Simple strokes of wind power generation

What is wind power?

Wind power is a form of energy conversion in which turbines convert the kinetic energy of wind into mechanical or electrical energy that can be used for power. Wind power is considered a form of renewable energy. Modern commercial wind turbines produce electricity by using rotational energy to drive a generator.

How much electricity can a wind turbine generate?

The amount of electricity that a wind turbine can generate depends mostly on the size of the turbine, the area swept by the turbine blades, the air density, and the wind speed. The overall design of the wind turbine is also crucial for how efficiently the blades can capture the wind.

How does a wind turbine generate electricity?

Wind power is collected using wind turbines —tall pole structures with a machine at the top that looks like a very large fan. Instead of blowing air, however, turbines catch the air. When the wind blows, it makes the blades of the fan, called rotors, spin around, which moves the turbine on the inside and generates electricity.

How do you get power from wind energy?

There are several ways to get power from wind energy. Wind turbines can be built on land, on lakes or in the ocean, in remote wilderness far from the power grid, within cities, or across vast plains. One wind turbine can power an individual home or farm, but several built close together form a wind energy plant, or wind farm.

How fast does a wind turbine start up?

A typical double-fed turbine has a start-up wind speed of 4 m/s. However, the wind across areas near cities and some offshore locations has a lower speed. To exploit wind power in these areas requires the development of a technology for low-speed wind turbines. Direct-drive wind turbines can start up at a wind speed of 2 m/s.

Why is wind power so powerful?

Wind can be powerful enough to whisk birds through the sky, move sailboats across the ocean, and even rip trees from the ground. In comparison to all that, pushing wind turbine blades is easy! It’s that movement of the turbines that creates electricity. Want to know how much wind energy is humming across your state?