Wind Energy

Wind energy uses the energy in the wind for practical purposes like generating electricity, charging batteries, pumping water, or grinding grain.  Large, modern wind turbines operate together in wind farms to produce electricity for utilities.  Small turbines are used by homeowners to help meet energy needs, which with increased fuel costs and concerns for the environment, is becoming a focus for the future of energy production.

Wind turbines capture the wind's energy with two or three propeller-like blades, which are mounted on a rotor, to generate electricity.  The turbines sit high atop towers, taking advantage of the stronger and less turbulent wind at 100 feet (30 meters) or more aboveground.  

A wind turbine’s blade acts much like an airplane wing; when the wind blows, a pocket of low-pressure air forms on the downwind side of the blade.  The low-pressure air pocket then pulls the blade toward it, causing the rotor to turn.  This is called lift.  The force of the lift is actually much stronger than the wind's force against the front side of the blade, which is called drag.  The combination of lift and drag causes the rotor to spin like a propeller, and the turning shaft spins a generator to make electricity.