History of wind energy Print E-mail
The history of wind energy dates back to more than five thousand years in Egypt where boats used to sail over long distances - however if we need to go by what has been found in written texts, then the history of wind energy probably dates back to the twelfth century in the Netherlands. The multi fan windmill was manufactured in the US during the second half of the nineteenth century. In the two decades, beginning from 1930, hundreds of wind generating turbines were manufactured in the US-these either had two or three thin blades which rotated at great velocity which were used to rotate electrical generators. These turbines was of use to provide electricity to the rural areas which were beyond the reach of conventional power supply and were used to charge storage batteries, operate radio receivers and to perform electrical functions like lighting an electric bulb which did not need a large amount of electricity . Windmills again became popular around the year 1980 onwards, mostly in the US and Europe and to a lesser extent in South and South East Asia. Within about ten years the installed capacity for generating wind power went through a substantial increase. Around two years ago, it was Germany which was in the lead of wind energy generating nations with a capacity of nearly twenty two thousand five hundred megawatts of wind power with the US in second place of nearly seventeen thousand megawatts of power .The third, fourth and fifth places respectively were occupied by Spain, India and China - both in terms of wind energy generated and wind power projects commissioned. Within the next one year, the World Wind Energy Association expects atleast one hundred and sixty GW of capacity to be installed in countries across the globe, as compared to about seventy five GW three years ago -this means an anticipated increased of more than twenty percent per year. In recent years, it is the US which has been most active in generating additional wind energy generating capacity .Two years back, in a single year, the total wind energy generating capacity in the US increased by nearly fifty percent. However, we need to face the unpleasant fact that it has not been roses all the way. Similar to the vagaries of the weather also, so also the strength and velocity of wind fluctuates and this has a direct impact on the consistency and intensity of wind energy which is generated and this causes it to be termed as slight unpredictable. Trees, tall buildings, hills, valleys, peaks can directly affect the intensity of winds and so far, man has not been able to devise a method to store wind energy.


 
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