I.

HISTORY

Wind power has been used as long as humans have put sails into the wind. For more than
two millennia wind-powered machines have ground grain and pumped water. Wind power
was widely available and not confined to the banks of fast-flowing streams, or later,
requiring sources of fuel. Wind-powered pumps drained the polders of the Netherlands, and
in arid regions such as the American mid-west or the Australian outback, wind pumps
provided water for livestock and steam engines.

The first windmill used for the production of electricity was built in Scotland in July 1887 by
Prof James Blyth of Anderson's College, Glasgow (the precursor of Strathclyde University).
Blyth's 10 m high, cloth-sailed wind turbine was installed in the garden of his holiday cottage
at Marykirk in Kincardineshire and was used to charge accumulators developed by the
Frenchman Camille Alphonse Faure, to power the lighting in the cottage, thus making it the
first house in the world to have its electricity supplied by wind power.

Blyth's "windmill" at his cottage in Marykirk in 1891

Blyth offered the surplus electricity to the people of Marykirk for lighting the main street,
however, they turned down the offer as they thought electricity was "the work of the devil."
Although he later built a wind turbine to supply emergency power to the local Lunatic
Asylum, Infirmary and Dispensary of Montrose the invention never really caught on as the
technology was not considered to be economically viable.

Across the Atlantic, in Cleveland, Ohio a larger and heavily engineered machine was
designed and constructed in the winter of 1887–1888 by Charles F. Brush, this was built by
his engineering company at his home and operated from 1886 until 1900. The Brush wind
turbine had a rotor 17 m (56 foot) in diameter and was mounted on an 18 m (60 foot)
tower. Although large by today's standards, the machine was only rated at 12 kW. The
connected dynamo was used either to charge a bank of batteries or to operate up to 100
incandescent light bulbs, three arc lamps, and various motors in Brush's laboratory.
 Charles Brush's windmill of 1888, used for generating electricity.

With the development of electric power, wind power found new applications in lighting
buildings remote from centrally-generated power. Throughout the 20th century parallel
paths developed small wind stations suitable for farms or residences, and larger utility-scale
wind generators that could be connected to electricity grids for remote use of power. Today
wind powered generators operate in every size range between tiny stations for battery
charging at isolated residences, up to near-gigawatt sized offshore wind farms that provide
electricity to national electrical networks.
 II. PROCESS

Wind turbines use the wind’s kinetic energy to generate electrical energy that can be used
in homes and businesses. Individual wind turbines can be used to generate electricity on a
small scale – to power a single home, for example. A large number of wind turbines grouped
together, sometimes known as a wind farm or wind park, can generate electricity on a much
larger scale.

A wind turbine works like a high-tech version of an old-fashioned windmill. The wind blows
on the angled blades of the rotor, causing it to spin, converting some of the wind’s kinetic
energy into mechanical energy. Sensors in the turbine detect how strongly the wind is
blowing and from which direction. The rotor automatically turns to face the wind, and
automatically brakes in dangerously high winds to protect the turbine from damage.

 A shaft and gearbox connect the rotor to a generator (1), so when the rotor spins, so
does the generator.
 The generator uses an electromagnetic field to convert this mechanical energy into
electrical energy.
 The electrical energy from the generator is transmitted along cables to a substation
(2). Here, the electrical energy generated by all the turbines in the wind farm is
combined and converted to a high voltage.
 The national grid uses high voltages to transmit electricity efficiently through the
power lines (3) to the homes and businesses that need it (4). Here, other
transformers reduce the voltage back down to a usable level (220V in Philippines).
 III. PROS AND CONS OF WIND ENERGY

Pros of Wind Energy

1. Wind energy is a green energy source and does not cause pollution.
2. The potential of wind power is enormous – 20 times more than what the entire
human population needs.
3. Wind power is renewable and there is no way we can run out of it (since wind energy
originates from the sun).
4. Wind power only accounts for about 2.5% of total worldwide electricity production,
but is growing at a promising rate of 25% per year (2010).
5. Prices have decreased over 80% since 1980 and are expected to keep decreasing.
6. The operational costs associated with wind power are low.
7. Good domestic potential: Residential wind turbines yields energy savings and
protects homeowners from power outages.

Cons of Wind Energy

1. Wind is a fluctuating (intermittent) source of energy and is not suited to meet the
base load energy demand unless some form of energy storage is utilized (e.g.
batteries, pumped hydro).
2. The manufacturing and installation of wind turbines requires heavy upfront
investments – both in commercial and residential applications.
3. Wind turbines can be a threat to wildlife (e.g. birds, bats).
4. Noise is regularly reported as a problem by neighboring homes.

Midground

How wind turbines look (aesthetics) is a legitimate concern for some people. Also
Windfarms are considered as tourist attractions.
 IV. WIND POWER FARMS IN THE PHILIPPINES

Wind power in the Philippines makes up a small percentage of the total energy output of
the Philippines. The country wind energy sector has significant potential and could provide
up to 76GW of power. Two of the largest developments are the Bangui Wind Farm in
Bangui, Ilocos Norte. and the Wind Energy Power System (WEPS) in Puerto Galera, Mindoro
Oriental.

Bangui Wind Farm , Bangui, Ilocos Norte (20 x 1.65MW)

Pililia Wind Farm, Pililia, Rizal and Mabitac, Laguna (under construction with
27x2 MW units operational)
Burgos Wind Farm, Burgos Ilocos Norte (50x3MW upon completion)

Caparispisan Wind Farm, Caparispisan Ilocos Norte (27x3MW)

Mindoro Wind Farm, Mindoro Island (under construction expected 24x2MW

units operational)
 V. OUTLOOK

Based on a study by the US-based National Renewable Energy Laboratory, the Philippines'
wind energy potential of 70,000-MW can meet the country's current energy demand seven
times over. One third of the world's electricity can be supplied by wind power. It highlights
the expansion of wind power worldwide as a key to stopping climate change. Wind turbine
capacity implemented on this scale would save 113 billion tons of CO2 from entering the
atmosphere by 2050.

Wind power is rapidly developing in practically every part of the world, with growth rates
ranging from 10 to 40% per year. Although the pace of growth slackened in 2013, installed
global capacity reached an impressive 318 GW, for an increase of 200 GW in five years.

The European Union is particularly well positioned, thanks to its assertive policy of
developing renewable energies. In 2013, wind power accounted for 117 GW of installed
capacity in the E.U., meeting 8% of its electricity demand. The industry continues to grow
despite a decrease in 2013.

VI. CLOSURE

Wind power is the most attractive solution to the world's energy challenges. It is clean and
fuel-free. Moreover, wind is indigenous and enough wind blows across the globe to cope
with the ever increasing electricity demand.

Wind power will significantly reduce CO2 emissions, which is key in the fight against
dangerous climate change. Wind power will also address other challenges crucial to
developing countries like the Philippines such as security of energy supply and the
increasing volatility of fossil fuel prices.

https://en.wikipedia.org/

http://www.greenpeace.org/seasia/ph/press/releases/philippine-wind-power-potentia/

http://www.edfenergy.com/energyfuture/generation-wind

http://www.gwec.net/publications/global-wind-energy-outlook/global-wind-energy-
outlook-2014/