The windmill is an old invention. They were originally employed for grinding grain for farmers. These primitive windmills had large blades that caught the wind and turned in order to generate power. Windmills have evolved a lot now and are now termed as wind turbines. So let's find out more about this cool technology!
Once upon a time, windmills were straightforward contraptions that harnessed the wafting breath of Old Man Wind to perform useful jobs. They could even be found on farms or isolated hamlets, aiding in the mundane chores of daily life. People eventually saw that wind energy could generate electricity. It is from this that modern wind turbines were produced.
Turbines are now employed for generating electricity at a large scale using the wind. Then they are more often in environments where it is windy, like open fields or coastal areas. These are big machines with huge blades that turn when the wind blows. All that spinning generates energy that can be converted into electricity. As more turbines are installed, they work toward decreasing our reliance on fossil fuels and cutting down pollution across our planet.
There are many other uses for wind turbines. Some are arranged in wind farms, where multiple turbines generate electricity in concert. Others are smaller, and can provide enough to power individual homes or buildings. They can even be water-pumped or used for other jobs requiring energy. There are many possibilities!
Windmills are very straightforward in how they operate. When it’s windy, that causes the turbine’s blades to turn. The spinning moves a generator in the turbine, which generates electricity. The electricity flows through wires to homes, schools and businesses, where it turns on lights, computers and other devices. Crazy - how the wind can be used to make powerful electricity!
There are a number of reasons to use wind turbines for electricity. Wind does not have the issue of being a finite resource, and will not run out. This is good, because it means that we can keep using wind turbines for our energy without not–smart, not–cool pad-style hitting the environment too much. Wind turbines also do not create greenhouse gas emissions, which cuts down on air pollution and fights climate change. And, wind is free energy and can save money over time. With such benefits, it comes as no surprise that wind turbines have come to be used increasingly widespread as a source of power.