| has been considered as a downside of regions, a | | | | movement to the rotor, which has one end |
| factor that conspired against urbanization, | | | | attached to a regular electric generator. Here is |
| highlighting destructive power of the wind. But | | | | where the electric energy is produced. This is a |
| more recently, technology has provided a whole | | | | very simple, yet very effective mechanism. |
| new outlook on the wind. Regions with steady | | | | Electricity will be produced as long as the blades |
| regular wind have proven to be the most suitable | | | | spin. |
| ones to produce a new way of cheap and clean | | | | The generator works using the properties of |
| energy: wind energy. You can read more | | | | electromagnetic induction. The core of the |
| information about it by reading the article below. | | | | generator is made of magnets, that when moved |
| Wind energy can be “harvested” | | | | constantly close to a conducting material |
| with the use of wind turbines. Wind turbines are | | | | –copper wires, most typically-, produce a |
| roughly structures with big propellers that take | | | | difference of electric tension –voltage. |
| advantage of the constant movement of the | | | | Magnets have this amazing property: to release |
| propeller, generating energy. In the same way | | | | electrons: energy. |
| mills took advantage of wind, typically to extract | | | | Windmills are used in areas where traditional wiring |
| water from the soil, these new wind turbines | | | | is not present, for instance in rural areas. In 1930, |
| generate electricity in an efficient way. Technically, | | | | 600.000 windmills provided water and electricity to |
| it can be said that they convert the free | | | | many rural areas in the United States. By 2006, |
| everlasting kinetic energy of the wind into | | | | new windmills were developed that could produce |
| electricity. No chemistry is involved, because it is | | | | up to 4 mega Watts of electric power, enough to |
| simply an ingenious device that transforms energy | | | | supply energy to a small neighborhood with one |
| into usable ways. | | | | single mill. The new wind turbines have a |
| A Wind Turbine Energy consists mostly of three | | | | completely different design from traditional mills, |
| main components: the rotor blades, the shaft and | | | | the axis being placed vertically, instead of |
| the generator. A lot can be said about the design | | | | horizontally. This new layout helps maximize the |
| of the blades. They need to be aerodynamically | | | | power of rotation of the wind. This design is called |
| shaped, so as to make the most of the wind, | | | | VAWT. |
| with the least loss of energy. This includes careful | | | | The size of the Wind Turbine Energy mills is highly |
| consideration of the materials blades are made of. | | | | relevant. The bigger the mill is, the most energy it |
| At first, wood was the preferred material. Later | | | | can produce. The drawback is that bigger |
| on light metals were used, like aluminum. The | | | | structures require bigger parts that will necessary |
| most suitable is carbon fiber, an extremely light | | | | gain in weight. That is why new materials such as |
| material, amazingly resistant. The shaft is | | | | carbon nanotubes and glass fibers are so |
| connected to the rotor. It transfers the | | | | effective when designing mills. |