Wind power is one of the most eco-friendly forms of renewable energy. So, why does it not get as much attention as solar power? It is one of the fastest-growing sources of renewable energy on earth, with a minimal carbon footprint and advancements in wind turbine technology meaning it’s never been safer and more efficient. Indeed, the wind energy sector is expected to grow exponentially in the coming years and makeup around a third of the planet’s energy demand by 2050.
It's a natural resource that has been utilized in one form or another for generations, with windmills used to pump water and mill flour long before electricity was discovered. But what else could we learn about this incredible energy? Quite a lot, actually!
Wind turbines are surprisingly complex
While they share similarities with the windmills of old, modern wind turbines are far more advanced. They use hundreds of components including strain gauges or transducers to measure low-frequency oscillations and elaborate computer systems that can perform thorough self-diagnostic tests to eliminate problems before they occur.
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The largest wind turbine in the world isn’t that big
Currently, the title of the largest wind turbine in the world goes to the turbines of the Oahu Wind Farm in Hawaii. The largest turbine in the farm is roughly 20 stories high with blades around 400 feet long. Not exactly as high as a skyscraper but still intimidating.
There’s a lot of power to be drawn from wind
It’s estimated that a standard offshore wind turbine can generate enough power to keep around 1,500 households full of energy. Even turbines located onshore can fuel about 600 homes.
Europe are really into their wind
While the US and China do certainly use a lot of wind energy, with the US adding around 8.6 gigawatts of wind power in recent years and China around 29, the most turbines in the world are installed in Germany, with Spain following close behind.
Wind energy is ancient
While the first truly modern wind turbine wasn’t built until the 1940s in Vermont and the concept of wind energy was first popularized by Albert Betz in 1919, the basic idea of using the wind in a utilitarian way has been around since 2000 B.C. There is evidence of ancient Chinese and Persian settlers using windmills and, of course, the wind has been used by mariners for hundreds of years too.
Small turbines can be used as additional power
If you are interested in wind energy but are not committed enough to go all-in on it then we have good news for you. A small personal wind turbine could be installed in your home and either used as a power backup (in case of a blackout) or to charge batteries. Pretty nifty, right?
by Oliver
