The earth's atmosphere

Air. It fills our lungs. It lifts us up. It makes life on Earth possible. But what exactly is it?

Technically speaking, air is the mixture of gases—nitrogen (78 percent), oxygen (21 percent) and trace amounts of argon, carbon dioxide and water vapor—that makes up our atmosphere. Held to the Earth by gravity, air is critical for all life on Earth: plants need it for photosynthesis while animals use it to get the oxygen they need to survive. Air also protects life on Earth by absorbing ultraviolet radiation from the sun, thus warming our planet’s surface through heat retention (also known as the greenhouse effect), as well as reducing temperature extremes between night and day.

Wind, on the other hand, is air in motion. Due to latitude, land formations, bodies of water and other structures, the Earth’s surface heats unevenly, so when warm air rises (because it weighs less), cooler air rushes in to fill its place, causing wind.

Wind can be predictable. From 30 degrees north and south of the equator, trade winds gently flow toward the equator. Between 30 and 60 degrees, the winds flow toward the poles, curving east. Since winds are named for the direction from which they come, these winds are called prevailing westerlies. Prevailing westerlies in the Northern Hemisphere are responsible for many of the weather patterns in the U.S. and Canada. From 60 degrees to the poles, the wind patterns generally blow from east to west and are therefore called easterlies.

The human factor

High in the stratosphere of the Earth’s atmosphere is a special layer of air called the ozone layer. Air has more ozone molecules at this altitude, which help block some of the sun’s ultraviolet radiation. Ozone is a three-oxygen atom (O3) as opposed to the two-oxygen atom (O2) that we breathe.

More specifically, ozone is a greenhouse gas, along with water vapor, methane, nitrous oxide and carbon dioxide. Greenhouse gases keep our planet temperate, but in excess, they are causing global warming. Since the industrial era, humans have added greenhouse gases to the atmosphere, primarily through the burning of fossil fuels—non-renewable energy sources that release carbon dioxide into the air—to run our cars, homes and cities. Currently, the scientific community is closely monitoring the thinning of the ozone layer over the South Pole, caused by the release of these chemicals.

Every human on Earth is responsible for releasing greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. In fact, if you were to measure the total amount of greenhouse gases you directly and indirectly produce in your day-to-day life—through consumption of electricity, heating, transportation and more—you would know your carbon footprint. You would also be able to assess your contribution to air pollution.

While we are taking some collective steps to reduce the presence of pollutants in the planet’s atmosphere, there is much more we can and should do to find alternative sources of energy and reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. Wind actually presents one of the biggest resources for clean, renewable energy in North America. In fact, the U.S. Department of Energy projects that wind energy could provide enough electricity to meet the needs of our country.

By producing more wind energy at home, we can displace the need for conventional carbon dioxide-emitting energy sources, positively impacting the environment and our energy independence. We can also invest in our communities while generating new jobs and revenue sources for our citizens. It’s what we like to call “a win-wind solution.”

Leading by example

A wind turbine is a rotating machine that converts the kinetic energy in wind into mechanical energy and then into electricity. Put a group of wind turbines in proximate locations to produce electric power, and you have a wind farm. A leading builder, owner and operator of wind farms, ACCIONA harnesses wind energy to serve two often-competing North American demands: energy and environmental protection.

Wind Farms – ACCIONA Energy is working to develop and operate wind farms that will turn North America’s tremendous wind-energy potential into a reality for communities across the continent. 

Wind Turbines – In addition to developing and operating wind farms, ACCIONA Windpower manufactures the highest-quality wind turbines in facilities right here in North America.