A Passage A Day

ลำดับตอนที่ #106 : Can you turn wind into money?

http://www.bbc.com/capital/story/20160425-harnessing-the-money-in-wind-power

It’s a sight that tends to draw mixed responses. For some people, a rugged, windswept farmland scattered with scores of giant wind turbines is beautiful, futuristic spectacle. To others, the slow-moving behemoths taking over landscapes are an eyesore.

But regardless of the aesthetics, these turbines — and the energy they generate — are being seen as an increasingly attractive way to make money.

According to the UN, $286bn was invested into renewable energy last year. Of that, wind power made up $107bn, an increase of 9% from 2014. By 2022, the global wind power market could reach reach $308bn.

But you don’t need to shell out billions on a wind farm to invest in wind technology. You can get involved in a number of ways,  from joining a crowdfunding co-operative to putting your money into renewable managed funds to investing directly in companies involved with wind power.

There are some risks. The price of oil and politics, to name a few, can have an effect on returns, but experts are optimistic about the industry in general. 

rugged (Adj.)

(of ​land) ​wild and not ​even; not ​easy to ​travel over:

​strong and ​simple; not ​delicate:

If a man's ​face is rugged, it is ​strongly and ​attractively​formed:

 windswept (adj.)

​open to and not ​protected from ​strong​winds, or (of ​people) having ​hair that is ​untidy because it has been ​blown in different ​directions by the ​wind:

Turbines (n.)

a ​type of ​machine through which ​liquid or ​gas ​flows and ​turns a ​special ​wheel with ​blades in ​order to ​produce​power:

spectacle (n.)

an ​unusual or ​unexpected ​event or ​situation that ​attracts ​attention, ​interest, or ​disapproval:

a ​public ​event or show that is ​exciting to ​watch; an ​exciting ​appearance:

glasses:

Behemoths (n.)

 something that is ​extremely ​large and often ​extremely​powerful:

 Eyesore (n.)

an ​unpleasant or ​ugly ​sight in a ​public ​place:

aesthetics (n.)

the ​formal ​study of ​art, ​especially in ​relation to the ​ideaof ​beauty

 shell out

shell out (an amount of money)

to spend a certain amount of money