T he high environmental and economic cost of using fossil fuel to run the world has pushed many countries towards using other types of energy. If you drive a motor vehicle, you will appreciate how expensive it has become to buy gasolene or diesel in order to keep it running. Even if you don't own a motor vehicle and take public transportation, you will feel the impact sooner or later as fares are increased to meet rising fuel costs.

Not only are motor-vehicle owners finding it expensive to buy gasolene, the owners of businesses, as well as ordinary citizens, are reeling under the yo-yo price of gasolene, which seems to increase more often rather than decrease.

unpredictability

It is for this reason and others that many persons are turning away from the traditional use of fossil fuels such as gas to other types of energy such as wind energy. The high prices, unpredictability of supply, pollution and fear that gasolene supply will run out are fuelling a turn towards renewable energy sources such as wind energy.

Wind energy is using the power of the wind to generate electricity. Modern windmills use wind turbines and other electrical components to make electricity. The windmills are located in areas which are windy and operate at about 10 to 33 miles per hour. In wind speeds greater than 33 miles per hour, the wind turbines will be shut down by the operators as they want to prevent the damage that high winds can result in.

Wind turbines don't need fuel and produces no air pollution. Although persons are unhappy with the fact that they do utilise land which could be used for farming, in many instances, traditional farming and the rearing of animals can be done along with wind farming.

There have been instances, however, in which persons close to wind farms have complained about the noise coming from the wind turbines. Also, some environmentalists and nature lovers are concerned about the number of birds which are killed in windmills. The producers of wind energy also have to deal with the problem of the wind not blowing constantly.

Jamaica has joined the growing number of countries using wind energy with its own wind farm at Wigton in Manchester. It is government-owned and currently produces electricity, which is sold to the Jamaica Public Service Company Ltd. The wind farm has been around since 2000.

Ann Marie Rodriques

PeaceWater Services

Send questions or comments to peacewaterservices@yahoo.com or follow me on Twitter @ AnnRodriques