Animation of wind power generation principle

How do wind turbines work?

Wind turbines harness the wind—a clean, free, and widely available renewable energy source—to generate electric power. The animation below is interactive. You can start and stop the turbine’s movement, hover over parts to see their description, and use the icons in the lower right corner of the animation to switch views.

What is the difference between upwind and downwind turbines?

Upwind turbines—like the one shown here—face into the wind while downwind turbines face away. Most utility-scale land-based wind turbines are upwind turbines. The wind vane measures wind direction and communicates with the yaw drive to orient the turbine properly with respect to the wind.

What is a land based wind turbine?

Most utility-scale land-based wind turbines are upwind turbines. The wind vane measures wind direction and communicates with the yaw drive to orient the turbine properly with respect to the wind. The anemometer measures wind speed and transmits wind speed data to the controller. Most turbines have three blades which are made mostly of fiberglass.

How does a utility-scale wind plant work?

In a utility-scale wind plant, each turbine generates electricity which runs to a substation where it then transfers to the grid where it powers our communities. Transmission lines carry electricity at high voltages over long distances from wind turbines and other energy generators to areas where that energy is needed.

Why do wind turbines have three sections?

Towers usually come in three sections and are assembled on-site. Because wind speed increases with height, taller towers enable turbines to capture more energy and generate more electricity. Winds at elevations of 30 meters (roughly 100 feet) or higher are also less turbulent. Determines the design of the turbine.

How does a wind turbine controller work?

The controller allows the machine to start at wind speeds of about 7–11 miles per hour (mph) and shuts off the machine when wind speeds exceed 55–65 mph. The controller turns off the turbine at higher wind speeds to avoid damage to different parts of the turbine. Think of the controller as the nervous system of the turbine.