How Wind Power Works

As the price of energy increases, many people are turning to more economical and environmentally friendly energy alternatives.  The wind energy market has seen an increase of about forty-five percent last year.  The estimates for 2008 are about the same.  Wind power production in the United States spans over thirty-five states, with the Midwest holding quite a portion of the nations wind turbines.  Many residences and small businesses are turning to wind power to meet their small scale energy needs.  In fact, a lot of homeowners are building the wind power systems themselves.  It is relatively simple to understand how wind power works.

Basically, the kinetic energy from the quickly moving wind particles is captured by the wind turbine.  The blades of these turbines are designed in such a way that it is possible to do so.  This is how wind power works the generator.  The blades rotate and spin the shaft of the turbine.  The shaft leads to the generator and the generator converts the rotational energy into electricity.  Understanding how wind power works can be even easier when it is simplified.  The generator is converting energy in one form to another. 

Wind turbines basically have three parts: the rotator blades, the shaft, and the generator.  The blades work to catch the wind, much like sails.  The wind forces the blades into motion.  The shaft is connected to the center of the blades.  As the center spins, the shaft spins and transfers the energy from the wind blowing to the generator.  The generator uses electromagnetic induction to convert the rotational energy into electric voltage.  This is the most complicated process of how wind power works. 

Some wind turbines generate more energy than others.  Wind turbines in prime locations can turn a hefty profit for investors.  Because of the nature of how wind power works, some locations are deemed better for wind power production than others.  Wind turbines in open fields or near the ocean can generate significantly more energy than wind turbines in urban areas or places that are commonly obstructed. 

Modern wind technology can be a bit more complicated when looking at it from a detailed perspective. Over the last few decades, the United States government has offered tax credits and incentives for research and development in the wind energy market.  While most tax incentive programs are set to expire by the end of the year, it is predicted that the government will renew the current incentives or develop a new system to help promote wind technology.  Wind energy is a growing market that is helping to solve the energy crisis today.