Wind Energy and its Environmental Effects Essay Sample

As pollution and the threat of dwindling natural resources increase by the day, we humans have been forced to look for cleaner and more ethical forms of renewable resources to continue living our day-to-day lives. Many forms of renewable energy resources include wind energy, solar energy, nuclear energy, hydropower, and geothermal energy. Still, wind energy is the cleanest and most efficient renewable resource and has many economic and environmental benefits despite conflicts like noise pollution.  

Wind energy is one of the cleanest forms of renewable energy, as it causes little to no pollution compared to the other forms of renewable energy. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, “using wind to produce energy has fewer effects on the environment than many other energy sources” because “wind turbines do not release emissions that can pollute the air or water, and they do not require water for cooling. Wind turbines may also reduce the amount of electricity generation from fossil fuels, which results in lower total air pollution and carbon dioxide emissions.” These effects allow clean energy to be produced while avoiding negative side effects like acid rain, smog, or greenhouse gas emissions. Using a clean, renewable energy source is essential because it helps avoid negative environmental impacts and reduces our carbon footprint. 

As one of the fastest-growing energy sources in the world, the wind energy industry provides massive present and potential economic benefits to people in the United States of worldwide. A recent U.S. Energy and Employment Report conducted by NASEO (National Association of State Energy Officials) found that the wind energy industry currently employs more than 110,000 people and could employ another 600,000 people by 2050. This puts the wind energy industry as the second fastest-growing renewable energy sector, with a 3.2% annual increase in employment. The report also found that wind energy is one of the lowest-priced energy sources available today, costing 1-2 cents per kilowatt-hour. Wind energy may be inexpensive because wind turbines and farms require little to no fuel and maintenance, unlike other forms of energy like nuclear energy, such as nuclear energy (which creates harmful nuclear waste), coal, natural gas, and petroleum oil. 

The efficiency of wind power trumps nearly every other renewable energy source in terms of overall effectiveness. Using analysis by Energy Points, a company that does energy analysis for businesses, which factors in terms of energy input: fossil fuel energy, energy for production, and energy for environmental mitigation, it is found that wind energy has an energy efficiency rating of 1,164%. This is far greater than geothermal energy, the energy source with the second highest energy efficiency rating of 514%. With these numbers, we can determine whether a form of energy is efficient or not, quantifying the true effects of different renewable energy sources. It also helps us make sound financial and environmental decisions. 

Wind energy is the most ethical renewable resource because it is a very clean and efficient source of renewable energy. It currently generates about 9.8% of all energy in the United States, a number projected to rise throughout the following years dramatically. Wind energy does not cause much pollution and is very affordable, which is crucial in our daily lives, as it helps support a better, well-established, and developed society. With the increased use of clean, renewable resources, we can help reverse the negative effects of climate change and global warming.