What Is Wind Power or Energy?
Wind power is the process by which the wind is used to generate electricity. Wind turbines convert the kinetic energy in the wind into mechanical power. This mechanical power can be used for specific tasks (such as grinding grain or pumping water) or can be converted into electricity to power homes and businesses. Modern wind turbine technology takes advantage of advances in materials, engineering, electronics, and aerodynamics to create large wind turbines that can function in a broad range of wind speeds. Small wind turbines are often used in combination with batteries to provide energy to resorts and lodges in remote locations, while larger turbines are usually grouped into wind farms which feed electricity into the electric utility grid. Because the speed of the wind rises with height, wind turbines are mounted on towers to maximize the amount of energy they capture. Towers on commercial turbines range from 50 metres (160 feet) to as high as 112 metres (more than 300 feet), where t