Wind power

Technically, wind is a form of solar power that has already been converted into mechanical power.

From the Sept. 1990 Issue of Scientific American:
About 90% of the wind power potential of the U.S. is in 12 contiguous states, where large scale ranching and grain producction are major industries. Wind power could be a good neighbor to such agricultural activities. Experience shows that the value of ranchland increases rapidly when it is converted to wind farms, while using only around 5% of the grazing area since cattle can continue to graze around the wind turbines".


From Canadian Geographic:
Since 200 bc, when windmills were used to pump water in China and grind grain in Persia, wind has been providing power to the people. Wind is the world's fastest-growing energy source increasing by some 24 percent a year over the past decade. Approximately 20 percent of Denmark's electricity comes from wind, with the goal of reaching 50 percent by 2030. Parts of Germany and Spain are producing 14 and 22 percent, respectively, and India, China and Argentina are making advances. Alberta alone has enough wind potential to power up three million homes.



From Wired Magazine:
(May 22, 2005)
Wind power could generate enough electricity to support the world's energy needs several times over, according to a new map of global wind speeds that scientists say is the first of its kind.

The map, compiled by researchers at Stanford University, shows wind speeds at more than 8,000 sites around the world. The researchers found that at least 13 percent of those sites experience winds fast enough to power a modern wind turbine. If turbines were set up in all these regions, they would generate 72 terawatts of electricity, according to the researchers. That's more than five times the world's energy needs, which was roughly 14 terawatts in 2002, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.


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