By: Kate Jahera and By: Kate Jahera and Daniel BrownDaniel Brown

History of wind powerHistory of wind power

People have been People have been using the energy using the energy of the wind since of the wind since early history. Wind early history. Wind energy powered energy powered boats on rivers as boats on rivers as early as 5000B.C. early as 5000B.C. New ways of of New ways of of using the wind using the wind eventually spread eventually spread around the world. around the world.

History continuedHistory continued

By the 11By the 11thth century century people of the Middle people of the Middle East used windmills East used windmills for food production, for food production, and returning and returning merchants took this merchants took this idea back to Europe. idea back to Europe. Wind was eventually Wind was eventually used to pump water, used to pump water, and generate and generate electricity for homes electricity for homes and industries. and industries.

How is the energy source How is the energy source obtained?obtained?

Wind plants use Wind plants use large blades to large blades to catch the wind, catch the wind, that turns rotors that turns rotors that produce that produce energy.energy.

How is this energy source How is this energy source used?used?

Wind is used to Wind is used to generate generate mechanical power mechanical power or electricity. A or electricity. A generator can turn generator can turn this mechanical this mechanical energy into energy into electricity that can electricity that can be used homes, be used homes, schools, schools, businesses, etc.businesses, etc.

Positive aspects Positive aspects Wind patterns can be Wind patterns can be

predicted and predicted and locations have more locations have more reliable winds and reliable winds and produce more power. produce more power. It produces no air It produces no air pollution and there is pollution and there is no need to tear up no need to tear up land to extract the land to extract the resource that resource that produces wind power. produces wind power. It is also cheap and It is also cheap and easy. easy.

Negative aspectsNegative aspects

Some people may Some people may be concerned be concerned about the noise about the noise made by the wind made by the wind turbines. Although turbines. Although the sounds from the sounds from the plants are the plants are usually covered by usually covered by other natural other natural sounds.sounds.

More negative aspectsMore negative aspects The effects on bird The effects on bird

populations pose a populations pose a wildlife concern in wildlife concern in some places. The some places. The disturbed ground disturbed ground produced by the wind produced by the wind farms attracts mice farms attracts mice and other burrowing and other burrowing animals which attract animals which attract raptors. The birds can raptors. The birds can get caught in the get caught in the blades when the wind blades when the wind blows.blows.

BibliographyBibliography

Guided tour on Guided tour on wind energywind energy

www.windpower.dwww.windpower.dk/tour/k/tour/

National Wind National Wind Technology Technology CenterCenter

www.nrel.gov/www.nrel.gov/wind/wind/