e world reserves of petroleum were estimated to be roughly 1 trillion barrels. By 1998 worldwide consumption of petroleum totaled 27 billion barrels a year. “The world’s natural gas reserves were estimated to be roughly 1,500 trillion cubic meters (5,000 trillion cubic feet). Worldwide consumption of natural gas by 1998 totaled 2.3 trillion cubic meters (82 trillion cubic feet) a year. At the end of the 20th century the world coal reserves were estimated to be roughly 1 trillion metric tons, and by 1998 world wide consumption of coal totaled 5 billion metric tons a year. Total worldwide energy consumption is expected to grow at 2.2 percent per year until 2015.”(Energy Conservation News, 2000) Alternative energy industries, such as nuclear energy, hydroelectric energy, solar energy, wind energy, and geothermal energy currently only account for a combined 14 percent of energy consumed worldwide. There are 107 nuclear reactors in the United States, but no new reactors have been ordered in more than 20 years.Alternative energy has grown by leaps and bounds in the last few years, especially in the area of harvesting wind. Wind energy is a promising source of electrical power because it is a clean and renewable resource. However, because winds speeds vary by time of day, season, and even from one year to the next, wind energy is an intermittent resource. At windy sites it is common for wind turbines to operate 60 percent of the year. Even when operating, however, the wind may be insufficiently strong for wind turbines to generate at full capacity. Overall, turbines installed on windy sites operate at an average of 25 to 35 percent of full capacity. In comparison, coal-fired power plants usually operate at an average of 75 to 85 percent of full capacity. The intermittent nature of wind energy does affect consumers when wind turbines are tied to an electrical network, or power grid. Many wind turbines in North America, Europe,...
