/WIND TECHNOLOGY
/ADVANTAGES
The advantages of wind energy
The harnessing of wind energy to generate electricity has a number of advantages over traditional energies and even over other renewable energy sources, due to the more advanced technological development in the field. The main advantages include:
- It is inexhaustible.
- No polluting gases or long-term waste are generated.
- It is one of the cheapest energy sources and it can compete with traditional energy sources on a cost-benefit basis.
- It contributes to reducing dependence on other countries for energy and does not require the import of fuels.
- Its harnessing can provide a country with significant savings, corresponding to the need to purchase less carbon dioxide emission licences to comply with the commitments resulting from the European directive on the trade of licences derived from the Kyoto Protocol.
- Wind farms are compatible with other land uses (e.g. agriculture or cattle farming).
- A wind turbine compensates for the energy expended in its manufacture, assembly and maintenance in less than six months.
- Wind turbines do not need fuelling and have low maintenance demands, given that they are only serviced every six months.