Wind Power

Wind power is the generation of electricity from wind. Wind power harvests the primary energy flow of the atmosphere generated from the uneven heating of the Earth’s surface by the Sun. Therefore, wind power is an indirect way to harness solar energy. Wind power is converted to electrical energy by wind turbines.

Wind power involves the conversion of the kinetic energy of wind into mechanical or electrical energy using turbines. This renewable energy source has historical roots in the use of windmills for tasks like grinding grain and pumping water. Modern commercial wind turbines, consisting of blades or rotors, a nacelle, and a tall tower, generate electricity by converting rotational energy to drive an electrical generator. The largest turbines can produce 4.8–9.5 megawatts of power and are attached to towers approaching 240 meters in height. Wind farms, groups of turbines, provide a substantial energy source.

Wind resources are assessed based on average wind speed and are categorized into classes from 1 to 7. A wind power class of 3 or above is suitable for utility-scale wind power generation. The United States, particularly in the Great Plains region and offshore locations, has significant wind resources. As of 2018, the world's largest wind farm, the Jiuquan Wind Power Base in China, comprised over 7,000 turbines producing more than 6,000 megawatts of power.

By 2016, wind contributed approximately 4 percent of the world's total electricity, with capacity increasing dramatically from 95 gigawatts to 487 gigawatts worldwide from 2007 to 2016. China and the United States led in installed wind capacity. Denmark generated nearly 38 percent of its electricity from wind in 2016. The wind power industry envisions generating nearly 20 percent of the world's total electricity from wind power by 2030.

Challenges to large-scale wind energy implementation include siting requirements, aesthetic and environmental concerns, land availability, and the need for transmission infrastructure. While wind is an intermittent and inconsistent power source, public advocacy groups have expressed concerns about potential disruptions to wildlife and aesthetics. However, experts suggest that modern turbines have a minimal impact on bird populations when appropriately sited. The National Audubon Society supports wind power with considerations for minimizing impacts on wildlife habitat and migrating bird populations.

Anything that moves has kinetic energy, and scientists and engineers are using the wind’s kinetic energy to generate electricity. Wind energy, or wind power, is created using a wind turbine, a device that channels the power of the wind to generate electricity.