promise
to be able to compete with power costs from nuclear and coal plants.
Some of the advantages in utilizing wind energy include: replacement of
polluting conventional power plants; no pollution in the air, soil or water; it
is completely renewable; the installment process is relatively swift; and
energy production not affected by gas and oil price increases.
However, there are some issues with wind power, such as: the necessary use of
large areas of land, although simultaneous land uses are available for such
endeavors as agriculture and cattle grazing. Other potential problems are that
it can cause erosion in desert areas, and disturb wildlife habitats.
Matt Paolini is an energy writer} for CityBook.com, the family-safe online
yellow pages, which carries an extensive directory on Los Angeles waste
management.
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