Wind Power

Wind energy is an alternative source of electricity. This technology harnesses the power of the wind. Specifically, the wind spins turbines which powers generators whose main task is to produce electricity.

The wind is one of the safest and cleanest sources of renewable energy today. The concept is similar to those of windmills used for crushing grains or for irrigation. However, in the case of wind turbines, the force of the wind on the blades creates rotational motion; this motion is used to generate electricity.

Wind is just a simple movement of air due to differences in temperature between air near the land's surface and air over bodies of water. In sunny days, the land receives lots of energy in the form of radiation from the sun. This unequal distribution of energy heats up the air above land in a much faster rate than the air found over bodies of water.

This creates a difference in temperature between the two masses of air, one is warmer (air over land) and one is cooler (air over bodies of water). Naturally, as the air becomes warmer, it expands and rises higher up the atmosphere. It then forces the cooler air on top of bodies of water to take its place. As the cooler air moves in to take the place of the rising air, wind is created.

How Does Wind Power Work?

A wind turbine works in a way that is very similar to those of the windmills of early times and of the small windmills that we could still see today. The concept of using the energy of the wind has remained the same through time.

A typical wind turbine will have three major components. These are the propellers (or the blades), the electric generator (which converts mechanical energy into electrical energy), and the base (for support and elevation). These three are the basic components but more advanced and complicated wind turbines may have more than these three components.

For instance, some wind turbines are connected to a monitoring computer which monitors wind direction and adjusts propeller orientation accordingly. The computer determines and sets the right direction and orientation of the propellers to make sure that it gets the maximum energy from the wind.

On a wind turbine, the propeller blades move in rotation as the wind pushes it into motion. The blades are specially designed to produce a rotating motion as the wind passes through it. These blades are connected to a hub which turns the shaft connected to the gears found in the transition box. These gears could be used to increase or decrease the turning speed of the turbine. A generator is utilized to be able to convert the energy from the wind into electrical energy.

Applications of Wind Power

Wind turbines can be used where favorable conditions exist. The electricity it could generate can be used to power small appliances, a small home, a school and even an entire neighborhood depending on the size and capacity of the wind turbines.