Wind Turbines

One of the oldest forms of renewable energy used in the world are wind turbines that have helped mankind for centuries. They have been used as traditional farm wind mills to pump water for livestock and also for irrigation and for milling grain. Modern wind turbines are widely available for many purposes like marine-grade wind turbines to low-speed models that are perfect for use in the average home. Wind turbines are recommended for use all year round but the best days are cloudy and gloomy days.

Wind power is a fast growing energy source because it is abundant and provides communities with a clean, local source of electricity unlike imported fossil fuels. Wind-generated power is the least expensive form of renewable energy. The United States produces the most wind power in the world. The Department of Energy estimates that wind power could account for 20 percent of the nation’s electricity supply by 2030. The wind power industry grew at a fast pace in 2009, increasing the capacity by 39 percent. In the near future, almost two percent of the electricity will come from wind turbines.

In the United States, several offshore wind turbine projects have been proposed in the waters off the East Coast and the Great Lakes. Energy experts anticipate a growing demand for the offshore turbines. The wind turbine is the heart of a wind energy system. Today’s modern wind turbines are very sophisticated and are capable of high performance in various wind conditions. The large scale wind farms developed in recent years require significant project management know-how in order to be successfully completed.

Wind turbines capture the kinetic energy from the wind with the help of propeller-like blades mounted on a shaft. The shaft turns due to the wind and spins a generator to produce electricity. Today the turbines are more efficient that the older versions of windmills. Their structure has changed and they have fewer blades (two or three) that are aerodynamically designed to capture the maximum energy from the wind. Newer wind turbines are normally placed on towers that are at least a hundred feet tall.