Endless Facts, One Snippet at a Time
Wind Turbines: How Physics Captures the Breeze
- Wind turbines convert kinetic energy from moving air into electricity.
- Blades act like airplane wings, creating lift that makes them spin.
- A rotor connects the blades to a shaft that drives a generator.
- The faster the wind, the more energy the turbine can produce.
- Turbines automatically adjust blade angle to maximize efficiency.
- Offshore wind farms capture stronger, steadier winds at sea.
- Modern turbines can stand over 250 feet tall with blades longer than a jet wing.
- Physics limits efficiency to about 59%, known as Betz’s Law.
- Wind power is renewable, producing no greenhouse gas emissions.
- Turbines now supply clean energy to millions of homes worldwide.