The force of the lift is stronger than the drag and this causes the rotor to spin. The difference in air pressure across the two sides of the blade creates both lift and drag.
When wind flows across the blade, the air pressure on one side of the blade decreases. This mechanical power can be used for specific tasks (such as grinding grain or pumping water) or a generator can convert this mechanical power into electricity.Ī wind turbine turns wind energy into electricity using the aerodynamic force from the rotor blades, which work like an airplane wing or helicopter rotor blade. The terms 'wind energy' and 'wind power' both describe the process by which the wind is used to generate mechanical power or electricity. Humans use this wind flow, or motion energy, for many purposes: sailing, flying a kite, and even generating electricity.
Wind flow patterns and speeds vary greatly across the United States and are modified by bodies of water, vegetation, and differences in terrain. Wind is a form of solar energy caused by a combination of three concurrent events:
