Why is Wind energy ignored mostly?

Answer 1

Wind energy isn't necessarily ignored, there are just some major drawbacks, namely the fact that you'd need to construct hundreds of windmills in order to power a large number of homes, and that requires space. And when there's an issue of space, there's also the issue of NIMBYism (Not In My Backyard).

It has been proven that Kansas, Texas, and North Dakota have enough available and harnessable wind energy to meet the energy needs of the entire U.S., and technology is rapidly developing better ways to take advantage of that.

Answer 2

Wind energy is hardly ignored, it is in fact the most widely deployed non-hydro renewable energy source in the world. Wind turbine manufacturers such as Vestas, GE and others have worked long and hard to make wind energy cost competitive with just about everything but coal.

The reason you don't see wind turbines everywhere is that they are most economically placed in areas with high wind resources where land is reasonably cheap. (i.e. in the country or off-shore)As someone else mentioned NIMBY syndrome is also a big factor - but less so in Europe.

The link below has lots of great information on wind energy, including maps of wind resources

Answer 3

I don't know exactly. I live in Boston, and right now there is a man trying to build a Wind Farm in Nantucket Sound, but he is getting a lot of resistance from the community down there, specifically rich people who don't want to see a tiny blur on their horizon (it's their view vs. clean energy and fate of the world, and their view is apparently more important) and Ted Kennedy, who usually pretends to care about the environment, but who is showing himself to be a fat cat who only cares about himself...sorry, rant, but I'm kind of angry about it. I think that people who are thinking about wind farms in the US are watching this instance to see if the Wind Farm will be allowed to be built, since it is a legal case that could have impact on how easily other wind farms could be made.

I know also that the city of Cambridge, MA, decided it wanted a wind farm, but that soon became a joke because there is not enough wind to sustain one! I say this not to make fun of Cambridge, but to point out that you need a lot of flat land or water space with lots of wind to make a wind farm feasible. Location is vitally important, and it might be that there are not enough good locations for farms to make them a good source of lots of energy.

Those are my two guesses. I'll be interested to hear what other people say.

Answer 4

I heard a story on National Public Radio a few days ago about a farmer in Wisconsin who lives closer to the sky than most of us. He apparently has a deal with a company that will lease a portion of his property so that they can produce energy from wind.
FAA stopped the whole deal until they can investigate the impact the "windmills" will have on radar, and satellite for air traffic.
I'm guessing that there are many reasons why it isn't more important. Space, cost, effort....................

Answer 5

In Oklahoma we use wind for energy because the land can support it. The fans create alot of noise and so you have to have the correct location, funding and public support before starting a project that this.

Answer 6

Now the politicians are trying to put a halt to wind power because their Big Oil buddies are telling them to stop it.
So, they got the DOD involved to say that windmills cause anomalies to appear on RADAR.
So, ALL plans for new winds farms have been put on hold until a study has been done.
The permits issued have been canceled.
Once again Big Oil dictates our US policy.
It makes my stomach churn every time I see this administration giving Oil companies exactly what they want, to hell with the middle class!

Answer 7

The technology is not efficient compared to other sources (I've seen the wind farm near Palm Springs and it covers a huge area)

Answer 8

Its a general formula for all of huamn activities; If your goal (having elecetricity in this case) can be reached through a series of less effort and cost, then that is a smart "Business" solution. Not always the best choice for the environment though.

Answer 9

there is a huge windmill farm just west of palm springs, ca (where I live)... literally thousands of large windmills... i think there are relatively few areas where it is both windy enough, and have suitable terrain for wind energy to be economically feasible.

Answer 10

Because it doesn't put as much money in politicians pockets. It is a good source for power but as long as there are no good payoffs for politicians, it will continue to be kept on the back burner.