There is no question that fossil fuels present many problems both to our environment and our economy. Every day new studies are being done to investigate the advantages and disadvantages of our alternative energy options. Wind power is one of these options. It is free and it is always available. In fact, we have already begun to generate some wind power. It is not yet clear how much this alternative energy source can meet our consumption needs.

Research shows that wind power has the capability to become a major contributing source of the US power supply. A new Department of Energy report shows that wind energy could provide for twenty percent of the total energy needs in twenty years. So by 2030, we could have one fifth of our electricity needs solved by the power of wind.

As the Department of Energy examines the various scenarios of energy production and consumption over the next decade and beyond they have compared outcomes. They have looked into the varying effects different levels of production would have and the possibility that they could occur. Their report contends that wind energy has the capability of meeting more than 20 percent of our country’s needs by 2030.

In order to generate 20 percent of our power from wind energy by the year 2030 the construction of new wind generation stations would have to pick up its pace. If you increase the rate of production to the point where in nine years we could produce 16,000 MW per year then we would then be able to reach the twenty percent mark by 2030.

Not only would the new wind generators create low cost electricity, but their creation will create a lot of jobs in a whole new industry. And this would be a new growing industry with almost guaranteed growth potential. The production levels mentioned would equate to 150,000 jobs in the wind power industry and over half a million new jobs total counting all of the support industries like lawyers, accountants, steel workers and electricians.

We all know that wind power is a great improvement over fossil fuels when it comes to our environment. Wind power will also make our country more energy self-sufficient. The more energy we can produce at home the less we need from foreign suppliers.

Another benefit is that wind power and wind generation does not have an impact on the surrounding environment. The stations will need to be located many places throughout the country, but the land that they used can be shared with other purposes, such as farming or grazing livestock. It does not damage the environment the way oil drilling and coal mining does.

Wind power also consumes no water, which is something that will be of increasing importance by 2030 or even sooner as many states will experience water shortages that may verge on a crisis in the future. The fact that wind power can provide for our electrical needs without destroying habitat or taking up lots of a precious natural resource makes it a very attractive alternative to the current system.

Author: J. Dyess has been in the Texas Electricity business segment for the past 7 years and published many articles on Texas Electric news.

If you're interested in making your own power at home, then why don't you Try Earth4Energy For Free? Also, have a look at our in-depth Earth4Energy Review. Thanks for visiting!

• Got $200? Then You Got Free Wind Power! by Allen Anderson We have a situation in regards to our energy consumption. We are using resources that pollute the planet. In addition, these resources are depleting more and more everyday. As a whole, we must do our part in repairing the environment and look towards the future with a......
• Energy Independence with Wind Power by Arnold Thomas Electricity is something which we have only become more dependent on since it was first made available to our homes. Of course, electricity can be quite expensive, but our modern lifestyles require access to a steady supply of electrical energy, so people will make sacrifices in other......
• Wind Power Helps The Environment And Your Bank Account by Arnold Thompson There are a lot of good arguments for using wind power to meet our needs for electricity. Since producing this energy from fossil fuels is so harmful to our environment, it only makes sense to start exploring the possibility of using other means to provide the electrical......
• DIY Wind Power - Enjoy Time Tested Savings by Wendy Hamilton In light of the fact that you found this article you are no doubt serious about employing DIY wind power to provide electricity for your home. The wind is a natural occurring phenomena which is actually created by the sun. Residential wind turbines have become incredibly popular......
• Learn About Solar Power And Its Applications by Jim Martin Understand the workings of solar power and understand how it can help us by coming in use in various energy generating applications. Where do we get solar power from and how does it work? The popularity of solar power seems undiminished even after decades of its discovery.......

• Energy costs to rise by one percent a year for the next ten years Energy bills both for consumers as well as in the business sector are set to rise steadily and dramatically over the next decade The increases will be driven by increased costs of creating energy at source as a result of the government’s plans to cut carbon dioxide emissions. This much......
• Greenwash Of The Week: SC Johnson Website. So, what company makes Drano, Pledge, Off!, Raid, Fantastik, Glade, and Windex? And which company has decided that saying they are environmentally friendly means more than actually being environmentally friendly? Yep, SC Johnson. They are running ads on TV talking about how they are using wind energy to power some......
• Why Choose Wind Power For Your Home Electricity Requirements? by Francis Mack The energy supplies in the earth are gradually geing used up and it's becoming more and more important to find and use alternative energy sources for industrial and domestic use. It's no wonder that so many families are choosing to use home-produced "green energy" The wind turbine......
• Green Electric Hybrid Vehicle In this day and age, especially with cities becoming so clogged with buildings, homes and people, having a vehicle is a necessity. Being able to get around is difficult without some method of transportation, and for that reason, it has become quite common for people to have at least one......
• So, you want to plug your car in...now what? Ever have one of those dreams where instead of going to the gas station every 5 days and giving them all of your money you just plugged your car into the socket in the garage and drove away? Yea, me neither. But you never know, it could be coming soon......