Wind · 8 min read · Energy Atlas Editorial

How Wind Turbines Work

Lift on aerofoil blades produces torque. A generator and power electronics feed the grid.

wind

Blades are wings. Pitch control feathers them in high wind. The nacelle houses gearbox or direct-drive generator. Yaw motors point the rotor. A cut-out speed protects the machine in storms.

Technology

Wind Turbine

A machine that converts wind into electricity, usually a three-bladed horizontal-axis turbine.

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Wind Energy

Uneven solar heating drives winds. Turbines intercept a fraction of that kinetic energy.

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Types of Wind Turbines

The wind turbines can have a vertical axis, which is the majority of installations, or a horizontal axis like the Darrieus or Savonius turbines.

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Questions

What is capacity factor?

How much energy a plant actually produced compared with running at full rated power the whole time.