The Importance of Wind Energy, Small Wind Systems and Aggregation
Green Home Publishing
If you consider yourself a savvy green consumer, try this test of your wind energy knowledge.
Question: Is it true that the U.S. produced almost 5% of global electrical consumption in 2007?
Answer: No. The U.S. produced nearly 1% of the world’s electrical consumption in 2007.
Consumers may not realize the potential of renewable energy, i.e. electricity obtained from wind generators. The industry of wind energy changes rapidly and offers many benefits for a sustainable planet. For example, humans can tap into the endless supply of wind to meet future energy demands. Wind power benefits the environment because no burning of fossil fuels is required and no harmful gases are released into the atmosphere.
U.S. Wind Energy Policy
On a national level, U.S. consumers and business owners can help the nation build a more sustainable economy by supporting the national wind energy agenda. In 2009, you are encouraged by organizations like the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) to contact members of Congress and recommend that they vote to pass pending wind energy bills. The AWEA explains that current wind energy policy includes reaching a goal of 25% domestic renewable electricity by 2025. AWEA also advocates for the purchase of small wind systems by consumers and businesses.
What is a Small Wind System?
Even if you are not concerned with national wind energy policy, you should consider investing in wind generator technology. According to the AWEA, the U.S. leads the world in small wind system production. Standing more than 80 feet tall, a small wind system is a wind-powered generator that produces at most 100 kilowatts of electricity. A typical household only requires a single wind turbine (which produces 1 kilowatt of electricity). Households and businesses can contribute their wind energy to an electrical grid through aggregation.
What is Aggregation?
According to James, Peng, and Deng (2008), “Aggregation means that a large amount of distributed capacity, obtained by local generation or by temporarily reducing load, can be dispatched as a single unit to meet demand peeks or network contingencies.”
In other words, individual collectors of electric energy use their small wind systems to participate in an aggregate system. When all collectors contribute to the electrical grid, this aggregate system can harness the combined energy resources of many small wind systems. Some aggregation systems share revenues with individual collectors of wind-powered electricity. In Australia, the national government is working on a huge deployment of household wind generators (James, Peng, and Deng 2008). Depending on where you live, you may be eligible to participate in an aggregation program. Your state may also offer a wind energy incentive.
What if My State Does Not Offer Incentives for Wind Energy Generators?
Some states make it more advantageous for individuals and businesses to invest in wind energy through incentives. Other states, like Missouri, offer no incentives for small wind systems. Missouri has a low demand for wind energy because the cost of electricity is significantly lower than the national average ($10.31 per kilowatt hour). In the short term, Missouri residents do not benefit from buying a small wind system. In the long term, Missouri residents save on their electricity costs. To read more about small wind systems, refer to the online energy fact sheet provided by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR.mo.gov).
Although communities, regions, and nations must plan how to aggregate wind energy to meet energy demands during peak hours, wind energy continues to be a clean energy alternative to burning fossil fuels. Homeowners and business owners can save for the cost of wind turbines and seek compensation through aggregation programs and state incentives. Even low-producing, wind generators will help consumers realize cost savings on electricity.
