Wind first hits a turbine’s blades, causing them to rotate and turn the turbine connected to them.
That changes the kinetic energy to rotational energy, by moving a shaft which is connected to a generator, and thereby producing electrical energy through electromagnetism.
Wind power is one of the fastest-growing energy sources in the world because of its many advantages.
Global installed wind-generation capacity onshore and offshore has increased by a factor of almost 75 in the past two decades, jumping from 7.5 gigawatts (GW) in 1997 to some 564 GW by 2018.
- Wind power is cost-effective in many regions. In others, wind power needs to compete with other energy sources, but global R&D efforts are working on solutions to reduce the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) of both onshore and offshore wind power.
- Another advantage to wind power is that it is a domestic source of energy, harnessing a limitless local resource. Some viable locations for wind farms, however, are located remote areas that would present challenges in construction and electricity transmission logistics. Technology breakthrough such as two-piece blades and modular construction are helping overcome such challenges.
- An additional benefit of wind power is it is a sustainable source of energy, as wind turbine operation does not directly emit any CO2 or greenhouse gases—helping countries meet their emission reduction targets and combating climate change. Wind energy is plentiful, readily available, and capturing its power does not deplete our valuable natural resources.
The Global Wind Energy Outlook projects that by 2030 wind energy will offset 2.5 billion tons per year of carbon
