How does using a wind turbine mitigate global warming?

Question

How does using a wind turbine/ sloar panels help mitigate global warming?

My school just installed solar panels and a wind turbine now they want me to say how it mitigates global warming, help!

Yes i need a long and detailed answer. Eg it helps by stopping power stations using so much coal or something. many thx.

Answer 1

it does not contribute pollution and its free energy

Answer 2

Two principles:

If we use wind energy we could reduce the amount of combustion related energy we need to use.  This could result in less emissions and possibly reduced warming.

It works if GW is anthropogenic in the first place.

http://www.stuffintheair.com/FactAboutGl...

Number 2:  Using wind power actually removes energy from the air.  Energy which through would, normal enthropic processes, end up as extra heat, and a minute reduction in potential warming could materialize that way.

Something worth thinking about, anyway.

Answer 3

There are direct and indirect effects.  You have already clued into the indirect effect, specifically that fossil fuel combustion, and the consequent CO2 production is displaced.  A good place to start quantifying the amount of coal and natural gas used is the EIA report.

http://www.eia.doe.gov/aer/

The direct, albeit very small effect is that energy is directly removed from the atmosphere which results in cooling.  Note that the same energy may be added back to the atmosphere when the electricity is used.

Answer 4

I'm not going to give you a long answer, but I'll give you the obvious start.

The old way to heat and power are gas, oil, and coal - fossil fuels. When these things burn they put out pollution (smog), pollution leads to environmental damage like global warming. Bonus points for mentioning that MOVING all that oil around the world means lots of gas in lots of trucks, more refining, more exhaust, more pollution.

Solar and wind power convert directly to electricity - they don't burn anything. No waste, no pollution.

Answer 5

I like the answer that adds in the concrete etc in the building of the wind turbine, coal power stations are of course made from organic tissue paper.

The same answer also suggests "there is a miniscule drag placed upon the rotation of the planet" I am sorry but there is only one reply to this idea, ha ha ha ha, If I were your physics teacher you just earned an automatic F-.

John s: I have been on this site for a while, I have ~20 years working in a science group that study both Antarctica and some climate related issues in the upper atmosphere, having said that I would say over 95% of those who contribute here have little or no idea (on both sides) what they are talking about, I would suggest a google search or the well known research groups like NASA and NOAA or the Hadley researcher group in the U.K. there are way to many conspiracy nuts and those who are just spreading nonsence here.

Answer 6

the wind causes the blades to turn   which in turn via a regulating transmission turns the rotor within a generator which generates electrical energy to power any thing requiring electrical energy.   now then, that being said, where and how was the electricity generated that was used in ALL the processes used to make the wind generator.  that should include everything from mining and refining the ores used in the machines to the material used to manufacture the insulators, lube oils, concrete(for the base foundation)and the list goes on and on to manufacture the complete wind mill.  this don't even begin to address the electrical inter-tie infrastructure.... also, there is a miniscule drag placed upon the rotation of the planet which will send us into the sun in the year 1,900,095AD, probably on a tuesday. all in all, wind power is sloooowly reducing the reliance upon fossil fueled power plants or at least reducing the need to build more of them.

solar panel are just as complex in the manufacturing effort and only work when the sun is shining upon them.  this will envoke the electrical storage problem solution in the form of deep cycle batteries and the like. they will reduce the reliance on fossil fueles needed to perform our day to day activities. they are not very efficient yet, so a large number are required to be an aggressive competitor to fossil fuels, but any thing will help.   they also may reflect so much sun light that a ice age may result.  just remember that i don't want a wind mill field nor a solar array in my back yard.  that is a major reason there hasn't been more effort to get this done.

Answer 7

Ok lets assume man made global warming is actually a proven thoery, than we would need to avoid burning fossil fuels.

I live in an area powered by Hydro electric so it would do nothing (in fact it would be worse for the enviroment), but if you live in a area powered by fossil fuels, the wind power and solar power will enventually save enough co2 and money to outweight that produced in its manufacure, transport and installation and purchase cost if it doesnt fail before the point. How long that takes varies, the manufacturers normally say around 3 years, but independant studies have shown this can very a long time as solar and wind produce very little energy and normally dont produce anything near what the manufacturer claims and needs to be backed up with power from the grid. Plus side is when the power isnt being used the surplus power can be stored in batteries or sold back to the grid. It also makes for a great school project.

If the area is powered by nuclear, again this wouldnt reduce co2.

But then if you consider man made co2 most likely makes little effect on the earths climate its actually a waste of money if its bought to offset global warming. But it does help reduce air pollution which is a good thing.

Answer 8

They're cute alternative-energy sources, but prohibitively expensive for most folks to consider.

Global warming?  There's no such thing so what your school has done will have no effect.  Fossil fuels do cause some air pollution, but not anything called 'global warming'.  Burning fossil fuels can have no bearing on temperature.

Answer 9

It doesn't. Mostly because man doesn't cause or contribute to global warming. Even the existence of global warming could be debated.

Turbines and solar panels will take a small load off the local power grid, but inconsistently because it's not always windy or sunny. They were most likely built to pad the pockets of the contractors who built them and make people feel better about using more and more energy every year.

If you write any of this in your essay, you'll probably get an F, even though it's the truth. Sorry.