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Photo Credit: Phault

Ok, lets be honest here…we all know that the wind doesn’t blow at a constant speed all the time, so how in the world could wind energy produce the constant electricity needed to power our homes, streetlights, factories and cities?

Well, first off, we should probably note that the issue of inconsistent wind energy output is not yet as serious in the US as it is in other countries due to our (unfortunate) lack of dependence on wind energy. However, as wind energy grows in the US, drastic changes in output are likely to occur and must be avoided.

So the question remains…how can this be done? One possible (and seemingly simple) solution involves the set-up of multiple wind farms, each in a distant location but all connected by a single electrical transmission line in what is called an “all-for-one” approach.  This single transmission line then essentially creates an average for all the wind farms, which is much more stable. A low wind day at one farm will only slightly lower the average instead of drastically decrease power output at that specific site.

Scientists from the University of Delaware have been looking over wind data from 11 offshore locations that stretch from Maine to Florida. Simulations from this 1,500 mile coastal ocean stretch have only reinforced this “all-for-one” concept. There are no completed wind farms here yet but many are in the works.

To read more check out the full article at The New York Times