How Does a Solar-Powered Windmill Work?
The Solar Energy Option With global warming prevalent and coal and oil sources dwindling, many are turning to renewable energy as an option. First used over 5,000 years ago to pump water and grind wheat and other grains, windmills (also called turbines) are now being utilized to harness the sun and generate electricity in mass quantities. Not only is wind an inexhaustible source of energy, there are virtually no waste byproducts, thus making it the “greenest” energy source in the world. The Mechanics of a Windmill As earth’s surface air warms and cools at different rates, the warm air rises and the cool air replaces it, causing wind. Air currents created by the sun’s rays flow over the blades of a windmill, causing the blades to rotate at a rapid pace. The blades, in turn, are connected to a drive shaft, which powers a generator. This captures the air’s kinetic energy and converts it to other forms of energy such as electrical. The electricity, in turn, is conducted through wires and e
With global warming prevalent and coal and oil sources dwindling, many are turning to renewable energy as an option. First used over 5,000 years ago to pump water and grind wheat and other grains, windmills (also called turbines) are now being utilized to harness the sun and generate electricity in mass quantities. Not only is wind an inexhaustible source of energy, there are virtually no waste byproducts, thus making it the “greenest” energy source in the world. As earth’s surface air warms and cools at different rates, the warm air rises and the cool air replaces it, causing wind. Air currents created by the sun’s rays flow over the blades of a windmill, causing the blades to rotate at a rapid pace. The blades, in turn, are connected to a drive shaft, which powers a generator. This captures the air’s kinetic energy and converts it to other forms of energy such as electrical. The electricity, in turn, is conducted through wires and either used directly or stored in deep cell batteries
