Wind Power
We have been harnessing the wind's energy for hundreds of years. Traditionally, it has been used to pump water or grind grains with the help of windmills. But recently, windmill's modern equivalent, the wind turbine, has just achieved an incredible feat—generating 106% of an entire nation's electricity needs in just one day.
Data analysis from the environmental group, WWF Scotland, has confirmed that on August 7, 2016, wind turbines in Scotland pumped 39,545 megawatt-hours (MWh) of electricity into the National Grid, while the nation’s total consumption stood at 37,202 MWh—which was 2,000 MWh over than what the nation consumed.
“While it’s not impossible that this has happened in the past, it’s certainly the first time since we began monitoring the data in 2015 that we’ve had all the relevant information to be able to confirm it," WWF Scotland director Lang Banks told the Associated Press. "However, on the path to a fully renewable future, this certainly marks a significant milestone.”
Just catch the wind and go
That day, Scotland faced blustery winds which lashed much of the country with speeds up to 185 km/h (115mph). The severity of this event forced some parts of the country to close its bridges, its trains to be delayed, and ferries to be cancelled.
Well yes, this event was possible due to the gale-force winds it experienced. But the fact that the country was able to achieve this feat in the first place, goes to show that renewables are capable of eventually replacing fossil fuels.
So, let the rain fall! Waiting for that next storm might not be as gloomy as before—at least not for Scotland.
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