How Wind Energy In Los Angeles Helps The Environment

Last year, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power in conjunction with General Electric, went forward with a 120 megawatt wind farm, known as the Pine Tree Wind Project. It is hoped that it will one day satisfy 20 percent of the utility's energy requirements.

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 total electricity generated. About 95 percent of all of the state's wind generating apparatus is located in three regions: Altamont Pass, San Gorgonio and Tehachapi.

Wind power plants are comprised of turbines that make use of the energy in wind motion to create mechanical energy, which is then converted into electrical energy. Wind turbines can be utilized by farms, homes and businesses in breezy locations, such as along the California coast. Turbines are deployable in areas where it isn't cost-efficient to place power lines.

The parts of a wind farm include turbines, distribution through an underground power station and a connection from the farm to the nearest power grid. Wind power is more accessible in certain seasons because the time of year affects wind speed. In California, speeds are greatest in the sweltering summer months. An estimated three-fourths of all yearly wind power is generated during the spring and summer.

Although power created by old generation wind turbines is not as cost effective as some other forms of energy generation, newer wind turbine designs promise to be able to be competitive with power costs from nuclear and coal plants.

Some of the advantages in utilizing wind energy include: non-deployment of polluting conventional power plants; leaves no pollution in the air, soil or water; it is completely renewable; the installment is relatively swift; and power production not swayed by gas and oil price increases.

However, there are some areas of concern with wind power, such as: the necessary use of extensive tracts of land, albeit the fact that simultaneous land uses are available for such tasks as agriculture and cattle grazing. Other potential concerns are that it can cause erosion in desert areas, and disturb wildlife habitats.

Matt Paolini is an energy writer} for http://www.CityBook.com, the family-safe online yellow pages, which carries an extensive directory on Los Angeles water treatment service, equipment and supplies.

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