0 Things You Didn’t Know About Wind Energy
Exploring Wind Energy: 10 Interesting Facts
One of the most powerful forms of renewable energy today, the use of wind energy has increased drastically over the past few decades. With the potential to reduce our reliance on environmentally-damaging fossil fuels, wind energy is a clean, effective form of energy. Here are 10 interesting facts about this energy source.
1. Wind power is one of the oldest forms of renewable energy.
It’s estimated that civilizations have used wind energy since as early as 5,000 B.C. People in China and the Middle East utilized wind power to pump water and grind grain. (For more on the history of wind energy, take a look at the timeline provided by the Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy.)
2. The U.S. produced nearly 200,000,000 megawatt hours of wind energy in 2014.
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, wind energy is one of the most abundantly produced forms of renewable energy (and energy, in general)—falling only behind hydroelectric conventional, nuclear, natural gas, and coal energy.
3. As of 2016, 40 states are home to utility-scale wind projects.
There are more than 1,000 utility-scale wind projects across the United States, according to data released by the American Wind Energy Association.
4. The inside of a wind turbine is a lot more complicated than you’d think.
The modern wind turbine is nothing like the little windmill you’d find on a small farm. Utility-scale turbines can be composed of more than 8,000 separate parts—including blades, a rotor, a brake, a generator, and more. (See what the inside of a wind turbine looks like.)
5. The state of Texas has the power to produce the most wind energy in the U.S.
Currently, the state of Texas has the power to produce enough wind energy to power 4.1 million homes. The top five states (in order) are: Texas, Iowa, California, Oklahoma, and Illinois.
6. The most powerful wind turbines are as taller than the Statue of Liberty.
Modern wind turbines are averaging over 328 feet tall, or about the height of a 20-story building. This height includes the base of the turbine and the reach of the blades. New turbines are only getting taller, as the higher they are, the faster the wind speeds.
7. The tallest land-based wind turbine is in Adams County, Iowa.
Completed in early 2016, the concrete wind turbine reaches an astounding 377 feet.
8. The United States is second in wind production across the globe.
Following China, the United States produces more wind energy each year than any other country in the world.
9. Wind turbines can reach speeds of over 200 mph.
On average, the blades on wind turbines reach speeds of 120‒180 mph, with more powerful models reaching speeds of more than 200 mph.
10. Offshore wind energy has the potential to become a powerful energy source.
Wind tends to blow harder and more consistently over water than it does on land, making offshore wind energy a potentially powerful source of energy. Though not used extensively now, we could see this sector expanding greatly in the years to come.
