Wind energy is a clean, renewable source of power and was once hailed as the energy of the future. Many countries are actively expanding wind power generation and building large-scale wind farms. However, Western nations have launched a wave of opposition to wind energy, dismissing it as “waste electricity” and claiming that wind power entails numerous drawbacks and risks—so severe, in fact, that the costs outweigh the benefits. Even some leading European and American wind‑power producers are now dismantling much of the wind‑energy infrastructure they previously installed.

In addition to plants and animals, wind power also affects humans. When wind turbines are operating, they generate noticeable noise as well as unidentified low-frequency sound waves, which can have a significant impact on the physical health and quality of life of residents living near wind farms. Consequently, wind energy has drawn opposition from critics.

As one of the few power-generation methods that deliver high output at low construction costs, wind energy is being vigorously promoted in China. The country is actively expanding its renewable-energy portfolio; however, the current energy mix remains dominated by thermal power, which relies on coal. Heavy coal consumption not only harms the environment but also depletes a non‑renewable resource. By contrast, wind energy is abundant, clean, and renewable—offering advantages that far outweigh its drawbacks. For these reasons, wind power is an ideal choice. With a bright future ahead, the tide appears to be turning: California has suddenly announced plans to dismantle nearly 460 wind turbines.

The mere fact that wind power is difficult to regulate is not enough to prompt countries to dismantle their wind turbines; more importantly, wind energy also has varying degrees of adverse impacts on humans, wildlife, the climate, and the ecological environment.

Globally, an increasing number of countries are placing greater emphasis on wind power. Yet wind turbines are expensive to build—so why is there such a strong push to develop this technology? Just how profitable is wind energy, exactly?

This point addresses the situation during peak electricity demand. It highlights that the actual output of wind power often fails to align with grid requirements. To put it another way, wind activity typically runs counter to human consumption patterns: in nature, winds tend to be weaker during the day and stronger at night. As a result, when large amounts of electricity are needed during daytime work and production hours, wind power supply falls short; meanwhile, at night, when most people are asleep and electricity use drops, wind farms ramp up production, generating surplus power that goes unused. Moreover, if an unexpected surge of wind-generated electricity enters the grid over a short period, it can overwhelm the grid’s capacity, leading to severe overloads and even grid collapse.

At present, wind power projects are concentrated primarily in the three continents of Asia, Europe, and North America. Compared with developed countries, which have already achieved significant economic benefits in the wind energy sector, China is actively investing in the construction of wind turbines and committed to pursuing a path of sustainable development.

Thanks to policies such as low-interest loans, India once enjoyed very rapid growth in the wind power sector. China’s wind power industry, meanwhile, has gone through several distinct phases: the stage of applying traditional windmills; the initial phase of modern wind turbines; the stage of scientific research and demonstration projects; the phase of technological maturity and practical deployment; the stage of adjustment and consolidation; and, currently, a phase of stable development.