Wind power

Chemical Recoveries are evaluating installing a 100KW wind turbine. In 2007, Bristol Port Company in Avonmouth Docks are getting 3 x 6MW state of the art turbines. Avonmouth is the best site in Bristol for siting wind turbines, a compromise between visual impact and maximum wind speeds. By choosing renewable energy over conventional, they plan to save over 15,000 tonnes of carbon emissions a year..

How they work? - Wind turbines generally have 3 blades and they rotate at 10-30 revolutions per minute. The blades face into the wind, the wind forces them to go round, which then spins a shaft inside the turbine, which is connected to a generator which produces the electricity.

Advantages – 1.Wind power enables electricity to be produced in an environmentally friendly way – the turbines don't produce chemical or radioactive emissions. 2. The ground on which the turbines are positioned can still be used. 3. If the turbines need to be taken down, there is no damage to the environment and no residues are left behind.

Disadvantages – 1.The main worry is that they ruin the landscape (perhaps not a problem in Avonmouth) 2. Wind farms can take up more space to produce the same amount of energy as other methods. 3. Wind farms can be costly to maintain and electricity produced by this method is expensive compared to some other means (we are looking into these costs!) 4. There can be some noise generated from wind turbines (again should not be a problem in an industrial area)