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	Renewable Energy Solar Power A tiny of the Sun's energy will supply our power needs many times over. Wind Energy Wind power is the conversion of wind energy into more useful forms.

	Environmentally Clean Energy Hydrogen Fuel Cells Hydrogen is considered a very promising candidate for alternate fuel. Biofuel Biodiesel is safe, biodegradable, and reduces air pollutants. Methanol/Ethanol Methanol and ethanol have long been considered for fuels.

Wind Energy and Wind Power Alternative Power

Wind power is the conversion of wind energy into more useful forms, usually electricity using wind turbines. Its obvious advantages over other energy sources such as diesel are that it is infinitely available, "renewable," and clean. It also helps mitigate the greenhouse effect.

In 2005, worldwide capacity of wind-powered generators was 58,982 megawatts, their production making up less than 1% of world-wide electricity use. Although still a relatively minor source of electricity for most countries, it accounts for 23% of electricity use in Denmark, 6% in Germany and around 8% in Spain. Globally, wind power generation more than quadrupled between 1999 and 2005.

Onshore turbine installations tend to be along mountain ridges or passes, or at the top of cliff faces. The change in ground elevation causes the wind velocities to be generally higher in these areas, although there may be variation over short distances (a difference of 30 m can sometimes mean a doubling in output). Local winds are often monitored for a year or more with anemometers and detailed wind maps constructed before wind generators are installed.

Offshore wind turbines are considered to be less unsightly since they can be invisible from shore. Because there are fewer obstacles and stronger winds, such turbines don´t need to be built as high into the air. However, offshore conditions are harsh, abrasive, and corrosive, and it is more difficult to maintain a turbine in open waters than on land.

There are many thousands of wind turbines operating, with a total capacity of 58,982 MW of which Europe accounts for 69% (2005). It was the most rapidly-growing means of alternative electricity generation at the turn of the century and provides a valuable complement to large-scale base-load power stations. World wind generation capacity more than quadrupled between 1999 and 2005. 90% of wind power installations are in the US and Europe, but the share of the top five countries in terms of new installations fell from 71 % in 2004 to 55 % in 2005. By 2010, World Wind Energy Association expects 120,000 MW to be installed worldwide.

Wind power is a renewable resource, just like Solar Power which means using it will not deplete the earth's supply of fossil fuels. It also is a clean energy source, and operation does not produce carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, mercury, particulates, or any other type of air pollution, as do conventional fossil fuel power sources.

Conventional and nuclear power plants receive massive amounts of direct and indirect governmental subsidies. If a comparison is made on real production costs, wind energy is competitive in many cases. If the full costs (environmental, health, etc.) are taken into account, wind energy is competitive in most cases. Furthermore, wind energy costs are continuously decreasing due to technology development and scale enlargement.

As of 1999, there were 11,368 wind turbines in California. These turbines are grouped together in what are called wind "farms," like those in Palm Springs in the picture on the right. These wind farms are located mostly in the three windiest areas of the state: Altamont Pass, east of San Francisco, Tehachapi, south of Bakersfield, and San Gorgonio Pass, near Palm Springs. The American Wind Energy Association, or AWEA, has extensive information on this topic.

Together these three places in California make enough electricity to supply an entire city the size of San Francisco. About 11 percent of the entire world's wind-generated electricity is found in California.