published an interesting article by Margiotta:
A study of American humanity could live with only the wind
June 24, 2009. A study published in the journal of the American Academy of Science PNAS (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America), Michael McElroy (professor of the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences at Harvard University in Boston), mankind could only survive by using wind energy: an efficient enough system of blades on American soil to cover the entire world demand. According
the calculation made by the experts would take a network of wind turbines of 2.5 megawatts of power (located so as not to damage the environment or in non-forest areas, where there are no glaciers in non-urban areas), which is working just 20% of their capacity to produce a quantity of energy equal to
more than 40 times the current global consumption of electricity, more than five times the total energy consumption in all its forms. The excess energy could also make the price go down, opening up new prospects for other green technologies such as electric cars. Today the wind is 42% of all new installed capacity in the U.S. in 2008 but remains a minority fraction of the total production of energy.
The study was done on the basis of simulations of wind fields using data provided by the Goddard Earth Observing System Data Assimilation System (GEOS-5 DAS). Sectioning the globe in areas of approximately 3300 km square each, the researchers calculated the wind speed in non-urban areas, non-forest and no ice. So they have identified the potential amount of electricity produced by wind turbines, based on wind speed, air density, the distance between the turbines and the size of the propellers. Thus, concludes the survey, a network of 2.5-megawatt turbines that power to operate just 20% their ability to produce a sufficient amount of energy sufficient to meet the overall requirements.
In Italy the wind, the main renewable source, can contribute to the reduction of foreign energy dependence and increasing energy security, especially with regard to the electronics industry. An alternative scenario should seek to meet its Kyoto commitments and reduce dependence on energy, promoting energy efficiency measures, exploiting the high potential for reducing consumption, focus on development of renewable sources, the use of natural gas as a transition fuel replacing the oil without increasing the consumption of coal.
This would allow an increase in employment and re-directing part of the production system on technologies and local resources. In this sense, the use of nuclear energy, given the unresolved problems of radioactive waste, high costs and long lead times necessary to realize a significant fleet of plants, it is not a viable solution. It should, however, improving all renewables, including wind power currently represents today the only major potential to increase electricity generated from renewable sources within the next decade.
The only limit is that related to potential visual impacts in case of operations not included in the landscape and realized in the absence guidelines and in areas not suitable. And 'necessary, therefore, a rigorous site selection for use in wind turbines which to focus. In fact, the territory occupied by the towers is perfectly usable for other purposes (agriculture, livestock, etc. ...), and at the end of the production cycle of the initiative all the facilities and wind facilities are eliminated and the land can be traced back to initial conditions
Domenico Margiotta
June 24, 2009. A study published in the journal of the American Academy of Science PNAS (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America), Michael McElroy (professor of the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences at Harvard University in Boston), mankind could only survive by using wind energy: an efficient enough system of blades on American soil to cover the entire world demand. According
the calculation made by the experts would take a network of wind turbines of 2.5 megawatts of power (located so as not to damage the environment or in non-forest areas, where there are no glaciers in non-urban areas), which is working just 20% of their capacity to produce a quantity of energy equal to
more than 40 times the current global consumption of electricity, more than five times the total energy consumption in all its forms. The excess energy could also make the price go down, opening up new prospects for other green technologies such as electric cars. Today the wind is 42% of all new installed capacity in the U.S. in 2008 but remains a minority fraction of the total production of energy.
The study was done on the basis of simulations of wind fields using data provided by the Goddard Earth Observing System Data Assimilation System (GEOS-5 DAS). Sectioning the globe in areas of approximately 3300 km square each, the researchers calculated the wind speed in non-urban areas, non-forest and no ice. So they have identified the potential amount of electricity produced by wind turbines, based on wind speed, air density, the distance between the turbines and the size of the propellers. Thus, concludes the survey, a network of 2.5-megawatt turbines that power to operate just 20% their ability to produce a sufficient amount of energy sufficient to meet the overall requirements.
In Italy the wind, the main renewable source, can contribute to the reduction of foreign energy dependence and increasing energy security, especially with regard to the electronics industry. An alternative scenario should seek to meet its Kyoto commitments and reduce dependence on energy, promoting energy efficiency measures, exploiting the high potential for reducing consumption, focus on development of renewable sources, the use of natural gas as a transition fuel replacing the oil without increasing the consumption of coal.
This would allow an increase in employment and re-directing part of the production system on technologies and local resources. In this sense, the use of nuclear energy, given the unresolved problems of radioactive waste, high costs and long lead times necessary to realize a significant fleet of plants, it is not a viable solution. It should, however, improving all renewables, including wind power currently represents today the only major potential to increase electricity generated from renewable sources within the next decade.
The only limit is that related to potential visual impacts in case of operations not included in the landscape and realized in the absence guidelines and in areas not suitable. And 'necessary, therefore, a rigorous site selection for use in wind turbines which to focus. In fact, the territory occupied by the towers is perfectly usable for other purposes (agriculture, livestock, etc. ...), and at the end of the production cycle of the initiative all the facilities and wind facilities are eliminated and the land can be traced back to initial conditions
Domenico Margiotta
