Across the plains where there is open land, or across the seas where there is no land, the wind is able to move at high speeds. This is due to there not being any buildings or homes in the area to break it up. This is the perfect location for wind power to be generated and collected.
The use of windmills to create energy has been around for a very long time. Of course these windmills were quite small compared to what is out there just to create the energy. Not all spaces are right for large windmills so they look for those where the wind constantly blows at a rate of at least 15 miles per hour.
There are large windmills hundreds of feet high strategically gathered in these open areas. Each of the blades on the windmills requires a semi truck to haul it. They are then put into place with various pieces of construction equipment. They operate on their own but are closely monitored to ensure everything is working like it should on them.
Even though it is a great deal of cost and work to get them installed, each one can last about 20-25 years. That means they are well worth the investment because they do not constantly have to be replaced. That really has been an encouragement for more of them to be put into use.
The collection of wind power has proven to be so profitable in many small towns that some farmers and ranchers have given up those operations. Instead they are allowing various companies to place these windmills on their land and getting paid to do so. They do not have to do any of the work to maintain them and they are guaranteed to make money.
With the high risk involved in the line of farming and ranching, it is understandable why so many of them do it. For those close to retirement age as well it just makes sense to be able to rely on a given income source. This is less stressful than hoping for a good crop in the field or that the price of meat does not decline on the market.
Installing these types of windmills to generate the power though is fairly expensive. It is also a time consuming process due to the sheer size of them. When you see them from an airplane or driving down a main highway you will not realize just how enormous they are. On average they are approximately 200 to 250 feet from the ground.
The largest wind turbine in the world is located in Hawaii. It is more than 20 stories high. Each of the blades on the windmills are the size of a full football field. Each of the turbines located here is able to produce enough energy to offer electricity for 300 homes in the area.
If you get a chance though go drive into an area that features them so you can see with your own eyes how they really appear. In Iowa there are approximately 800 of them on what is know as wind farms. More than 200,000 homes are supplied with power from them. You will also find them in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Oklahoma, Kansas, California, and Colorado.
When you watch the turbines spinning you will notice they turn counterclockwise. As the wind blows the shaft is engaged which is connected to a generator. As the blades turn this generator will move the power created along to the locations on the grid. They are monitored and there is an emergency shut off for them as well
