What are the cost and benefits of wind turbines?

Answer 1

There are development costs related to obtaining land, getting site permits, connections to the electrical grid, and some others. Any type of power plant will face these costs. Then there is infrastructure - foundations and the electrical collector system that takes power from each turbine and feeds it to the grid. Obviously there are the costs for the turbines themselves. Turbines are typically designed to a 20 year lifetime before being decommissioned.

One can argue that the cost of a wind turbine is high compared to traditional power generation (gas turbine/steam turbine). However you can forecast the cost of fuel for it's entire lifetime - it's free. You can't do that with fossil fuel power plants. As of now, depending on the site wind regime and governmental incentives, wind turbines can be nearly as cost effective as other power plants. Considering there are no emissions from wind turbines and the price of oil will not likely decrease (has it really ever?), the amount of wind farm projects has increased significantly in the past 3 years.

Obviously wind turbines only operate when there is wind. This may cause concern that no power can be generated in an area during times of low wind. That's why we have the vast array of transmission systems. Power can be imported from other areas where generation is taking place. We have been doing this over significant distances for many years. A perfect example is the huge hydro power plants that generate thousands of megawatts. Do you think the local town consumes all that power? Not hardly. The same principle is used with wind turbines.

If you do some research, you'll find the majority of windfarms are in the middle of nowhere. The majority of people don't live in the harsh environments that wind turbines make lot's of power in. Some people like turbines, some people don't. It's a matter of personal taste.

In some areas, wind turbines supplement the income of land owners and farmers. Developers will pay them a portion of profits for using their land. This is a win-win situation for both parties.

Answer 2

wind turbines are in some peoples view ugly, they can obstruct air trafic, and wind turbins only operate 3/4 of the time because of the way wind works.
but wind has low emissions

Answer 3

Costs to buy turbines.
Usually need lots of them so loss of scenery and land.
Large concrete base to dispose of when the turbine is demolished.
Some people say birds might fly into them.
Whooshing noise near them.

Benefits: Very low carbon. Clean technology.

Answer 4

Benefit is that the only cost is the cost to build it.
bad news is that on days with no wind there is no energy, this is one of the numerous alternate sources of energy being experimented.

Answer 5

Cost is high but as it uses wind energy to generate electricity and is renewable it is less harmful to the environment.
It changes the scenic environment