Wind power: Difference between revisions

Today, wind power is generated almost completely with [[wind turbine]]s, generally grouped into [[wind farms]] and connected to the [[electrical grid]].

In many locations, new [[onshore wind farm]]s are cheaper than new [[Coal-fired power station|coal]] or [[Gas-fired power plant|gas plants]].<ref name=":6" />

Regions in the higher northern and southern latitudes have the highest potential for wind power.<ref>{{cite web |title=Global Wind Atlas |url=http://science.globalwindatlas.info/datasets.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200224101415/http://science.globalwindatlas.info/datasets.html |archive-date=24 February 2020 |access-date=28 March 2020 |publisher=DTU Technical University of Denmark}}</ref> In most regions, wind power generation is higher in nighttime, and in winter when PV[[solar power]] output is low. For this reason, combinations of wind and [[solar power]] are suitable in many countries.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Nyenah |first1=Emmanuel |last2=Sterl |first2=Sebastian |last3=Thiery |first3=Wim |date=2022-05-01 |title=Pieces of a puzzle: solar-wind power synergies on seasonal and diurnal timescales tend to be excellent worldwide |journal=Environmental Research Communications |volume=4 |issue=5 |pages=055011 |doi=10.1088/2515-7620/ac71fb |bibcode=2022ERCom...4e5011N |s2cid=249227821 |issn=2515-7620|doi-access=free }}</ref>

Wind is air movement in the earthEarth's atmosphere. In a unit of time, say 1 second, the volume of air that had passed an area <math>A</math> is <math>Av</math>. If the air density is <math>r\rho</math> , the mass of this volume of air is <math>M=rAv\rho Av</math>, and the power transfer, or energy transfer per second is <math>P ={\fractfrac {1}{2}}M v^{2}= {\fractfrac {1}{2}}Ar\rho A v^{3}</math>. Wind power is thus ''proportional'' to the ''third power'' of the wind speed; the available power increases eightfold when the wind speed doubles. (More precisely, changeChange of wind speed by a factor of 2.1544 increases the wind power by one order of magnitude (multiply by 10).

The global wind kinetic energy averaged approximately 1.50 MJ/m² over the period from 1979 to 2010, 1.31 MJ/m² in the Northern Hemisphere with 1.70 MJ/m² in the Southern Hemisphere. The atmosphere acts as a thermal engine, absorbing heat at higher temperatures, releasing heat at lower temperatures. The process is responsible for the production of wind kinetic energy at a rate of 2.46 W/m² thus sustaining the circulation of the atmosphere against friction.<ref>{{cite journal|url=http://dash.harvard.edu/bitstream/handle/1/13919173/A%2032-year%20Perspective%20on%20the%20Origin%20of%20Wind%20Energy%20in%20a%20warming%20Climate.pdf?sequence=1|title=A 32-year perspective on the origin of wind energy in a warming climate|journal=Renewable Energy|volume=77|pages=482–92|year=2015|doi=10.1016/j.renene.2014.12.045|last1=Huang|first1=Junling|last2=McElroy|first2=Michael B|s2cid=109273683 |access-date=6 February 2015|archive-date=6 February 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150206044746/http://dash.harvard.edu/bitstream/handle/1/13919173/A%2032-year%20Perspective%20on%20the%20Origin%20of%20Wind%20Energy%20in%20a%20warming%20Climate.pdf?sequence=1|url-status=live}}</ref>

Unlike 'static' wind resource atlases which average estimates of wind speed and power density across multiple years, tools such as [[Renewables.ninja]] provide time-varying simulations of wind speed and power output from different wind turbine models at an hourly resolution.<ref>{{cite journal|last1= Staffell |first1= Iain |last2= Pfenninger |first2= Stefan |title=Using bias-corrected reanalysis to simulate current and future wind power output|date=1 November 2016|journal= Energy |volume = 114 |pages = 1224–39 |doi = 10.1016/j.energy.2016.08.068|doi-access = free|hdl= 20.500.11850/120087 |hdl-access= free }}</ref> More detailed, site-specific assessments of wind resource potential can be obtained from specialist commercial providers, and many of the larger wind developers have in-house modeling capabilities.

| [[Muppandal windWind farmFarm]] || align="center" | 1,500 || {{Flagu|India}} || <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thewindpower.net/windfarm_en_449.php|title=Muppandal (India)|publisher=thewindpower.net|access-date=21 November 2015|archive-date=14 August 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140814194848/http://www.thewindpower.net/windfarm_en_449.php|url-status=live}}</ref>

Most modern turbines use variable speed generators combined with either a partial or full-scale power converter between the turbine generator and the collector system, which generally have more desirable properties for grid interconnection and have [[low voltage ride through]]-capabilities.<ref name="huang">{{Cite book|last1=Falahi|first1=G.|last2=Huang|first2=A.|datetitle=1 OctoberIECON 2014 - 40th Annual Conference of the IEEE Industrial Electronics Society |titlechapter=Low voltage ride through control of modular multilevel converter based HVDC systems |journaldate=IECON1 2014October – 40th Annual Conference of the IEEE Industrial Electronics Society2014|pages=4663–68|doi=10.1109/IECON.2014.7049205|isbn=978-1-4799-4032-5|s2cid=3598534}}</ref> Modern turbines use either [[doubly fed electric machine]]s with partial-scale converters or squirrel-cage induction generators or synchronous generators (both permanently and electrically excited) with full-scale converters.<ref>{{cite journal|doi=10.1016/j.enconman.2014.08.037|title=The state of the art of wind energy conversion systems and technologies: A review|journal=Energy Conversion and Management|volume=88|page=332|year=2014|last1=Cheng|first1=Ming|last2=Zhu|first2=Ying}}</ref> [[Black start]] is possible<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-11-03 |title=ScottishPower in 'pioneering world first' after wind farm black-out boost |url=https://www.scotsman.com/business/scottishpower-in-pioneering-world-first-after-wind-farm-black-out-boost-3023563 |access-date=2022-09-19 |website=www.scotsman.com |language=en}}</ref> and is being further developed for places (such as [[Iowa]]) which generate most of their electricity from wind.<ref>{{Cite web |title=As the grid adds wind power, researchers have to reengineer recovery from power outages |url=https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/05/220531181931.htm |access-date=2022-09-19 |website=ScienceDaily |language=en}}</ref>

| image2= Wind energy generation by region, OWID.svg |caption2=Wind energy generation by region<ref>{{cite web |title=Wind energy generation by region |url=https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/wind-energy-consumption-by-region |website=Our World in Data |access-date=515 MarchAugust 20202023 |archive-date=10 March 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200310222609/https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/wind-energy-consumption-by-region |url-status=live }}</ref>

{{clrclear}}

{| style="margin: 1px auto;topfloat:right"

<div style="color: #000; font-size: 120%; font-weight: bold; padding: 10px 0 12px 90px;">Number of countries with wind capacities in the gigawatt-scale by year</div>

| group 1 = 0 : 0 : 0 : 0 : 0 : 0 : 0 : 0 : 0 : 0 : 1 : 1 : 1 : 1 : 1 : 2 : 12 : 12 : 2

| group 2 = 1 : 1 : 3 : 3 : 4 : 5 : 5 : 5 : 5 : 6 : 5 : 7 : 8 : 8 : 9 : 8 : 98 : 810 : 11

| group 3 = 6 : 10 : 10 : 10 : 12 : 12 : 15 : 17 : 2019 : 1918 : 1918 : 1918 : 20 : 21 : 22 : 2225 : 25 : 26 : 27

| x legends = : 2005 : : : : : 2010: : : : : 2015 : : : : 2019: 2020 : :

| title = {{legend2|#FFccaa|border=1px solid #ccccaa|Countries above theAbove 1-GW mark}}

| title = {{legend2|#FFaa77|border=1px solid #ccaa77|Countries above theAbove 10-GW mark}}

| title = {{legend2|#990000|border=1px solid #200000|Countries above theAbove 100-GW mark}}

[[File:Share of electricity production from wind.svg|thumb|right|350px|Share of electricity production from wind, 2022<ref>{{cite web |title=Share of electricity production from wind |url=https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/share-electricity-wind |website=Our World in Data |access-date=2015 AprilAugust 2023}}</ref>]]

[[Battery storage power station|Utility-scale batteries]] are often used to balance hourly and shorter timescale variation,<ref>{{Cite web|last=Katz|first=Cheryl|title=The batteries that could make fossil fuels obsolete|url=https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20201217-renewable-power-the-worlds-largest-battery|access-date=2021-11-23|website=www.bbc.com|language=en|archive-date=11 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210111075439/https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20201217-renewable-power-the-worlds-largest-battery|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=World|first=Renewable Energy|date=2021-01-14|title=Report: An additional 20GWh of battery storage could significantly reduce wind power curtailment in UK|url=https://www.renewableenergyworld.com/storage/report-an-additional-20gwh-of-battery-storage-could-significantly-reduce-wind-power-curtailment-in-uk/|access-date=2021-11-23|website=Renewable Energy World|language=en-US|archive-date=26 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210226223141/https://www.renewableenergyworld.com/storage/report-an-additional-20gwh-of-battery-storage-could-significantly-reduce-wind-power-curtailment-in-uk/|url-status=live}}</ref> but [[Vehicle-to-grid|car batteries]] may gain ground from the mid-2020s.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Answers to the UK's wind energy storage issues are emerging - NS Energy|url=https://www.nsenergybusiness.com/features/wind-energy-storage-in-the-uk-is-posing-problems-but-long-term-solutions-are-emerging/|access-date=2021-11-23|language=en-US|archive-date=10 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210910082016/https://www.nsenergybusiness.com/features/wind-energy-storage-in-the-uk-is-posing-problems-but-long-term-solutions-are-emerging/|url-status=live}}</ref> Wind power advocates argue that periods of low wind can be dealt with by simply restarting existing power stations that have been held in readiness, or interlinking with HVDC.<ref name="Czisch-Giebel">[http://www.risoe.dk/rispubl/reports/ris-r-1608_186-195.pdf Realisable Scenarios for a Future Electricity Supply based 100% on Renewable Energies] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140701230913/http://www.risoe.dk/rispubl/reports/ris-r-1608_186-195.pdf |date=1 July 2014}} Gregor Czisch, University of Kassel, Germany and Gregor Giebel, Risø National Laboratory, Technical University of Denmark</ref>

[[File:Quietrevolution Bristol 3513051949.jpg|thumb|A small [[Quietrevolution wind turbine|Quietrevolution QR5]] [[Gorlov helical turbine|Gorlov type]] [[vertical axis wind turbine]] on the roof of [[ColstonBristol HallBeacon]] in [[Bristol|Bristol, England]]. Measuring 3 m in diameter and 5 m high, it has a nameplate rating of 6.5 kW.]]

Off-grid system users can either adapt to intermittent power or use batteries, [[photovoltaic]], or diesel systems to supplement the wind turbine.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Ramirez Camargo|first1=Luis|last2=Nitsch|first2=Felix|last3=Gruber|first3=Katharina|last4=Valdes|first4=Javier|last5=Wuth|first5=Jane|last6=Dorner|first6=Wolfgang|date=January 2019|title=Potential Analysis of Hybrid Renewable Energy Systems for Self-Sufficient Residential Use in Germany and the Czech Republic|journal=Energies|language=en|volume=12|issue=21|pages=4185|doi=10.3390/en12214185|doi-access=free}}</ref> Equipment such as parking meters, traffic warning signs, street lighting, or wireless Internet gateways may be powered by a small wind turbine, possibly combined with a photovoltaic system, that charges a small battery replacing the need for a connection to the power grid.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://cleantechnica.com/2009/05/13/exploiting-the-downsides-of-wind-and-solar/ | title=Wind, Solar-Powered Street Lights Only Need a Charge Once Every Four Days | last=Kart | first=Jeff | date=13 May 2009 | website=Clean Technica | publisher=Clean Technica | access-date=30 April 2012 | archive-date=17 November 2011 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111117075022/http://cleantechnica.com/2009/05/13/exploiting-the-downsides-of-wind-and-solar/ | url-status=live }}</ref>

Onshore wind farms can have a significant visual impact.<ref>{{Cite journal |title=Visual impacts and acceptability of wind farms to councillors and senior council staff in Britain | year=2022 | doi=10.1080/00207233.2021.2017174 |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00207233.2021.2017174?journalCode=genv20| last1=Lothian | first1=Andrew | journal=International Journal of Environmental Studies | volume=80 | pages=113–136 | s2cid=245874077 }}</ref> Due to a very low [[surface power density]] and spacing requirements, wind farms typically need to be spread over more land than other power stations.<ref name="grantham" /><ref>{{Cite web|title=What are the pros and cons of onshore wind energy?|url=https://www.lse.ac.uk/granthaminstitute/explainers/what-are-the-pros-and-cons-of-onshore-wind-energy/|access-date=2020-12-12|website=Grantham Research Institute on climate change and the environment|language=en-GB|archive-date=22 June 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190622123816/http://www.lse.ac.uk/GranthamInstitute/faqs/what-are-the-pros-and-cons-of-onshore-wind-energy/|url-status=live}}</ref> Their network of turbines, access roads, transmission lines, and substations can result in "energy sprawl";<ref name="energyfootprint"/> although land between the turbines and roads can still be used for agriculture.<ref name="mar">{{cite web |url=http://solarwind.net.au/Documents/WindPowersStrength.pdf |title=Why Australia needs wind power |access-date=7 January 2012 |archive-date=3 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303223035/http://solarwind.net.au/Documents/WindPowersStrength.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bwea.com/ref/faq.html |title=Wind energy Frequently Asked Questions |publisher=British Wind Energy Association |access-date=21 April 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060419225935/http://www.bwea.com/ref/faq.html |archive-date=19 April 2006}}</ref> They also need to be built away from urban areas,<ref>{{Cite web|last=Welle (www.dw.com)|first=Deutsche|title=The Germans fighting wind farms close to their homes {{!}} DW {{!}} 26.11.2019|url=https://www.dw.com/en/the-germans-fighting-wind-farms-close-to-their-homes/a-51417653|access-date=2020-12-12|website=DW.COM|language=en-GB|archive-date=12 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112023632/https://www.dw.com/en/the-germans-fighting-wind-farms-close-to-their-homes/a-51417653|url-status=live}}</ref>{{Not in citation|date=February 2023|reason=this pic looks very urban https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/feb/09/england-tallest-wind-turbine-bristol}}which can lead to "industrialization of the countryside".<ref name="Szarka">Szarka, Joseph. ''Wind Power in Europe: Politics, Business and Society''. Springer, 2007. p.176</ref> Some wind farms are opposed for potentially spoiling protected scenic areas, archaeological landscapes and heritage sites.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Dodd |first1=Eimear |title=Permission to build five turbine wind farm at Kilranelagh refused |url=https://www.independent.ie/regionals/wicklowpeople/news/permission-to-build-five-turbine-wind-farm-at-kilranelagh-refused-40231644.html |access-date=18 January 2022 |work=[[Irish Independent]] |date=27 March 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Kula |first1=Adam |title=Department defends 500ft windfarm in protected Area of Outstanding Beauty |url=https://www.newsletter.co.uk/country-and-farming/department-defends-500ft-windfarm-in-protected-area-of-outstanding-beauty-3194391 |access-date=18 January 2022 |work=[[The News Letter]] |date=9 April 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Building wind farms 'could destroy Welsh landscape' |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-50264159 |access-date=18 January 2022 |work=BBC News |date=4 November 2019}}</ref> A report by the [[Mountaineering Council of Scotland]] concluded that wind farms harmed [[tourism]] in areas known for natural landscapes and panoramic views.<ref>Gordon, David. [https://www.mountaineering.scot/assets/contentfiles/media-upload/Wind_farms_and_tourism_in_Scotland_-_a_review,_Nov_2017_20171106.pdf Wind farms and tourism in Scotland] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200921180510/https://www.mountaineering.scot/assets/contentfiles/media-upload/Wind_farms_and_tourism_in_Scotland_-_a_review,_Nov_2017_20171106.pdf |date=21 September 2020 }}. [[Mountaineering Council of Scotland]]. November 2017. p.3</ref>

Many wind turbine blades are made of [[fiberglass]], and have a lifetime of 20 years.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Journalist |first=Energy |date=2022-08-29 |title=How to manage future waste from wind turbine blades |url=https://www.energymagazine.com.au/how-to-manage-future-waste-from-wind-turbine-blades/ |access-date=2022-12-01 |website=Energy Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref> Blades are hollow: some blades are crushed to reduce their volume and then landfilled.<ref name="Argus">{{cite news |last1=Joe Sneve |title=Sioux Falls landfill tightens rules after Iowa dumps dozens of wind turbine blades |url=https://eu.argusleader.com/story/news/city/2019/08/27/why-sioux-falls-landfill-has-crack-down-dumping-minnesotas-wind-turbine-blades/2125629001/ |access-date=5 September 2019 |work=[[Argus Leader]] |date=4 September 2019 |archive-date=24 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211124094305/https://www.argusleader.com/story/news/city/2019/08/27/why-sioux-falls-landfill-has-crack-down-dumping-minnesotas-wind-turbine-blades/2125629001/ |url-status=live }}</ref> However, as they can take a lot of weight they can be made into long lasting small bridges for walkers or cyclists.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2023-09-07 |title=Renewable energy: The upcycled wind turbines getting a second life |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-66735712 |access-date=2023-09-07}}</ref> Blade end-of-life is complicated,<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Beauson |first1=J. |last2=Laurent |first2=A. |last3=Rudolph |first3=D. P. |last4=Pagh Jensen |first4=J. |date=2022-03-01 |title=The complex end-of-life of wind turbine blades: A review of the European context |journal=Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews |language=en |volume=155 |pages=111847 |doi=10.1016/j.rser.2021.111847 |s2cid=244696750 |issn=1364-0321|doi-access=free }}</ref> and blades manufactured in the 2020s are more likely to be designed to be completely recyclable.<ref name=":8">{{Cite web |title=These bike shelters are made from wind turbines. |url=https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/10/recycle-bike-wind-turbine/ |access-date=2022-04-02 |website=World Economic Forum |date=19 October 2021 |language=en}}</ref>

Although wind power is a popular form of energy generation, onshore or near offshore wind farms are sometimes opposed for their impact on the landscape (especially scenic areas, heritage areas and archaeological landscapes), as well as noise, and impact on tourism.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-03-24|title=Opposition to wind farm plans because of negative impact on 'tourism'|url=https://nation.cymru/news/opposition-to-wind-farm-plans-because-of-negative-impact-on-tourism/|access-date=2021-11-16|website=Nation.Cymru|language=en-GB|archive-date=16 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211116180821/https://nation.cymru/news/opposition-to-wind-farm-plans-because-of-negative-impact-on-tourism/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite webnews|last=Schultz|first=Norm|title=Wind Farm Opposition in the Great Lakes|url=https://www.tradeonlytoday.com/columns-blogs/wind-farm-opposition-in-the-great-lakes|access-date=2021-11-16|website=Trade Only Today|date=29 June 2021 |language=en-us|archive-date=16 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211116180821/https://www.tradeonlytoday.com/columns-blogs/wind-farm-opposition-in-the-great-lakes|url-status=live}}</ref>

Public support in the United States has decreased from 75% in 2020 to 62% in 2021, with the DemocratDemocratic Party supporting the use of wind energy twice as much as the Republican Party.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2021/06/08/most-americans-support-expanding-solar-and-wind-energy-but-republican-support-has-dropped/ | title=Most Americans support expanding solar and wind energy, but Republican support has dropped }}</ref> President Biden has signed an executive order to begin building large scale wind farms.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/03/29/fact-sheet-biden-administration-jumpstarts-offshore-wind-energy-projects-to-create-jobs/ | title=FACT SHEET: Biden Administration Jumpstarts Offshore Wind Energy Projects to Create Jobs | newspaper=The White House | date=29 March 2021 }}</ref>

Some opposition to wind farms is dismissed as [[NIMBY]]ism,<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.thestar.com/comment/article/519708 | work=Toronto Star | location=Toronto | title=Windmills vs. NIMBYism | date=20 October 2008 | access-date=18 September 2017 | archive-date=11 October 2012 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121011113357/http://www.thestar.com/comment/article/519708 | url-status=live }}</ref> but research carried out in 2009 found that there is little evidence to support the belief that residents only object to wind farms because of a "Not in my Back Yard" attitude.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.businessgreen.com/bg/news/1807322/wind-industry-avoid-branding-opponents-nimbys | title=Wind industry should avoid branding opponents "Nimbys" | last=Donoghue | first=Andrew | date=30 July 2009 | website=Business Green | publisher=Business Green | access-date=13 April 2012 | archive-date=2 January 2012 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120102085646/http://www.businessgreen.com/bg/news/1807322/wind-industry-avoid-branding-opponents-nimbys | url-status=live }}</ref>

[[Wind turbine]]s are devices that convert the wind's [[kinetic energy]] into electrical power. The result of over a millennium of windmill development and modern engineering, today's wind turbines are manufactured in a wide range of horizontal axis and vertical axis types. The smallest turbines are used for applications such as [[Battery charger|battery charging]] for auxiliary power. Slightly larger turbines can be used for making small contributions to a domestic power supply while selling unused power back to the utility supplier via the electrical grid. Arrays of large turbines, known as wind farms, have become an increasingly important source of renewable energy and are used in many countries as part of a strategy to reduce their reliance on [[fossil fuels]].

Wind power has been used as long as humans have put [[sailing ships|sails]] into the wind. King Hammurabi's Codex (reign 1792 - 1750 BC) already mentioned windmills for generating mechanical energy.<ref>{{citation|last=B. Trueb|first=Lucien|title=Astonishing the Wild Pigs, Highlights of Technology|page=119|year=2015|publisher=ATHENA-Verlag|isbn=9783898967662}}</ref> Wind-powered machines used to grind grain and pump water, the [[windmill]] and [[wind pump]], were developed in what is now [[Iran]], [[Afghanistan]], and [[Pakistan]] by the 9th century.<ref>[[Ahmad Y Hassan]], [[Donald Routledge Hill]] (1986). ''Islamic Technology: An illustrated history'', p. 54. [[Cambridge University Press]]. {{ISBN|0-521-42239-6}}.</ref><ref>{{citation|last=Lucas|first=Adam|title=Wind, Water, Work: Ancient and Medieval Milling Technology|page=65|year=2006|publisher=Brill Publishers|isbn=90-04-14649-0}}</ref> Wind power was widely available and not confined to the banks of fast-flowing streams, or later, requiring sources of fuel. Wind-powered pumps drained the [[Polder#Polders and the Netherlands|polders of the Netherlands]], and in arid regions such as the [[American mid-west]] or the [[Australian outback]], wind pumps provided water for livestock and steam engines.

The [[1973 oil crisis]] triggered the investigation in Denmark and the United States that led to larger utility-scale wind generators that could be connected to electric power grids for remote use of power. By 2008, the U.S. installed capacity had reached 25.4 gigawatts, and by 2012 the installed capacity was 60 gigawatts.<ref>{{cite web|title=History of U.S. Wind Energy|url=https://www.energy.gov/eere/wind/history-us-wind-energy|access-date=10 December 2019|website=Energy.gov|language=en|archive-date=15 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191215133631/https://www.energy.gov/eere/wind/history-us-wind-energy|url-status=live}}</ref> Today, wind-powered generators operate in every size range between tiny stations for battery charging at isolated residences, up to gigawatt-sized [[List of offshore wind farms|offshore wind farms]] that provide electric power to national electrical networks. The [[European Union]] is working to augment these prospects.<ref>{{cite news |last= Widder |first= Jonathan |date= 25 October 2023|title= Saubere Energie unaufhaltsam, EU beschleunigt Windkraft-Ausbau, Luchse zurück nach Sachsen|url= https://squirrel-news.net/de/news/saubere-energie-unaufhaltsam-eu-beschleunigt-windkraft-ausbau-luchse-zurueck-nach-sachsen/|work= Squirrel News|access-date=7 March 2024}}</ref>

* {{owebofficial website|http://gwec.net/}} of Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC)

* {{owebofficial website|https://wwindea.org/}} of World Wind Energy Association (WWEA)