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Rian Johns

Ms. Woelke

AP English Language

3 December 2019

Factors When Building a Wind Farm

There are many sources of energy including oil, solar, water, natural gas and wind. Wind

can be transformed into energy through a turbine. Wind turbines are an environmentally friendly

source of energy that can be used to power homes and businesses. Wind power is clean and safe

for the environment. However, before establishing a wind farm, companies should consider

where the farm can be built, how the farm could affect people and the amount of energy the farm

will be able to provide. These factors are most important to consider because they determine if

and where a wind farm is built.

Where a wind farm is built is the most important factor to consider because they need an

ideal area with lots of space. Without these conditions a wind farm most likely would not be

built. Wind farms consist of many turbines. These turbines are large and have to be somewhat

spread apart so they do not hit each other. Therefore, wind farms take up lots of space. In Source

A, there is a photo of a large wind farm. It shows what seems to be hundreds of wind turbines

placed upon many miles of desert land. If a big area is not available, a wind farm mostly likely

would not be made, or if it is made, the turbines would be spread out among a larger area. With

the turbines in the same area it would make maintenance easier and quicker, but without a larger

area maintenance would become more difficult. Also, the type of land is important to consider.

For example, “in hard-packed desert areas there is a risk of land erosion” when the ground is dug
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up for the installation of the wind turbines (Source B). This is harmful to both the land and the

turbines. The type of land has to be ideal because problems are created if it is damaged by the

building of wind turbines. Companions have to choose an area that is both big enough and the

right type of land to build wind warms.

Wind farms shouldn't be built near residential areas because the development of wind

turbines can affect the people living around them. The wellbeing of the community is important

because wind farms could cause people to be in harmful positions or become upset therefore, this

is another factor that should be highly considered. A study at Auckland University of

Technology found that “sleep interference gets worse the” closer a person lives “to turbines.”

These interferences, that causes sleep deprivation, are a “direct health effect” (Source C). The

noise caused by wind farms could keep people from being able to sleep at night. Without sleep a

person could have a harder time functioning throughout the day. Sleep deprivation is also shown

to cause health problems and sickness. To keep people healthy, wind farms have to be built far

away from any houses or neighborhoods so people will not be affected. People living near wind

farms also might be upset by the obstruction of the landscape. They can cause a problem by

“disrupting territorial views for” people living near them, “who may have grown attached to an

area’s” natural view (Source E). By changing the look of an area, a wind farm could make

people upset because they are so used to an area looking a certain way. These changes can block

or disturbe the beauty of a place. Before a wind farm is built, a company should consider

whether or not it will affect people.

The last factor to consider is how much energy a wind farm will provide. This is

important because after finding a place for a wind farm, away from people, a company has to
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decide whether or not their farm will produce the amount of energy needed. A “larger turbine

can generate” about “5.2 million KWh” of electricity each year. This is “enough to power nearly

600 households” (Source B). If a wind farm has many large wind turbines it could create enough

energy to power a whole town. This is a great way to bring power to homes. Wind energy is also

the most efficient energy form. It costs $97 to produce 1 MWh of electricity, which is a median

price compared to other forms of energy (Source F). Compared to other sources of energy, wind

power is the most efficient while still being cost effective. That means that the amount of energy

formed from a wind farm is great and will be worth it. A factor to consider before building a

wind farm is how much energy will be formed and how useful it will be.

A wind farm can be very useful. It creates energy that people can use at home or any

other place that needs it. However, before a company decides to build a wind farm, they should

take a few things into consideration. Where a farm is built is an important factor. Wind turbines

take up space and could harm the land where they are built. Also, turbines can affect people. Not

only can they affect a person's health, they can create a sense of sadness when a landscape, that

once was an amazing view, is then covered in turbines. On the other hand, a company may

consider how useful a wind farm may be to improve many people’s lives by providing them with

electricity.