Wind or solar: which energy source is more efficient?

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Wind power and solar power are the two standard bearers of the renewable energy movement. They are both abundant and produce no greenhouse gases once installed, improving air quality and paving the way to combat global warming. They are also now more affordable in most countries than fossil fuels, the prices of which are subject to highly volatile price variations. Wind and solar are superior to oil and coal in almost every way, but how do they compare? Although both are productive in their own right, wind holds the advantage for a very simple reason.

Turbines convert about half of the wind energy that passes through them into electricity, but solar panels only convert about a fifth of the solar energy that reaches them into electricity. As it stands, wind turbine technology is simply more efficient than solar panel technology. However, it could be argued that energy efficiency is only part of the overall effectiveness of these two technologies. Truth be told, wind and solar are difficult to compare because they each meet completely different needs.

Besides the efficiency of turbines compared to solar panels, the second biggest advantage of wind power is its availability. Modern turbines can produce electricity from wind speeds as low as 6 mph, which is classified by the National Weather Service as a “light breeze.” Electricity production increases with wind speed and only stops if winds become dangerously strong. Changes in wind speed are generally gradual and predictable, unlike power plant shutdowns.

Wind turbine technology is steadily advancing to harness even greater amounts of energy. Over the past two decades, wind turbines have increased in height by an average of 59%, according to the World Economic Forum. This figure is significant because the wind speed is higher at altitude. Objects on the ground, such as buildings and trees, obstruct the flow of wind, slowing it down and providing less energy to wind turbines. For the same reason, offshore wind farms (especially the largest ones in China) will become a key part of the energy sector in the future.

The big disadvantage of wind energy is that you cannot install a wind turbine just anywhere. They must be clear of any obstacles and generate too much noise to be close to communities. Although they are more efficient than solar panels, they are not as versatile or easy to install. For these reasons, wind power is almost exclusively used on an industrial scale, not for domestic installation (although there are some small domestic wind turbines).

Not only is solar energy less efficient than wind energy, it is also less available. Although it only takes a slight breeze for a wind turbine to start producing electricity, solar panels can only collect energy when they receive direct sunlight. This means that they must be aimed very specifically towards the sun and will not work at night or on very overcast days. This, coupled with much lower efficiency, might make you think solar power is a complete waste, but it also has some sneaky advantages over wind power.

Solar panels are much easier to install and maintain than wind turbines, making them more accessible for home use (you may even soon be able to install them on your windows). Installing solar panels for an entire home typically costs between $10,000 and $30,000, but a single wind turbine costs between $2 million and $4 million. The simplicity and cost-effectiveness of solar panels is arguably the biggest reason why solar power first overtook coal in the United States.

On the other hand, another disadvantage of solar energy is the fact that solar panels are made from silicon and various rare metals obtained through mining. With the mining industry being a major contributor to climate change, manufacturing solar panels comes at a considerable cost. With this in mind, in addition to everything we’ve covered here, it’s clear that wind is the king of clean energy.