May 30, 2008
Wind Turbines
The kinetic energy in wind is converted to mechanical energy through the use of a Wind Turbine. A windmill is a type of wind turbine that uses the mechanical energy directly to power machinery such as grinding stones. A wind generator further converts the energy to electricity. Wind turbines were used as early as 200 B.C. In the United States the first wind turbine to be built for electricity purposes was built in Cleveland, Ohio in 1888. By World War I, 100,000 farm wind turbines were being built annually. Most were used for pumping water. The technology of wind turbines is only going to advance further as time goes on.