For centuries, civilization has tried to harness the power of the wind through the use of windmills. Recent development in technology have allowed for harnessing of wind energy and converting it to electricity. This is by:

 

1. Windmills rotate in the direction of the current wind.

2. Large blades catch the wind as it blows through the air.

3. The blades rotate from the from the force of the wind.

4. The blades are connected to a turbine, which generates the electricity.

 

Like many forms of power generation, wind energy is based on rotating a turbine to generate the electricity. Although electricity generating windmills have been around since 1890, only recent developments have allowed for the windmills to be efficient enough to be considered a feasible electricity alternative.

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To learn more about the pros and cons of windmills and how they work, visit:

• http://energy.gov/eere/wind/advantages-and-challenges-wind-energy

• http://energy.gov/eere/wind/how-do-wind-turbines-work

• http://windeis.anl.gov/guide/basics/

• http://www.globalwindday.org/faqs/how-efficient-are-wind-turbines/

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For more information on how much energy windmills produce, try using this simulation:

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• https://www.youngscientistlab.com/sites/youngscientistlab.com/files/interactives/wind-energy/