How Does Wind Power Work?

Over the last couple of years wind power has come into its own and is getting a lot of press. It seems like everyone is jumping on the bandwagon promoting this clean, renewable energy source. But what is it and how can we use it?

First of all, you have to keep in mind that, in the strictest sense of the word, wind energy actually comes from the sun, since it's the heat of the sun that creates the wind. The sun heats the Earth but different surfaces will absorb the heat at different rates. When the hot air rises it draws cooler air in to replace it; this is the movement that we refer to as wind.

Using the wind to generate electricity is clean and renewable but not without it's problems. For example, using huge sections of land for a wind farm will prevent that land from being used to grow crops, though the sheep don't seem to mind. More often it is the cost of the initial installation of wind turbines that turns many people off.

However, the newest trend is for private households to make their own turbine which will dramatically cut down the cost of the initial outlay. The downside is that one turbine isn't going to be enough to supply your home with all the electricity it needs on a day to day basis. When you add to that the fact that it is not going to be windy everyday, there will continue to be shortfalls which you may still need the electricity company to supply.

As with most things, technology is making huge advances in the methods and efficiency of converting the wind into electricity as well as the storage capabilities of that electricity. So, as advances continue to be made, wind energy will become more and more feasible for wide scale commercial and residential use.

Now that you know more about wind power and how best to use it for your own personal use you might want to dig a little deeper and find out how to get a wind turbine that will help you save money on your electric bill, now and well into the future.