Vol.
1 Issue-7, MARCH 2021 (e-ISSN: 2582-8223)
Farming the wind and wind power agriculture
Ch. Karishma
Research Scholar, Department of Soil and Water Engineering, ANGRAU, Bapatla
ARTICLE ID: 003
Why We Need Wind Energy in Agriculture?
We need a large scale change to reduce polluting energy production. We are using up
fossil fuels at a rate that will run out by the end of this century. To add to this, we are creating
carbon emissions that cause a number of environmental prob lems. So, now we need to find
alternative energy sources, wind energy is the best alternative to fossil fuel. Across the
world, we now generate a total of 591,594 MW from wind power. While this is only a
percentage of the total, wind power is growing by around 9% each year. This growth is in
tune with its forecast and growing role helping to reduce carbon emissions and our reliance
on non-renewable energy sources. In our race to reduce polluting fossil fuel sourced energy
wind power is going to become one of the main sources of energy that we rely on.
Many farmers already produce renewable energy by growing corn to make ethanol.
An increasing number of farmers and ranchers are now adding to their incomes by harvesting
the wind that blows across their land to make electricity. And new options are becoming
available. Renewable energy and farming are a winning combination. Wind, solar, and
biomass energy can be harvested forever, providing farmers with a long-term source of
income.
In traditional agriculture in many places, farmers grow trees along the edges of
fields, a technique that slows the wind and stirs up the air, benefiting the crops in the field.
For centuries wind power was used on farms to grind grain into flour and pump water from
wells. However, in recent years support for renewable energy has increased. Some farmers in
windy and areas with sun now have the opportunity to raise crops or livestock while
simultaneously using their lands to host wind turbines.
1
Page
www.justagriculture.in
Vol.1 Issue-7, MARCH 2021 (e-ISSN: 2582-8223)
Wind powe r Agriculture
Wind technologies provide mechanical and electrical energy. Wind turbines operate
on a simple principle: Wind turns rotor blades, which drive an electric generator, turning the
kinetic energy of the wind into electrical energy. The wind is a renewable energy source, and
windmills do not produce harmful environmental emissions. Utility-scale turbines range in
size from 750 kilowatts (kW) to 5 megawatts (MW), with most turbines exceeding 1 MW.
Turbines are often grouped into wind farms, which provide bulk power to the electrical grid.
Small wind turbines range in size from 0.4 to 1.5 kW generators for small loads, such as
battery charging for sailboats and small cabins, to 3 to 15 kW systems for a home, to those
that generate up to 100 kW of electricity for larger loads, such as small commercial
operations. Wind power technology is already in widespread use due to substantial progress
in reducing costs for areas with consistently high wind speeds.
Wind pumps are one of the first applications for using nature’s power to improve
agricultural processes. Already in the 9th century, they were used to irrigate fields or to drain
the lands. Nowadays, the technology is mostly used where a grid connection is too far away
and wind conditions are steady enough to provide a reliable pumping solution. The design of
a wind pump always depends on the application. Firstly, a distinction between mechanical
and electrical wind pumps has to be made. Electrical wind pumps normally have the
disadvantage of a lower efficiency, but pumps can be placed away from the location of the
wind turbine. To choose the right wind turbine considerations about the desired pumping
technology and extraction depth have to be made upfront. Centrifugal pumps generally work
2
Page
www.justagriculture.in
Vol.1 Issue-7, MARCH 2021 (e-ISSN: 2582-8223)
better with faster rotating wind turbines while piston and diaphragm pumps work better with
slow rotating turbines.
In off- grid areas, where there is sufficient wind (>5 m/s) and ground water supply,
wind pumps often offer a cost-effective method for domestic and community water supply,
small-scale irrigation and livestock water use. To select a suitable wind pump, the following
information is needed: mean wind speed, total pumping head, daily water requirement, well
draw down, and water quality and storage requirements.
3
Page
www.justagriculture.in
