Wind power

Lore & Background

Wind power is generated almost completely using wind turbines, generally grouped into wind farms and connected to the electrical grid. To help meet the Paris Agreement goals to limit climate change, analysts say it should expand much faster – by over 1% of electricity generation per year.

Reader's Guide

Wind power is a sustainable, renewable energy source with a much smaller environmental impact than burning fossil fuels. It is one of the lowest-cost electricity sources per unit of energy produced; in many locations, new onshore wind farms are cheaper than new coal or gas plants. However, wind power is variable, requiring energy storage or other dispatchable generation for a reliable supply. Land-based wind farms have a greater visual impact than most other power stations per energy produced, while offshore wind farms have less visual impact and higher capacity factors but are generally more expensive. Offshore wind power currently has about 10% of new installations. Regions in higher northern and southern latitudes have the highest wind power potential, and generation is higher at night and in winter, making combinations with solar power suitable in many countries. The total economically extractable wind power is considerably more than present human power use from all sources.

Did You Know?

• Wind power is proportional to the third power of wind speed; doubling wind speed increases available power eightfold.
• Almost all large wind turbines have a horizontal axis with an upwind rotor and 3 blades.