What Is Wind Energy?

Putting wind to work has been a goal of civilization down through the ages. Wind is a free, renewable fuel that has been used to power ships, grind grain, and pump water. Wind is created when the sun unevenly heats the earth’s surface. Wind turbines capture the wind in their blades (or rotor) and then convert the wind energy to rotational or mechanical energy. The rotor drives an attached shaft and a gearbox and generator to produce electrical energy. Together, the gearbox and generator are called the drive train. The electricity generated by the wind turbine is metered and then delivered to the electric transmission grid for consumption. The wind turbine includes a tower that supports the rotor, drive train, and other equipment such as the controls, electrical cables, and interconnection hardware. Each turbine is controlled by a computer. In large projects with multiple wind turbines, each turbine computer is connected to a central computer where plant operators can remotely monitor the turbines.