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Wind Technology Basics
A wind turbine works by catching the energy in the wind, using it to turn blades, and converting the energy to electricity through a generator in the part of the turbine called a nacelle.
The turbine is only one part of the system, however. A tower lifts the blades high in the air where the wind is stronger. Because winds are more powerful and less turbulent higher off the ground, taller towers greatly increase a turbine’s energy production. In addition, the presence of trees and buildings interferes with the wind resource. At a minimum, the bottom of the area swept by a turbine’s blade should be at least 30 feet above any trees or buildings within 300 feet.
For wind machines that use batteries to store the power, a controller manages the electrical input to the batteries. An inverter converts direct current (DC) electricity to alternating current (AC).
For more information, see: Wind Energy for Colorado Homeowners, Farmers, and Small Businesses – CSU Extension
Updated Thursday, May 17, 2012