Wind Power Overview

Wind is the flow of air and other gases that compose the Earth’s atmosphere. Created by the sun’s uneven heating of the surface of the Earth, wind is one of the most plentiful and powerful natural resources. From sailing ships to grinding grain and pumping water, humans have been harnessing wind energy for thousands of years. Wind power has played an important role in the evolution of human civilization and it continues to offer real solutions to the challenges of the present day - including global warming, energy independence, and economic security.

Unlike windmills, which use wind energy directly in the form of mechanical energy, wind turbines (rotating machines with large blades) can convert energy from the wind into electricity. Large scale wind energy systems, or wind farms, connect a number of individual turbines into electric power grids, contributing significant amounts of clean and renewable energy. Small, individual turbines can also be used to generate electricity for use on-site.    

Currently, wind energy is the fastest growing source of electricity in the world. On a global scale, wind power generation increased more than fivefold between 2000 and 2007. Here in the U.S., installed capacity raced past the 20,000-megawatt milestone in September of 2008, producing enough electricity to serve 5.3 million American homes or power a fleet of more than 1 million plug-in hybrid vehicles. The U.S. is now the world leader in wind electricity generation, and wind power comprises just over 1.5% of our electricity supply.

Because wind power’s source of energy - the wind - is both free and inexhaustible, it is an attractive alternative to the fossil fuels which are contributing to both global warming and economic and political strife. Furthermore, wind requires no mining, drilling, or transportation of fuel, and does not generate radioactive or other hazardous or polluting waste. This is important because electricity generation is the largest industrial source of air pollution in the U.S.

Wind energy offers a number of other benefits as well. On the economic side, for agricultural landowners who lease their farm land for wind farm development, each megawatt of wind can provide $2,000-$4,000/year or more in income, even though only 2-5% of the land within the wind farm boundary is used for turbines and access roads. Additionally, each megawatt of wind provides 2.3-3 job-years of employment and approximately 1 skilled O&M (operations/maintenance) job for every 10 turbines installed.

From an environmental perspective, because wind energy can displace other, more damaging energy sources, it helps to protect air and water quality, fight global warming, and reduce the need to mine and drill for natural gas, coal, and other fuels. In fact, generating the same amount of electricity as 10,000 MW of wind power would require burning more than 12 million tons of coal (a line of 10-ton trucks over 4,500 miles long) or 40 million barrels of oil each year.  A single 1-MW of wind power can displace 1,800 tons of carbon dioxide, the primary global warming pollutant each year.

A recent report from the U.S. Department of Energy estimates wind energy could provide up to 20% of our nation's electricity by the year 2030, while supporting roughly 500,000 jobs, increasing annual property tax revenues to more than $1.5 billion, and reducing greenhouse gas houses to the effect of taking 140 million vehicles off the road.  

New York is the 15th windiest state in the nation and at this time has close to 700 MW of wind installed and another 588 under construction. However, New York’s wind resources could support well over 5,000 MW of on-land wind energy and over 5,000 of off shore wind energy as well.  According to projections by the New York Independent System Operator, New York will be adding approximately 1,000 MW of wind a year and reaching 3,500 MW by year end of 2010.

Making use of our full wind energy capacity, in combination with the development of other sources of renewable energy, will lead to a diversified energy portfolio that stabilizes prices and protects our environment from the pollution associated with fossil fuels. Please browse our links and resources and visit the pages listed below to learn more about wind power in New York and its many benefits.