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Cassidy Himes

Powell

AP Language and Composition

31 March 2023

Exploring the Positives of Wind Farms

In the United States, the demand for more power expands exponentially as people

consume more technology. From cell phones to subway cars, one vital resource proves necessary

to power it all: energy. In order to create this vast amount of energy, there must be a source, and

as the push for clean energy increases, the popularity of wind energy arises, given that its clean

alternatives to fossil fuels and greenhouse gases. Although critics may claim otherwise, overall

wind farms prove enormously beneficial, especially when considering factors of efficiency,

location, environmental benefits, and economical benefits. Even when considering their slight

inefficiencies, adverse health effects, and slight environmental and monetary discrepancies, the

positives far outweigh the negatives.

Primarily, wind turbines are beneficial resources due to their efficiency. Julia

Layton, a known internet author, states that a small turbine generates 16 thousand kWh of energy

per year which is 6 thousand more kWh of energy than the average American household

consumes (Layton). These small turbines produce energy at a gratuitous rate, so corporations can

cut down on costs by building several small turbines as opposed to a singular large turbine.

Several small turbines can power thousands of households across a town in surplus. This amount

of wind energy in excess leads to an increase in infrastructure because the town now powers not
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only households but additional things like street lamps, businesses, and public transportation.

Moreover, Rani Molla, a Wall Street Journal journalist, shows that wind is 3 times more efficient

than nuclear energy and 40 times more efficient than coal (Molla). Given its position as the most

efficient source of energy, its renewability makes it quite efficient, for it stores enough energy

produced so that reproducing wind every time is unnecessary. Additionally, the wind is

obviously more common than coal and petroleum because it does not require mining or

extraction—methods that take lots of time and money, and can often be dangerous and harmful

to the environment. Critics of wind energy claim that wind farms are inefficient because they do

not always run at full power. And while it is true that nonrenewable energy sources are used to

back up the turbines, critics also claim, in the case of Layton’s argument, that this backup defeats

the purpose of utilizing wind energy as a clean energy source. But this is not entirely true. The

amount of unclean energy produced is still reduced since there is still clean energy being

produced; therefore, wind energy is still efficient because it can still produce clean and

renewable energy despite being slightly powered by coal or natural gas. For example, if a wind

turbine is running at 70 percent power but is backed up by coal running at 30 percent, then it is

safe to assume that the wind turbine is making a 70 percent decrease in natural gas production.

Thus, due to the reasons asserted by Layton and Molla, wind turbines are a beneficial source of

energy due to their efficiency.

Additionally, wind turbines provide a positive energy source due to their secluded

locations. In a photograph taken by Joshua Winchell, a photographer for the United States Fish

and Wildlife Service, an endless sea of wind turbines exists across an expansive valley. Given

that the turbines never seem to end, one may infer that an agency constructed these turbines in a
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remote location, for there are no structures that the turbines interrupt. Remote locations provide

more land available due to the lack of civilization nearby, a civilization that obstructs the number

of turbines that may exist in a given area. The more turbines, the more energy, which ultimately

equates to more power a nearby town uses. Furthermore, in a magazine excerpt by Hal Brown,

an environmental magazine author, the small town of McCamey, Texas experienced extreme

economic growth from the period in which they switched to wind energy. Because of the remote

location of the turbines, this 1600-person town was able to experience a large growth in taxes,

which alludes to an influx of people moving to McCamey. Population growth causes an increase

in the buying and selling of local goods, which leads to increased wages and ultimately a higher

standard of living. Underrated but powerful wind farms lead to these vast benefits. Critics may

claim that the location of wind farms causes adverse health benefits due to the sound, and while

the article by Nate Stelenrich, a government researcher, proves truthful in the fact that the sound

of turbines can cause sleep disruption and ultimately cognitive ability, they fall short in the fact

that Stelenrich also states that “sleep interference gets worse the nearer residents are to turbines.”

Because turbines are always in remote locations, it is quite rare for mass amounts of people to be

affected by the droning sounds. They must live near the turbines for the effects to take place.

Furthermore, the research on this subject is quite recent, affecting its credibility. Thus, because

wind farms are often remote, their location makes them a highly favorable source of energy.

Moreover, wind farms are beneficial due to their favorable environmental benefits. Wind

farms aid in the reduction of fossil fuels by contributing to the overall amount of energy

produced. The American Wind Association states that in Denmark, wind provides twenty percent

of the nation’s energy (American Wind Association). This reduces the number of fossil fuels
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utilized, which results in a reduction of greenhouse gases produced. A reduction in greenhouse

gas emissions at this rate may provide a reduction in climate change. Therefore, a reduction in

climate change leads to reduced flooding and fluctuations in temperature, which would

contribute to overall safety because fewer flash floods and tornadoes would occur. As society

hurtles towards the precarious apex of climate change, the utilization of wind farms to this extent

would drastically benefit the environment and decline the pace of climate change. Critics claim

that the dangers of wind energy include its harmful effects on bird ecosystems, and while this

may prove truthful according to an article by Iain Murray, an English author and philosophy

scholar, stating that “a five-year study in California revealed that the Altamont Pass wind farm

kills an average of 40 to 60 golden eagles a year…,” they fail to consider that wind farms,

according to Hillary Watts, a member of High Country News, states that the construction

location prevents wind farms from obstructing ecosystems (Murray; Watts). Generally, wind

farms that stand in high-density forest locations tend to harm wildlife. If an agency builds a wind

farm on the plains, this issue is less likely to occur. To avoid destroying ecosystems, simply

constructing a wind farm on a flat surface avoids obstructing the migration paths and habitats of

local wildlife. Without these species, the natural order of their ecosystems would collapse, a

detriment to humans, for biodiversity also aids in the reduction of climate change; therefore,

because agencies can strategically place wind farms in certain areas, they do not cause much

damage to the environment, and thus, due to the reduction in fossil fuel emissions and strategic

locations, wind farms show their copious benefits.

Lastly, wind farms showcase their benefits through the economy. Wind energy showcases

its benefits through strong economic positives. Michael Goggins, a well-known researcher, states
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that “Wind energy is saving consumers money by displacing more expensive forms of energy”

(Goggins). This works similarly to how wind energy affects climate change. The more wind

energy used, the less expensive forms of energy are used, therefore cutting down energy

expenditures. This means cheaper taxes and energy bills for citizens, which could lead to more

spending money and therefore a higher standard of living. Because wind energy is renewable,

meaning no finite amount exists, more of it can be made at an economical cost. Critics claim that

wind energy is not economical because it can only supplement conventional energy. And while it

is true that according to an article by James Taylor, a well-known researcher and historian,

citizens pay twice as much because they pay for wind energy and the energy source it

supplements, what they fail to realize is that wind energy proves its reliability by protecting its

users from fuel shortages and price spikes (Taylor; Goggins). Once again, due to its renewable

nature, wind energy aids citizens in the most extreme times, times of economic hardship. In the

modern era, the most coveted fuel is oil, however, oil cannot be drilled forever, and when

political tensions arise, the cost of oil spikes, causing extreme bill costs for the average user.

Because agencies farm wind domestically, international costs disappear and sources cannot be

drained. This results in cheaper energy overall, so although wind energy may be used to

supplement conventional energy, when conventional energy is depleted, wind energy will be the

cheapest alternative. Therefore, due to its renewability and cost reduction, wind energy proves

highly beneficial for economic reasons.

With climate change at the front of many minds, the benefits of wind energy become

more appealing by the minute. With great efficiency, locations, economic, and environmental
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benefits, agencies may search deeper into establishing wind farms, despite critics’ disapprovals.

With the finite aspect of conventional energy sources, wind energy may already be the future.
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Works Cited

Brown, Hal. “Blowin’ in the Wind: Texas Ranchers Turn to Turbines.” E: The Environmental

Magazine, vol. 19, no. 1, 2008. Academic Search Premier,

search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct

=true&db=aph&AN=28052795&site=ehostlive&scope=site.

Goggin, Michael. "Wind Energy Is Economical." Wind Farms, edited by Amy Francis,

Greenhaven Press, 2015. At Issue. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints,

link.gale.com/apps/doc/EJ3010941209/OVIC?u=avlr&sid=bookmark-OVIC&xid=22bf0

4d6. Accessed 2 Apr. 2023. Originally published as "Wind Energy Protects Consumers,"

www.thehill.com, 2 May 2014.

Layton, Julia. “How Wind Power Works.” HowStuffWorks, 9 Aug. 2006,

science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/green-science/wind-power.htm.

Molla, Rani. “What Is the Most Efficient Source of Electricity?” Wall Street Journal, 15 Sept.

2014,

blogs.wsj.com/numbers/what-is-the-mostefficient-source-of-electricity-1754/.

Taylor, James M. "Wind Power Is Not Economical." Alternative Energy Sources, edited by

Darrin Gunkel, Greenhaven Press, 2006. Current Controversies. Gale In Context:

Opposing Viewpoints,

link.gale.com/apps/doc/EJ3010426223/OVIC?u=avlr&sid=bookmark-OVIC&xid=e33c0

97e. Accessed 2 Apr. 2023. Originally published as "Wind Farms Costly for Kansans,

New Study Finds," Environment News, 2005.

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Seltenrich, Nate. “Wind Turbines: A Different Breed of Noise?” Environmental Health

Perspectives,

vol. 122, no. 1, Jan. 2014. National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences,

ehp.niehs.nih.gov/wp-content/uploads/122/1/ehp.122-A20.pdf.

Watts, Hillary. "Wind Farms Can Be Designed to Minimize Bird and Bat Kills." Alternative

Energy Sources, edited by Darrin Gunkel, Greenhaven Press, 2006. Current

Controversies. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints,

link.gale.com/apps/doc/EJ3010426216/OVIC?u=avlr&sid=bookmark-OVIC&xid=537e2

4f2. Accessed 2 Apr. 2023. Originally published as "Blades, Birds and Bats: Wind

Energy and Wildlife Not a Cut and Dried Issue," High Country News, vol. 37, 2 May

2005, p. 12.

Winchell, Joshua. “Wind Turbines.” U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service National Digital Library, 25

Mar. 2009, digitalmedia.fws.gov/cdm/ref/collection/natdiglib/id/6861.