How Wind Power Works

Understand Wind Power

Trying to understand how wind power works can be very difficult. We know the benefits associated with wind power including cost, convenience, and power grid independence. We understand the environmental effects caused by conventional energy sources opposed to wind power.

Wind power releases very little to no pollutants into the atmosphere and no greenhouse gases as well. So how does wind power actually work? After reading this article you should be able to understand the inside and outside of how wind power actually works. You will also be able to understand the various pieces of equipment associated with wind power and how each component works.

When wind moves very quickly it is able to create kinetic energy. Wind electric turbines have blades which are designed to be used to capture the kinetic energy from the wind. The entire process is very similar to that of water power and it being captured by hydroelectric dams. The turbine blades begin moving and capture wind energy they are connected to a shaft that leads the hub of the rotor to the generator. The rotational energy is used by the generator and then transformed into electricity. It can be said that generating electricity by using wind is all about moving energy from one medium to another.

An essential component of a wine power system is a wind turbine. A wind turbine consists of three main components which are the rotor blades, shaft, and generator. The rotor blades are basically act as barriers to the wind. They are commonly referred to as the sails of the system. As the wind forces the blades to turn the energy from the wind is then transferred to the rotor. The blades are normally constructed from some type of hard and tough material usually some type of metal. This is done so ensure that the blades will not bend or break under the pressure of strong winds.

The center of the rotor is connected to the wind turbine shaft. When the blades spin, the energy is transferred to the rotor which in turn spins as well. Whenever the rotor begins to spin the shaft begins spinning as well. The rotor transfers the energy created from the wind which first comes from the blades then transfers to the rotor and then to the shaft. The rotor transfers the mechanical and rotational energy to the shaft. Finally, the shaft transfers the energy to the generator at the other end. So basically, the wind turns the blades and as the blades spin they begin spinning the rotor which begins spinning the shaft which sends the energy to the generator.

The generator is the device that actually transforms the rotational kinetic energy into electricity. This is done using the properties of electromagnetic induction. The generator uses electromagnetic induction to create electrical voltage. Voltage is actually electrical pressure which is capable of moving electricity from one location to another.

So basically generating voltage is generating an electrical current. A generator normally consists of magnets and a conductor. A coiled wire is normally used as the conductor. The shaft is connected to an group of permanent magnets which is around the coil or wire. By having a conductor surrounded by magnets one of the parts is rotating relative to the other which creates voltage in the conductor.