Generate mechanical power or electricity.
Wind is a form of solar energy. Winds are caused by the uneven heating of the atmosphere by the sun, the irregularities of the earth's surface, and rotation of the earth. Wind flow patterns are modified by the earth's terrain, bodies of water, and vegetative cover. Simply stated, a wind turbine is the opposite of a fan. Instead of using electricity to make wind, like a fan, wind turbines use wind to make electricity. The wind turns the blades, which spin a shaft, which connects to a generator and makes Wind power captures the natural wind in our atmosphere and converts it into mechanical energy then electricity. People started using wind power centuries ago with windmills, which pumped water, ground grain, and did other work. Today's wind turbine is a highly evolved version of a windmill. Modern wind turbines harness wind's kinetic energy and convert it into electricity. Wind 101: the basics of wind energy. Learn how wind energy works, what it’s used for, and how it can improve our lives at home and at work. View the wind turbine animation to see how a wind turbine works or take a look inside. Wind power or wind energy describes the process by which the wind is used to generate mechanical power or electricity. Wind turbines convert the kinetic energy in the wind into mechanical power.  A wind turbine is a device that converts kinetic energy from the wind into electrical power. The term appears to have migrated from parallel hydroelectric technology (rotary propeller). The technical description for this type of machine is an aerofoil-powered generator.  Chapter 16: Wind Energy. Wind can be used to do work. The kinetic energy of the wind can be changed into other forms of energy, either mechanical energy or electrical energy. When a boat lifts a sail, it is using wind energy to push it through the water. This is one form of work.  In the past, wind energy was used to propel sailing ships, as well as to power mechanical machines responsible for pumping water or processing grain. Today, wind energy's primary use is to generate electricity using wind turbines; however, alternative applications are currently under development. Wind Energy. Today's use of wind energy to create power takes the conversion process one step further. Converting wind's kinetic energy into mechanical power through the use of turbines is the first step. The terms  wind energy  or  wind power  describe the process by which the wind is used to generate mechanical power or electricity. Wind turbines convert the kinetic energy in the wind into mechanical power. Simply stated, a wind turbine is the opposite of a fan. Instead of using electricity to make wind, like a fan, wind turbines use wind to make electricity. The wind turns the blades, which spin a shaft, which connects to a generator and makes Wind Turbines. Wind turbines, like aircraft propeller blades, turn in the moving air and power an electric generator that supplies an electric current. Simply stated, a wind turbine is the opposite of a fan. Instead of using electricity to make wind, like a fan, wind turbines use wind to make electricity. The wind turns the blades, which spin a shaft, which connects to a generator and makes electricity. The terms wind energy or wind power describe the process by which the wind is used to generate mechanical power or electricity. Wind turbines convert the kinetic energy in the wind into mechanical power. Instead of using electricity to make wind, like a fan, wind turbines use wind to make electricity. The wind turns the blades, which spin a shaft, which connects to a generator and makes Wind power is extracted from air flow using wind turbines or sails to produce mechanical or electrical power. Windmills are used for their mechanical power, windpumps for water pumping, and sails to propel ships. A wind farm is a group of wind turbines in the same location used for production of electricity. A large wind farm may consist of several hundred individual wind turbines distributed over an extended area, but the land between the turbines may be used for agricultural or other purposes.
http://windeis.anl.gov/guide/basics/ http://www.awea.org/Resources/Content.aspx?ItemNumber=900 http://apps2.eere.energy.gov/wind/windexchange/what_is_wind.asp https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wind_turbine http://www.energyquest.ca.gov/story/chapter16.html http://www.ehow.com/how-does_4927850_how-wind-energy-used.html http://windeis.anl.gov/guide/basics/ http://windeis.anl.gov/guide/basics/ http://energy.gov/eere/wind/how-do-wind-turbines-work https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wind_power
what is wind used for