Wind Power

Wind power is the conversion of wind energy into mechanical or electrical energy, by using wind turbines to make electrical power, windmills for mechanical power, wind-pumps for water pumping or drainage, or wind-sails to propel and steer sailboats.

Wind power has come along way since its first use in sail ships. For over 2,000 years, windmills have been used as a source of mechanical energy. In 1887 the first conversion of a windmill's mechanical energy into electrical energy was conducted in Scotland by James Blythe of Anderson College. Cleaner, safer and less expensive than fossil fuel plants, wind energy is one of the world's fastest growing renewable resources.

Wind farms are groups of wind turbines working together to produce a considerable amount of electrical energy from the conversion of the kinetic energy produced by wind. The recent rise in construction of wind farms proved itself worthy by contribution to 2.5% of the world's energy in 2010.

There are two types of wind farms, onshore, or land wind farms and offshore, or sea wind farms. With more consistent, reliable, and stronger wind, offshore wind farms provide a more steady and greater amount of energy. The cost of construction of these offshore wind farms however, can not compete with that of the onshore wind farms.

As of 2011, Denmark generates approximately one quarter of their electricity from wind.