Ocean Windmills: an enormous shift to clean energy (Post 1)
The U.S. Energy Industry is finally advancing…
One vs. a billion. We only have one Earth, yet billions of people are contributing to the high emission of greenhouse gasses in the cities and agricultural industries. Humans are, in part, provoking the change in our climate patterns, which is very BAD. Due to uncontrolled consumption of fossil fuels each day, we are slowly experiencing global warming, drought, and rising sea levels in different areas of the world. However, we, as humans, can also reverse those effects by finding ways to renew our natural resources and converting them to electrical energies, instead of using fuel and oil. Although the United States may be late in building Ocean Windmills as compared to other European Nations, I believe that the development of America’s first offshore wind farm is the best tool for energy efficiency.
— What sparked my interest in Ocean Windmills? —
I entered college without showing an interest in the issues of our environment, but after exploring different careers, I became more aware of the conservation of energy. As a first-year college student, my declared major was Computer Engineering, so I mainly focused on learning about the issues related to software programming, technological improvements and other matters that would fit my goals when I enter the job market. To college students, first year is usually the time to look into different careers and just like me, I’ve spent my whole first year exploring different types of Engineering. When I took a Chemistry course with a laboratory class, we built a small solar powered cell using raspberry juice. My professor discussed the importance of solar power tower, a new method of converting sunlight to electricity. This short activity made me realize that Engineers, nowadays, focus their research and development on various ways to reduce climate change. Now that I’m a sophomore, I was inspired to research on the renewable source of energy and put emphasis on the new project that Wind Energy Engineers in the United States are currently building, which is ocean windmills.
— The importance of Wind Turbines —
Wind Turbines are the windmills found in places that have a great source of wind power, such as open fields, mountains, and coastal areas. These wind turbines are used every day to generate electricity and power up houses in certain areas of the United States. Windmills are not only essential to our daily lives as we use up energy everywhere, but they also provide a beautiful scenery while we’re stuck in traffic. A new discovery, however, is that these wind turbines can be installed on the ocean, which will surely generate more wind energy than the windmills on land.
— The new machinery in the United States —
The Wind Energy Engineers have developed the first offshore wind farm and started its construction in Rhode Island, the smallest state of the United States. In the article “America’s First Offshore Wind Farm May Power Up a New Industry,” Justin Gillis describes the tiny wind farm project in Rhode Island, known as the Block Island Wind Farm. In a few weeks, the five ocean wind turbines that are situated on the ocean floor will start generating power within the New England region after conducting various tests. With the success of this project, it would generate electricity to 17, 000 houses. Gillis asserts, “A just-completed project off the coast of Rhode Island, though relatively tiny, is at the forefront of a sea-based transition to renewable energy.” It’s true that this project is starting out small, however, it appears that ocean windmills will contribute to the America’s greatest source of renewable energy. Gillis also discusses how people are very hopeful that using ocean windmills will reduce pollution and climate change. Despite how residents near the ocean oppose the installation of windmills, I think this is a great place to build the project, because the wind on the ocean is greater than on land, which results to a steadier resource of electricity.
Moreover, Gillis compares the growing industry between the U.S. and European nations by emphasizing that “the installation [of wind turbines] is still [more expensive] here than in Europe, and maybe for a while, because few American companies have invested in the boats and other gear necessary to do the work.” It sounds like this tiny project is being used as an experiment to see if it will actually work in the long run. This makes me want to know other people’s opinion about the installation of offshore wind farms as a new industry. Are there more people who support it than who oppose it? In my opinion, new industries in the city are causing more pollution, while this project can be installed in an isolated area and more likely benefit the masses. Therefore, I would agree and support the success of this new industry.
— Is the government in favor? —
In another article, “The Unlimited Power of Ocean Winds,” the New York Times Editorial Board argue that “the United States is coming late to offshore wind, partly because federal and state governments were slow to support it.” It’s so strange how the United States is behind from developing a new way of energy source when it is one of the countries that operates the largest industries. Actually, the United States is now in “the midst of Energy Renaissance.” This means that our country is producing more oil and gas than importing from foreign countries. Shouldn’t the government be more in favor of the use of ocean windmills for energy conservation? If we want to maintain our recovering economy on oil and gas, then the best solution is to power up a new industry… Offshore Wind Farms.
People tend to look at the positive side of a situation and never consider its disadvantages, thus, we tend to be trapped easily. It’s really nice to have wind powers as an energy source. However, when we consider how much the process, installation, and equipment will cost, it’s way too expensive. This would increase the government spending. No wonder they were slow to support it in the first place.
Furthermore, researchers might say that the ocean windmills will provide a cleaner energy and that it’s eco-friendly, but a study shows that “wind turbines kill between 214,000 and 368,000 birds annually [in North America],” according to Michael Graham Richard, a blogger of the Tree Hugger. In this case, the installation of more wind turbines, whether it’s offshore or on land, will most likely increase the deaths of birds and bats. The offshore wind farm will also have a negative impact on the lives of marine animals.
— Why research about Ocean Windmills? —
I believe that researching and writing about this issue will be very useful in my career because I will be more informed about the new technologies or machinery that have a great impact in our society while also spreading awareness to a big audience. In my opinion, further research about this topic will benefit us in numerous ways. First, it is important that we’re aware of where the sources of electric power are coming from. This way, we understand the importance of using our natural resources wisely and can take part in finding ways to renew energy. Second, this project is healthier than other methods as it will help stop pollution. Who knows, maybe one day, this project will be on the list of tourist destinations. Hey look, gigantic electric fans are floating on the ocean!