Aeolian energy

Wind energy is the kind of energy that has the wind and that can directly be taken advantage
to be transformed to other types of energy, like electrical. It is one of the most oldest
energetic resources and nowadays the most efficient of all the energies. The term "wind"
comes from the Latin "aeolicus" belonging or relating to Aeolus, god of the winds in Greek
mythology.

 History

Since early recorded history, people have used wind energy. It made boats sail along the Nile
River since 3,000 B.C., and helped Persians pump water and grind grain into flour between 500
and 900 B.C.

The power that wind offered and the use of windmills spread from Persia to the areas in the
Middle East, where windmills were used extensively in food production.

So since 1890 Wind power in North America is used to help farmers and ranchers to pump
water for irrigation and windmills generate electricity for homes and companies.

Eventually, wind power technology spread north to European countries such as The
Netherlands, which adapted windmills to help drain lakes and marshes in the Rhine River
Delta.

 Windmills

A windmill is a machine that harnesses the power of the wind. Windmills may be used to grind
grain into flour, to pump water, or to produce electricity.

A windmill has a number of blades that spin around when wind blows on them. The blades are
mounted on a tall tower or building. They are connected to a vertical shaft, or rod. When the
blades spin, they turn the shaft. The turning shaft powers a device that does work—for
example, a water pump or millstones, which grind grain. The shaft also may provide power to a
machine called a generator, which produces electricity.

Today modern windmills, called wind turbines, produce electricity for many communities. A
group of wind turbines working together is called a wind farm.

The largest wind turbine of the time worked for the first time in 1941 and has got 1.25
megawatts. It fed electric power to the local utility network for several months during World
War II.

Wind turbines used for large-scale wind farms come in various sizes, but are usually
approximately 13 feet wide at the base, and between 230 and 265 feet tall at the centre. With
one of the blades in the upright position, the total height is approximately 406 feet.

When it comes to size, bigger is better - the bigger the wind turbine, the more wind it reaches
and the more electricity it produces.