Wind Energy

A wind turbine is a machine made up of two or three propeller-like blades called the rotor. The rotor is attached to the top of a tall tower. As the wind blows it spins the rotor. As the rotor spins the energy of the movement of the propellers gives power to a generator. There are some magnets and a lot of copper wire inside the generator that makes electricity. Because winds are stronger higher up off the ground, wind turbine towers are about 30 metres tall to allow the rotor to catch more wind energy. The turbines are built with a device that turns the rotor so that it always faces into the wind. Just one wind turbine can generate electricity for a single house or the electrical energy to pump water or to power a mill which grinds grain. The electricity can be used to charge batteries which store the electrical energy.