NREL Energy Basics: Wind Energy

Wind energy provides clean electricity for small towns and large cities alike. But what exactly is wind energy? Well, it's one of the largest forms of renewable energy in the United States. And it harnesses the power of the wind to generate electricity. To do this, we typically use a wind turbine. The wind turbines use the same principle of aerodynamic lift, just like on an airplane. You use the moving air to turn the rotor of the wind turbine, which, either directly into the generator or through a gearbox, drives the gearbox to generate power. You then bring that alternating current down the tower, into your local collector system, and then into the grid. There are three primary ways to harness wind energy. There's land-based wind energy, which refers to electricity generated by large wind turbines installed on land. Land-based wind energy is a great form of renewable energy because, especially in the United States, is it's abundant. There's also offshore wind energy, which comes from wind turbines located in bodies of water. Offshore wind turbines can be mounted either fixed to the bottom of the ocean, and that's usually done in shallow water, or they can be floating and moored to the bottom. Those are usually in much deeper water. Finally, we have distributed wind energy, in which smaller wind turbines generate power on land specifically for nearby users like homes, businesses, schools, or farms. We're seeing an increase in interest from community members and individuals who are looking to move to sustainable ways of producing their energy. Wind energy is an infinite resource that doesn't pollute our air or water. It can also team up with other energy sources like solar to make our power grid more reliable. And, thanks to innovations in turbine design, manufacturing, and wind farm efficiency, it can deliver affordable power — even in remote locations. With so many benefits, it's no wonder wind energy is one of the fastest growing energy sources in the world. Learn more about how wind energy works, as well as it's electrifying role in our clean energy future at NREL.gov.