Harnessing wind energy has been a task for mankind since 1000 b.c. Beginning with the simple cloth sail to use the energy from wind to propel boats, early civilizations realized the inherent power of wind and continued to invent new technologies in order to efficiently use this renewable energy source. The Persians continued this research into utilization of wind energy by creating one of the first known vertical axis windmill systems around 500 a.d. This windmill was primarily used for the grinding of grains and the pumping of water for irrigation purposes. Information of this wind energy harnessing ability spread throughout Asia and Europe over time and newer more efficient windmills were developed. Most uses of wind energy consisted of only direct action from wind on turbines which were used to simply automate what normally took an inordinate amount of time by human hands. Wind energy was being harnessed not for its potential energy but rather for its current energy. People of this time period could not discover a way to save the energy that was collected; wind energy had to be used as it flowed past the blades of the turbine. When this technology arrived in America around 1850, it was primarily used for the same purposes; pumping water to the many farm homes in need of irrigation and for allowing livestock fresh water to drink. During the late 19th century, Charles Brush was able to develop the first wind powered turbine that generated electricity in the United States. Even though his windmill was innovative for the time, it had a few drawbacks. Due to its low blade speed, the 17-meter rotor would only generate around 12 kilowatts. Modern rotors of similar size can generate up to 100 kilowatts of power.
Read the rest of this entry »

Related posts

• Harnessing Wind Energy in the 21st Century (0)
• Wind Energy: Utilize The Wind Power (0)
• Wind Energy (0)
• Popularity of Wind Energy Growing (0)
• Wind Energy: The Circulates Renewable Energy (0)