index > Today's Earth, Our Future > 5. Clean energy > Wind Power Plants are Increasing All Over the World
 
Wind Power Plants are Increasing All Over the World
Nowadays, all around the world, more and more natural energy resources are being used to generate electrical power so that we can continue to enjoy the convenience of electricity without adding to global warming. Unlike fossil fuels such as oil and coal, natural resources do not emit carbon dioxide (CO2) or become depleted no matter how much you use. Among the many kinds of natural energy resources, by far, the fastest growing is wind power. The first batter on the future power generation team is Wind Power. Let's hear what Mr. Wind Power has to say in our special interview! Interviewer: First, please tell me how long you have been playing? Wind Power: For some 4,000 years, long before electricity was discovered, wind power has been used for tasks such as pumping water or grinding wheat by windmills. So, I am a veteran player. I: What is your batting form like? WP: It's simple. The wind turns the windmill blades, which then makes the generator rotate and produce electricity. That's it. No combustion and no carbon dioxide emissions. I: How has your performance been recently? WP: Although wind power generation started in full swing only about 20 years ago, recently, wind-generated electricity has been increasing by more than 30 percent each year. Denmark makes 14 percent of its electricity from wind. In one of the states of Germany, the figure is nearly 30 percent. In India and China, wind power is becoming more and more popular.
I: How about in Japan? WP: Mainly in Hokkaido and Tohoku, the northern area of Japan, the number of windmills is increasing rapidly. From an airplane, you can also see two windmills standing in the Tokyo Bay. The wind is strong on mountain tops and along the sea shore. In the future, there will be more windmills built in bays or even on the sea surface. I値l hit more and more home runs! You can take my word for it! I: What are your strong points? WP: Above all, wind power is a clean and abundant source of energy. Unlike fossil fuels, wind can be found everywhere. Many American farmers raise cattle and grow wheat around the windmills. They make double-use of their land. This is another good point. I: What is your weak point? WP: When there is not enough wind to rotate the windmill blades, we can't generate electricity. But fortunately, this problem is being solved by using high-tech turbines and lining up many windmills together. If the windmills are built in locations where the wind supply is steady, there痴 no problem. I: Tell us about your future. WP: Thanks to advancements in technology, some countries are generating electricity at wind power plants for just about the same cost as for thermal power plants. Do you know how we, windmills, are able to play such an active role in Denmark and Germany? These countries established laws and systems to promote wind power generation. For example, one of the laws requires electric companies to buy wind power generated electricity at a high price. I know there are a lot of people who support wind power generation in other countries as well. I'm waiting for the next wind!
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   5. Clean energy
   
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