Using Wind Energy in Iowa

[Abby Brown] Windy days are great for flying kites, riding your bike super fast, and generating energy. College students all over Iowa are learning about wind turbines like this one here on the DMACC campus in Ankeny. People have been using wind as a form of energy for thousands of years; to power everything from sailboats to windmills. Without wind energy, people would have struggled to travel the oceans or easily grind grain into flour. Today we use the kinetic energy of the wind and convert it into electrical energy using these huge turbines. My friend James is a wind turbine instructor in Ankeny. Today he's showing me all of the parts that go inside the wind turbine. So as I'm driving down the road and I see wind turbines way, at the top of them is this piece right here. What is this called?

[James Fitzpatrick] This is called a hub.

[Abby] This is the hub and coming out of this circle would be the...

[James] The blade.

[Abby] And how far does it go?

[James] 160 feet.

[Abby] Like half a football field! These turbines are huge, but they need to be in order to generate enough power. Wind blows over the blades, which creates lift, and pushes the blades in a circle. Inside, the turbine uses a series of moving gears that take the movement from the spinning blades and sends it to the electrical generator. So over here we have the nacelle, correct? And then the nacelle connects to the hub, which connects to the blades. But inside the nacelle is all of this. So tell me what's going on right here.

[James] All this is the moving parts of the nacelle.

[Abby] Okay what's this?

[James] This is the main shaft.

[Abby] Okay, and then the blue we have...

[James] That's the gearbox.

[Abby] And what do the gears do?

[James] Converts low speed into high speed.

[Abby] Okay and then after the gears we have this which is...

[James] The generator.

[Abby] What happens in the generator?

[James] Sends electricity down tower.

[Abby] So this is where the energy is made! After the electricity is produced in the turbine's generator, it's sent down the tower and collected in a substation. From there, it's sent to a utility company, which then sends the power to homes and businesses. It powers everything from your refrigerator, to your television, and your air conditioner.  

[Abby] So the wind turbine behind us is a smaller version that you guys use here at the college for teaching and learning. But if this was a full size wind turbine how much energy would it generate?

[James] It could power up to  and over 400 homes.

[Abby] And as long as it's turning and generating energy, those homes will stay powered.

[James] They're going to be powered as long as you have about seven miles an hour wind.

[Abby] Perfect! So what did we do before we had wind turbines?

[James] They use electricity for coal or hydro is what they use.

[Abby] Or water.

[James] Or water, and they also used steam.

[Abby] What about the structure itself? How long does it last?

[James] It will last up to 50 years.

[Abby] And then what happens?

[James] So they could do what's called a repower; they could take those components down and then replace them with new.

[Abby] And then is there a way to get rid of those components?

[James] It's steel, so you can always recycle steel. Fiberglass you'd have to take to the to the dump.

[Abby] And we're not going to run out of it? 

[James] Never.

[Abby] If we use up wind it's not like it goes away, right?

[James] Correct.

[Abby] We just keep getting more wind, so it's sustainable and renewable!

[James] Yes it is. It's free energy and that's how you have to think about it. You're not going to dig anything out of the ground. You're using what you have and might as well.

[Abby] Because the risk of digging something out of the ground is that it could run out.

[James] It could run out and you're burning fuel and it takes time and you might as well leave mother earth alone and just use what's outside.

[Abby] James, how long have you been working with wind turbines?

[James] 11 years.

[Abby] And why do you do it?

[James] I do because it's the future and it's sustainable energy, it's clean energy, and by teaching and training technicians you're actually helping the environment out.

[Abby] So you can feel good about the work that you do is helping the earth which of course helps other people then.

[James] Yeah, it's a viable source of energy, and it'll always be around, and you're always going to have wind so you might as well use it. It's free.

[Abby] Keep your eye out! When you're traveling from town to town in Iowa you'll almost certainly get to see wind turbines. And if they're turning, you'll know they're generating energy. Maybe for a nearby school or a local farmer. And don't worry, as long as the wind blows will always be able to generate more energy.

[Announcer] Funding for FIND Iowa has been provided by the following supporters.

(text on screen Find Iowa, Coons Foundation, Pella, Gilchrist Foundation)

(text on screen Iowa PBS Education)