Wind Power

People have been harnessing the wind since over 7,000 years ago, when boats with sails carried people and goods along the Nile River. The first recorded uses of windmills to power mechanical engines were in 200 B.C. when Chinese windmills pumped water and Persian windmills milled grain.  Harnessing the power of the wind spread across the Middle East and Europe, where the Dutch in particular adopted and refined the basic design. Windmills followed the pilgrims across the Atlantic Ocean to the Americas, where they were used for many purposes, from milling grains to cutting wood.With the industrial revolution, windmills disappeared  in many places, replaced by inexpensive electricity brought in by power lines.

Today massive wind farms consisting of scores of wind turbines use the energy in wind to create electricity that will power thousands of homes. Wind power is the fastest growing source of energy in the world, and offers a clean, renewable alternative to fossil fuels.

Wind power is a clean fuel, meaning that pollution is not created through fuel combustion. It is also completely renewable--as long as the sun heats the Earth's atmosphere, the wind will blow. And once turbines are built, producing electricity is relatively inexpensive.

Despite its advantages, wind power has some disadvantages that must be overcome. The wind does not blow equally all the time and everywhere, meaning that wind cannot be counted on to generate electricity 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Even though generating electricity is inexpensive once they are built, wind turbines can be expensive to build, and the best sites for wind power are not always close to where electricity is most needed. 

Wind turbines have also been criticized for their aesthetic impact on landscapes and for noise pollution, and there has been concern about bird kills by spinning blades.