Wind

1. Wind By: Joey Rossi

2. What is Wind Energy? • Wind Energy- electrical energy obtained from harnessing the wind with windmills or wind turbines.

3. Wind is Used to…. • Turn a turbine and generate electricity • Powering yachts and sailing ships • Pumping water • Kite-flying, sailing, wind-surfing, kite-surfing, hang-gliding, para-sailing, wind-skiing

4. Windmills in the U.S • First became popular in mid-1800s. • The blades on windmills harness the energy of the wind, using it to turn the gears which were connected to a pump system to pull water from the ground. • Since the time that windmills were invented, their basic design has remained unchanged. • The size of a windmill was determined by factors such as the depth and size of the aquifer beneath it. In the past, settlers opted for the most efficient size to utilize as much of the water as possible.

5. Wind in our Environment • Cleans our air. • Preserves clean water. • Generates electricity without polluting water resources. • Conserves water resources which help to reduce our thirst for fresh water. • It could account for a full fifth of the world’s energy needs by 2030.

6. Wind Turbine • Generates approximately 2.2 million kWh of electricity each year. • 277 feet tall. • Each blade is 91 feet long. • The blades spin at 300 mph. • A single turbine costs $3 million. • The large blades can interfere with some radar systems used by weather stations or air traffic controls, at times being mistaken for planes or various weather patterns.

7. Interesting Facts • Wind energy is clean and renewable. • Windmills were first used in Persia in 200 B.C • In 1997 wind power generated only 0.1% of the world’s electricity, this increased to 1.5% in 2008 and 2.5% in 2010. • 80 different countries use wind power to generate electricity.

8. The End!