Wind and Solar Energy

Wind energy is the power of the wind turned into electricity through wind turbines.

What is wind energy?

The wind turns the blades on the turbine.

This then turns a magnet in the generator around a coil of wire.

Electricity is produced.

The electricity goes from the wind turbine to the national grid.

At the national grid, the electricity is sent to homes for everyone to use.

How does wind make electricity?

Wind energy is ‘renewable’.

‘Renewable’ means it can keep giving out energy over and over again, and it doesn’t make any waste.

Renewable Energy

Solar energy is another well-known form of renewable energy.

‘Solar energy’ is where solar panels use light from the Sun to produce energy.

The main advantage with solar energy is that the solar panels can be set up in your own home by placing them on your roof.

Solar Energy

Solar Energy

Scotland has the second highest potential for wind energy in Europe (second windiest country in Europe).

This means that Scotland’s wind turbines can produce lots of energy.

There are already about 1500 wind turbines in Scotland, and more are being built as we speak.

Wind Energy in Scotland

It is renewable.

It is clean.

If we don’t use wind energy for our electricity, we will have to use energy from coal or nuclear sources, which is bad for the environment.

If we keep making more wind turbines, more people can get jobs.

Pros of wind energy

Not everyone likes the look of wind turbines.

They are noisy.

They are expensive to set up.

Compared to other methods of producing energy, wind turbines are quite inefficient (varies with wind).

Cons of Wind Energy

Renewable energy like solar and wind energy, are clean ways to produce a lot of our electricity, however there a lot of disadvantages to consider. What do you think?

Conclusion