Wind

Wind energy is a fully domestic source of energy and one of Maryland’s greatest homegrown and natural sources of energy. And like solar energy, wind energy relies on a renewable power source that can’t be exhausted.

Wind energy is totally clean, requiring no combustion of fossil fuels, such as coal or natural gas, and wind turbines don't produce atmospheric emissions that cause acid rain or greenhouse gasses.

How it Works

In reality, wind is a derivative form of solar energy, since the sun warms the atmosphere unevenly. Wind is created as heat flows from hotter areas to cooler areas and from high pressure systems to lower pressure systems around the earth’s surface. Wind energy taps into this natural process and harnesses it to make power.

Proposed wind projects in Maryland can fill the renewable energy gap in our portfolio by 2022.

Wind turbines convert the kinetic energy in the wind into mechanical power, like operating a water pump or a granary on a farm. A generator then converts this mechanical power into electricity.

Wind in Maryland

As any Chesapeake Bay boater knows, Maryland has plenty of wind for power. Winds make the Bay one of the premier sailing destinations in the country, and small wind generators on boats of all kinds help supply power for living and working on the vessel. The greatest potential for wind in Maryland lies offshore in the Atlantic Ocean, and on the ridgebacks of the Appalachian Mountains. Consider the map of Maryland’s wind resources:

• Maryland has few fossil fuel energy resources, but we have utility scale wind resources. In fact, in terms of meeting the 20% renewable energy goal for 2020, Maryland’s most significant opportunity lies in wind installations of this scale.

Augmenting power consumption with wind power would reduce carbon dioxide emissions and other pollutants such as mercury, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen oxides.

• Wind energy is 100% renewable and completely free of emissions, and can offset demand for coal and gas-fired electricity, reducing emissions – and reducing costs.

Wind energy can increase manufacturing jobs and boost revenues to landowners

• Meeting an increased demand for wind power requires and increase in manufacturing – potential for Maryland to capitalize on its workforce and strategic location.
• Maryland is already home to innovative wind companies such as Skystream and Clean Currents.

RELATED LINKS

The Abell Foundation: Maryland's Offshore Wind Potential (2/12/10). This report finds that offshore wind energy has the potential to meet the state's entire electricity demand.