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Key facts

Wind power is a renewable energy source. Wind turbines turn energy from the wind into electricity.

Onshore wind is Scotland鈥檚 main source of renewable energy. In 2020 about 70% of electricity generated in Scotland came from onshore wind.

Offshore wind is the third biggest source of electricity, after hydro. Windfarms like Beatrice Offshore Windfarm power hundreds of thousands of homes.

Turbines at the Whitelee Wind Farm, East Renfrewshire.
Image caption,
Turbines at the Whitelee Wind Farm, East Renfrewshire.

Wind power and its impact

Find out how we can use the power of the wind to generate electricity,

How wind turbines generate electricity

Wind energy uses wind to generate electricity. To do this we use wind turbines. Wind turbines can be enormous! Some are 120 metres tall!

They can turn to face into the wind and have giant blades that are shaped so that even gentle winds will make them turn.

Diagram depicting how a wind turbine works
  1. The kinetic energy of the wind turns the turbine blades.
  2. A shaft running from the blades to a gearbox (nacelle) spins round as the blades turn.
  3. The gears use the slow-spin of this shaft to make a second shaft spin much faster.
  4. This spins magnets inside a generator. The magnets spin very fast past coils of copper wire making electricity start to flow through the wire. Kinetic energy is changed to electrical energy
  5. Electricity travels through cables to the .

Location factors

Clyde wind farm, South LanarkshireImage source, ALAMY: DTH0 A6
Image caption,
Clyde wind farm, South Lanarkshire.

Wind turbines work best in open places where no obstacles block the wind. They are often grouped together into large wind farms.

Exposed hilly areas are good locations for wind farms, as winds tend to be stronger and more constant. Offshore locations also work well because there is nothing to block or slow down the wind.

Some people object to the appearance of wind farms, so their visual impact needs to be considered.

Wind turbines can disturb wildlife and be dangerous to migrating birds if they are not carefully positioned.

Sustainability of wind power

To develop a sustainable future you need to think about meeting today's needs and protecting the聽environment听补苍诲听resources聽for the future.

Wind energy is a renewable source. Wind is caused by the Sun warming air more in some areas than others, causing it to move. As long as the Sun lights the Earth, wind will not run out.

Wind power is sustainable because it releases no greenhouse gases or pollution,

The negative impact of wind farms is down to their local impact if they disturb or damage local wildlife or habitats. The manufacture and transport of turbines can also have an impact. The towers are made of steel which is made using coal. The blades are made from composite materials like carbon fibre which can be difficult to recycle.

Whitlee Windfarm, East RenfrewshireImage source, Alamy_KYH7E3
Image caption,
Whitlee Windfarm, East Renfrewshire.

Advantages and disadvantages of wind power

Advantages

  • Scotland has plenty of hills and a lot of coastlines. It鈥檚 the ideal place to develop wind energy.
  • Wind is a聽聽energy resource and there are no fuel costs.
  • No harmful pollution or greenhouse gases are produced so wind energy does not create carbon emissions.
  • Modern wind turbines are very reliable and powerful machines. They are very efficient at generating electricity and the turbines will have a lifespan of between 20 and 25 years.

Disadvantages

  • Wind farms can be expensive to build.
  • Wind turbines need an ideal wind to work properly. If the wind is too light then the blades won鈥檛 spin and there is no electricity. If the wind is too strong, the turbines are turned off so that they aren鈥檛 damaged.
  • Some people find wind farms to be an eyesore and claim that these are a blot on the landscape and create visual pollution.

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