The Basics of Wind and Energy
To start with, wind energy is actually considered to be a form of solar power. This is because wind is created by the heating of the atmosphere in an uneven manner. This heat of course is created by the sun and when the air and the earth are at different temperatures, as well as how the earth rotates, wind is created. How the wind patterns change are based on the terrain, bodies of water and coverage on the earth too. The wind that is created can than be turned in to energy by wind turbines. The wind turbines are what create the wind energy. There is kinetic energy in the wind, that the wind turbines convert to electricity. The energy generated can be used for a multitude of uses, such as on a smaller scale pumping water or running a small vehicle. On a larger scale the wind power can generate enough electricity to run entire neighborhoods or businesses.
The wind turbines have blades on the front that turn as the air moves by them. This movement is what creates the electric generator power that goes to the electric current. The wind turbine uses the wind to make the power. The blades are on a shaft and they are connected to a generator inside the turbine that makes the energy. There are two different types of wind turbines. There is the horizontal axis and the vertical axis turbines. The horizontal turbines are similar to what the old windmills looked like and are usually used for smaller tasks, such as the pumping of water. The vertical axis turbines are similar to an egg beater. However, the horizontal axis turbines are more common and can perform larger jobs too. The horizontal turbines have a rotor that turns the wind to energy, a drive train with a gearbox and generator, a tower that the rotors are on and the drive train is there too and there is the other electrical equipment in the turbine, such as cables, ground support and controls.
Typically wind turbines will be found in groups in a wind power plant. These are sometimes also called wind farms and they create bulk amounts of power. The electricity that the turbines generate goes into a grid that is used to send to customers, such as homes, businesses and schools. The turbines on these farms come in many different sizes, depending on the farm size too. There are turbines that stand 20 stories high and have blades as long as football fields and these can power multiple homes, neighborhoods and businesses. On the smaller side, there are home use turbines that are only 30 feet high and have blades that are 25 feet in diameter. These can power a small home or small business. The large turbines are 50 to 750 kilowatts, while the small turbines are 50 kilowatts or less.
There are many areas in the country that do use wind energy. There are different levels of wind and energy, depending on the wind speed.
