Forget solar, wind energy wins the prize

There are lots of upcoming renewable energy technologies right now, and regular consumers have scant information available on which of them makes the most sense for their needs. A new study confronts that issue by positioning several renewable energies head-to-head and measuring their performance mathematically. Wind energy wins the race, but what about photovoltaic cells?

With wind energy on top anyone with a wind turbine on their roof or in their back yard can relax, but anyone who chose photovoltaic cells may be in for a disappointment. They didn’t even make it into the top five results in the study contained in the journal, Energy & Environmental Science. That’s a good information nugget when weighing options on which type of green technology to invest in near-term.

Wind turbines are still improving too. Grand Valley State University (GVSU) in Allendale, MI is working toward a smaller and lower priced turbine that is even more efficient than its three-pronged cousins. That could provide an outlet for Michigan’s languishing manufacturing center by jumpstarting a new industry.

The [new] turbine was invented by Imad Mahawili, MAREC’s executive director. Measuring 36 inches in diameter and with a retail cost of around $2,000, the device will be sold at home improvement stores and generate up to 20 percent of the average home’s electricity, according to GVSU.

Another advantage with this type of wind turbine is its ability to handle higher wind speeds without getting damaged. On a gusty day, that could bite into the electricity bill deeply. And at $2,000 it’s within the realm of affordability for most middle class consumers. Note that storing energy generated by wind turbines may also require an investment in good batteries.

Fundamentally though, technologies like solar and wind power in their current state have a problem: they aren’t complete solutions. Consumers still have to rely on the traditional power grid to meet their needs and there’s an inherent dissatisfaction with incremental success. Especially with a sizeable purchase and a weak economy. May the innovation continue!