How Does a Windmill Create Electricity?

A windmill/ wind turbine above power lines.

Windmills are designed to capture the kinetic energy of the wind. This kinetic energy is converted into mechanical energy, which is then used to drive a generator that converts this energy into electricity.

Wind

Wind is a form of solar energy as indicated on the Wind Energy Development Programmatic EIS website. This is due to the sun heating the atmosphere unevenly, leading to areas of warm air rising. Pockets of air move in to replace the rising air, thus creating wind.

Electricity Production

The wind turns the propellers on a windmill. This energy is converted into electricity by magnets moving past stationary coils of wire called a stator, as explained on the Energy Matters website. When the magnets pass the stator, AC electricity is produced, which is subsequently converted into DC electricity that can either be stored in batteries or distributed into the power grid.

Benefits of Wind Power

The main benefit of using wind power to produce electricity is that it is a renewable and clean source of energy. For instance, the BBC Weather Centre describes how windmills do not produce any emissions and the land on which they are built can still be used for agriculture.

References

• The Renewable Energy Centre: Wind Power
• Energy Matters: How a Wind Turbine Works
• Wind Energy Development: Wind Energy Basics
• The BBC Weather Centre: Wind Power