Wind is a part of nature and exists regardless of whether we use it to produce electricity.
Power plants that run on coal, oil or natural gas require a constant supply of fuel. It is burned to produce energy.
With a wind turbine, there is no such process.
Moving air turns the blades. This motion is transmitted to a generator, which converts mechanical energy into electrical energy.
Once the turbine is built and put into operation, it can produce electricity without the need for constant fuel supply and combustion.
But what is a wind turbine made of?
Of course, the turbine itself does not appear without the use of materials.
For its production, steel, copper, aluminum, composite materials and a number of other components are required.
They are used for the tower, blades, generator, electrical systems and other infrastructure.
However, there is one important difference here.
The materials are needed to build the facility, but are not consumed in the production of each subsequent unit of electricity.
After its construction, the turbine uses the movement of air.
This is one of the main differences between wind energy and fossil fuel energy production.
No combustion process
There is no combustion process during normal operation of a wind turbine.
This means that the production of electricity itself does not emit direct combustion emissions such as carbon dioxide, sulfur and nitrogen oxides or fine dust particles.
However, this does not mean that the technology has no environmental footprint.
The production of components, the extraction of materials, transport, the construction of infrastructure and subsequent decommissioning must also be taken into account.
Therefore, when evaluating any energy technology, it is important to consider its entire life cycle.
However, in the production of electricity itself, wind is not burned or exhausted.
What does the science say?
Prof. Pavel Zehtindzhiev from the Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Studies at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences has been studying the interaction between wind farms, birds and ecosystems for years.
In an interview for the documentary, he emphasizes the relatively low impact of the technology on the environment when properly planned and assessed.
This raises a bigger question.
When we produce energy, is it enough to ask just how much electricity we get?
Or should we also ask how it was produced, what resources were used and what is left after this process?
Energy and climate
Energy systems around the world are gradually changing.
The reason is not only technological. Issues of emissions, security of supply, energy prices and dependence on different raw materials are also increasingly important.
Wind is one of the natural resources that can be converted into electricity without burning fuel during the production itself.
This is one of the reasons why wind energy is part of the broader conversation about the future of energy.
But the topic does not end there.
How is the location for a wind farm chosen?
What is its impact on nature?
How is the impact on birds and local ecosystems assessed?
What does this mean for people and regions?
These questions are part of the upcoming documentary:
„WIND - MORE THAN ENERGY“
The film seeks answers beyond technology itself and meets viewers with scientists, experts, people and regions who are part of this conversation.
Director: Neddy John Cross
Look forward to “WIND - MORE THAN ENERGY“ soon.