Wind Energy
Introduced| English |
|---|
| wind turbine/wɪnd ˈtɜːbaɪn/ |
| wind farm/wɪnd fɑːm/ |
| renewable/rɪˈnjuːəbl/ |
| intermittent/ˌɪntəˈmɪtənt/ |
| Offshore/ˈɒfʃɔː/ |
Catching the wind
- Moving air carries energy we can capture.
- A wind turbine 风力涡轮机 has huge blades on a tall tower.
- The wind spins the blades, which turn a generator.
- Many turbines together form a wind farm 风电场.
The benefits
- Wind is renewable 可再生 and free — it keeps blowing.
- Turbines release no CO2 while running.
- They take little ground, so farms and grazing continue below.
- Once built, the fuel costs nothing.
A wind turbine makes electricity when…
Wind spins the blades, which turn a generator inside the turbine to make electricity.
The costs
- Wind is intermittent 间歇性 — no wind, no power.
- Output rises and falls, so it needs backup or storage.
- Spinning blades can kill birds and bats.
- Some people find the tall turbines noisy or ugly.
A major benefit of wind power is that it…
Wind is renewable and emits no CO2 while running — a clean, free fuel.
Because wind does not always blow, wind power is ____ (not constant).
Wind power is intermittent — output rises and falls with the wind, so it needs backup or storage.
Where it works
- Turbines need strong, steady wind, not calm air.
- Windy coasts, ridges, and open plains are best.
- Offshore 海上 wind farms catch strong sea winds.
- A sheltered, still valley is a poor place for them.
Benefit or cost of wind power?
Sort each feature of wind power into a benefit or a cost.
Farmers can still grow crops on the land between wind turbines.
Turbines take up little ground, so the land around them stays useful for farming or grazing.
Select all true statements about wind power.
Wind is renewable, intermittent, and can harm flying wildlife. It needs strong, steady wind, not calm air.
Wind's big weakness is the same as solar's: it's intermittent. You cannot make the wind blow on demand, so a grid running on wind needs storage or a backup source for calm days. Its wildlife cost is real but local — careful siting away from major bird routes reduces it. Clean and free, but not always available.
A prairie wind farm:
- Tall turbines line a windy ridge; below them, the farmer still grows wheat right up to the towers.
- On a blustery day they power thousands of homes with zero emissions.
- On a still day they barely turn — so the grid leans on stored power or a gas plant until the wind returns.
A wind turbine turns the wind's energy into electricity; many form a wind farm. Benefits: renewable, low-CO2, and the land below stays farmable. Costs: it is intermittent (needs backup), can kill birds and bats, and needs windy sites — windy coasts, ridges, and offshore locations work best.