People have been turning wind into power for a long time. Today, utilizing modern wind turbines, we are able to generate a lot of energy.
Simply stated, “a wind turbine is the opposite of a fan. Instead of using electricity to make wind, like a fan, wind turbines use wind to make electricity. The wind turns the blades, which spin a shaft, which connects to a generator and makes electricity.” (Source: Wind Energy Development)
Here are 10 things you didn’t know about wind energy:
- There are as many as 8,000 different components in a wind turbine. (Source: S. Department of Energy)
- The blade of a wind turbine is, on average, over 170 feet long. An average turbine tower is about the height of the Statue of Liberty, over 270 feet tall. (Source: S. Department of Energy)
- Wind farms can have as few as five or as many as 150 wind turbines. One of the largest wind farms in the U.S. has more than 4,800 wind turbines. It is located in Altamont Pass, California. (Source: Alliant Energy Kids)
- Most of the pieces and parts of U.S. wind turbines are manufactured in the U.S. There are 500 wind-related manufacturing facilities located in 41 states. (Source: S. Department of Energy)
- When talking about wind turbines, size does matter – the bigger the wind turbine, the more wind it reaches and the more electricity it produces. (Source: Alliant Energy Kids)
- Wind is a form of solar energy. “Winds are caused by the uneven heating of the atmosphere by the sun, the irregularities of the earth’s surface, and rotation of the earth. Wind flow patterns are modified by the earth’s terrain, bodies of water, and vegetative cover.” (Source: Wind Energy Development)
- There is utility-scale wind power in 41 states. There is distributed wind installed in all 50 states plus Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The difference is that distribute wind power is energy that is generated for local or on-site use. (Source: S. Department of Energy)
- Wind energy is the largest renewable energy source in the U.S. At the end of 2016, wind power generated enough energy to power over 20 million average homes in America. (Source: S. Department of Energy)
- During the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago, there were 15 windmill companies who showcased their wind turbine designs. (Source: S. Department of Energy)
