There are many advantages for wind turbines, for example they do not cause any pollution, they are also usually out of the way usually in farms, and therefore they wouldn’t really bother anyone. Using wind turbines can also provide power for many houses. No extra cost is needed also as the wind is obviously free. Although wind turbines can be very tall each takes up only a small plot of land. This means that the land below can still be used. This is especially the case in agricultural areas as farming can still continue. Remote areas that are not connected to the electricity power grid can use wind turbines to produce their own supply. Wind turbines are available in a range of sizes which means a vast range of people and businesses can use them. Single households to small towns and villages can make good use of range of wind turbines available today.
Although there are so many advantages of having wind turbines there are also a lot of disadvantages. For example, the strength of the wind is not constant and it varies from zero to storm force. This means that wind turbines do not produce the same amount of electricity all the time. There will be times when they produce no electricity at all. Also many people feel that the countryside should be left untouched, without these large structures being built. The landscape should left in its natural form for everyone to enjoy. Some people see large wind turbines as unsightly structures and not pleasant or interesting to look at. They disfigure the countryside and are generally ugly. Wind turbines are also noisy, each one can generate the same level of noise as a car travelling at 70 mph!
Offshore wind development zones are generally considered to be ten kilometers or more from land. Offshore wind turbines are less obtrusive than turbines on land, as their apparent size and noise is mitigated by distance. Because water has less surface roughness than land (especially deeper water), the average wind speed is usually considerably higher over open water. Capacity factors (utilisation rates) are considerably higher than for onshore and nearshore locations.
In stormy areas with extended shallow continental shelves, turbines are practical to install.
Offshore installation is more expensive than onshore but this depends on the attributes of the site. Offshore towers are generally taller than onshore towers once the submerged height is included.
