1. Wind Turbines for Renewable Energy (written by: Stephanie Holzkamp) To increase the distribution and treatment capabilities of the Nyamabuye Water Treatment Plant, additional power generation is critical. As a result, this team created plans for potential implementations of renewable energy sources as these sources have a significantly lower environmental impact and allow modern energy sources to be built now rather than trying to upgrade non-renewable sources to limit their impact on the environment . at a later stage, as many modernized countries are now experiencing. Wind turbines allow for a remote power source and can be sized and built based on the amount of power needed at the Nyamabuye Water Treatment Plant. While there may be many environmental and operational advantages to wind energy, there are also disadvantages and challenges that could eliminate wind energy from contention as a possible energy source. 1.1 Theory and overview of wind energy 1.1.1 Definition of wind energy Wind energy is defined as “kinetic energy of wind exploited for the generation of electricity in wind turbines” (International Energy Agency, 2016). When moving rapidly, air has high kinetic energy that is captured by the turbine blades, which in turn drives the rotor blades and, consequently, the shaft. The generator is then able to transform the energy of the rotational energy into usable electricity. Wind turbines aim to provide energy from a clean and free fuel source with little or no greenhouse gas emissions (Blaabjerg et al., 2004). Wind power could enable remote power generation with low operating costs for a location like the Nyamabuye Water Treatment Plant. 1.1.2 Parts of a wind turbine There are three pa...... middle of paper ......, they are extremely reliable and are unlikely to have problems. Completed studies state that wind turbines are generally available to operate approximately 99% of the time. The less time the machine remains under repair, the more money you will save on your investment. Therefore, wind turbines are a great candidate for projects that rely heavily on a reliable source with few maintenance issues. One challenge is that while maintenance may be less frequent, it may be more difficult to try to address the maintenance issue due to the height and complexity of a wind turbine. However, the annual cost is still not too high to operate. For regular maintenance, insurance, parts and general operation the cost is between $14/megawatt and $26/megawatt. There the longevity and reliability of wind turbines as a source becomes evident (International Energy Agency, 2008).