May. 26, 2025
Energy
Wind is the largest source of renewable energy in the United States, providing clean electricity from land and offshore to individual homes, remote farms, small communities and large cities alike.
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Wind energy is old—so old that ancient Egyptians used this bountiful, blustery resource, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, to propel their boats down the Nile River. The first wind turbines (or windmills, as they were originally called) were made from abundant materials, such as wood or reeds, which were woven into tight blades and spun to pump water for farms, grind grain, and, eventually, power entire communities.
Today's wind turbines use sleek, modern materials to generate clean, renewable energy almost anywhere in the world.
To answer this question, it's best to start with another: What is wind?
Wind is born when pockets of the Earth's craggy surface get different amounts of sun and cool or heat faster than others nearby. To balance those differences, like mixing hot and cold water in a bathtub, air moves around the world—gaining or losing speed as it dips through valleys and sprints over rivers. That creates—you guessed it—wind.
Wind can be powerful enough to whisk birds through the sky, move sailboats across the ocean, and even rip trees from the ground. In comparison to all that, pushing wind turbine blades is easy! It's that movement of the turbines that creates electricity.
Want to know how much wind energy is humming across your state? Check out NREL's wind maps on WINDExchange.
Wind turbines, like windmills, catch the wind's energy with propeller-like blades. These blades can have a horizontal axis, like a fan, or vertical one, like a merry-go-round. The most common design is a tall tower with three large blades on a horizontal axis. But some vertical-axis wind turbines look like eggbeaters, while others look like the windmills that populated farms a century ago.
Unlike fans, which use electricity to move air, wind turbines use moving air to generate electricity. When the wind blows, its force turns the blades, which runs a generator and creates clean electricity. But some turbine designs can produce more clean energy than others. For example, because winds can be more powerful and less volatile higher in the atmosphere, placing turbines on towers 100 feet (or 30 meters) tall—about the height of the Statue of Liberty—can help them generate more electricity. Wind turbine operators can also shift their machines to face directly into the wind—a technique called yawing.
Can't picture this? Watch the U.S. Department of Energy's wind energy animation to see wind turbines in action.
There are several ways to get power from wind energy. Wind turbines can be built on land, on lakes or in the ocean, in remote wilderness far from the power grid, within cities, or across vast plains.
One wind turbine can power an individual home or farm, but several built close together form a wind energy plant, or wind farm. Wind plants can be land-based or offshore, and they can be hybrid plants (meaning, they include other sources of energy, such as solar energy). Wind energy researchers are trying to learn how many wind turbines built in which arrangements can maximize energy production in wind plants.
Today, most grid-connected wind plants are at least 1 megawatt or larger. The biggest wind farm in the United States spans 100,000 acres (enough to cover half of New York City) and can power more than 250,000 homes.
Wind energy has three major applications: land-based, distributed, and offshore.
The majority of turbines are installed on land. And land-based wind energy is one of the lowest-cost sources of electricity generation, as highlighted by the U.S. Department of Energy.
Researchers at NREL are categorizing wind resources on land and advancing wind turbines to more efficiently generate electricity at even lower cost.
Distributed wind energy is a distributed energy resource, meaning it produces a smaller-scale unit of power. In this case, it comprises one or more wind turbines, which range from a kilowatt to several megawatts in capacity.
These typically land-based turbines operate locally to provide energy for individual buildings or small communities, though they can be connected to a power grid at the distribution level. Some wind turbines can even pop up as mobile, on-demand sources of clean power in disaster or defense scenarios.
Homeowners, farmers, businesses, and industries make use of clean, distributed wind energy to pump water (to use as drinking water, to irrigate farms, and more), to lower electric bills, and to reduce air pollution.
Distributed wind turbines are improving all the time, growing stronger, less costly, more resilient, and more efficient.
Wind turbines used in offshore wind energy can be even larger than on land, with towers one-and-a-half-times the height of the Washington Monument and blades as long as a football field (as noted in to the U.S. Department of Energy's list of 10 things you may not have known about wind energy).
These behemoths depend on strong sea breezes to spin turbines that are either anchored to the seafloor (called fixed-bottom wind turbines) or installed on platforms that float (called floating wind turbines). Offshore wind turbines can provide electricity to power ocean-based research and equipment, such as unmanned robots used for marine exploration; remote or island communities disconnected from the grid; or entire cities back on land.
The offshore wind energy industry is growing. Researchers are identifying massive amounts of potential wind energy off U.S. coastlines, and the Biden administration has set a goal to install 30 gigawatts of wind energy by . That will require us to grow the offshore wind energy workforce as well as the supply chain to build and infrastructure to deploy new offshore wind farms.
The U.S. Department of Energy indicates that, as of , nearly 80% of the nation's electricity is used to power our coastal and Great Lakes states, where most Americans live. So, even though offshore wind energy is a relatively new industry in the United States, it could soon provide clean, renewable electricity to many U.S. communities. America's first offshore wind farm, located off the coast of Rhode Island, powered up in December . Today, many more projects are in development along the U.S. East Coast that could send power back to the grid. And, with technology advancements for floating offshore wind energy, wind farms are coming to the West Coast as well.
Wind energy is one of the largest sources of clean, renewable energy in the United States, making it essential to a future carbon-free energy sector. Wind turbines do not release emissions that pollute our air or water, and they can be built with minimal impact to the environment or livelihoods of nearby residents. Farmers and ranchers, for example, can lease their land to wind farms and, because the turbines take up minimal space, continue to grow crops or raise livestock while earning a steady income.
But wind energy can be even better.
The wind energy industry is working to figure out what areas of research need more attention to expand the use of wind energy. This includes understanding how wind interacts with a turbine behind (downwind from) another one, evaluating the best ways to verify new technologies, and incorporating feedback from communities living near or using wind turbines.
Researchers are studying different materials and designs that could make wind turbine blades lighter, longer, more durable, and better at creating energy. New technologies could also make wind turbines less expensive to manufacture, install, operate, and maintain, making wind energy more accessible to more people. As a bonus, some new materials and processes could make wind turbines more reusable or recyclable, which can cut down on waste, too.
Scientists are also studying ways to limit the impact wind turbines can have on wildlife. For example, sound and light could warn birds and bats to fly around wind turbines. And even though wind turbines must be installed far enough from homes that they produce noise no louder than a refrigerator's hum, researchers have discovered ways to further reduce their noise levels. Because wind turbines are a significant source of clean energy, they lower pollution to help keep the Earth (and, therefore, its birds, bats, and humans) healthy.
For more information, visit NREL's Wind Energy Research site or the following resources:
Wind Energy Basics
U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
Small Wind Electric Systems
U.S. Department of Energy's Energy Savers Program
Wind Energy Educational Resources
U.S. Department of Energy's WINDExchange Initiative
The image of a large wind turbine slowly rotating in the sun has long been the poster child of renewable energy – and a glimpse into a cleaner future.
And while wind farms were once a rare sight only found in specific locations, they’re now appearing in regions all over the world. In the race to reverse the effects of global warming, wind power is quickly becoming one of the most effective – not to mention cheapest – forms of green energy.
For more information, please visit New Energy Era.
America is now the second-largest wind power producer – second only to China – with almost 112,000 megawatts of installed capacity. We now boast enough wind turbines to power more than 34 million homes and avoid 42 million cars’ worth of CO2 emissions. The monumental rise of wind power also heavily contributed to America using more renewable energy than coal in for the first time in 130 years.
But while turning wind into electricity seems like the perfect climate change solution, we still need a lot more progress if wind is to reach its potential not just as a dominant source of renewable energy – but energy in general.
So, to give you a clearer picture of what lies ahead, let’s take a closer look and find out what you need to know about the future of wind energy.
While most of us are familiar with seeing wind farms in open fields or coastal regions, there’s growing interest in maximizing generation by constructing giant turbines miles out in the middle of the ocean. Free from wind-blocking obstructions like buildings, trees, and hills, offshore turbines are generally much more efficient and productive than their land-based counterparts.
Eighty miles off the UK coast, construction has already started on the world’s largest offshore wind farm, the 3.6 gigawatt “Dogger Bank” project that will be rolled out in three separate phases. Construction will start in , and when completed, the wind farm will be large enough to power around six million UK homes.
In the US, we’ve been slower than some other countries to embrace offshore wind, with the first project only coming online in off the coast of Rhode Island. Since then, interest in new projects has grown almost exponentially, with state procurement targets indicating we could see almost 30 gigawatts of offshore wind installed by . With the vast coastal regions surrounding much of the country, the U.S. Department of Energy estimates that offshore wind could provide more than double our current energy demand.
With abundant wind resources and the booming investment in the sector, it looks as though offshore wind will play a critical role in America’s renewable energy transition – and set new standards that many other countries will seek to replicate.
In the effort to generate more power (and profit) from each wind power generator, there’s something of an arms race going on between the world’s most prominent turbine manufacturers.
Energy company General Electric, which recently announced it would exit the coal power station business, has unveiled its new “Haliade-X” turbine, a 13-megawatt behemoth with a rotor diameter the size of two football fields. Currently being tested in Rotterdam, GE will use the new model in offshore wind farms and has already landed a substantial number of pre-orders.
“The race to build bigger turbines has moved faster than many industry figures foresaw. G.E.’s Haliade-X generates almost 30 times more electricity than the first offshore machines installed off Denmark in .” Stanley Reed, New York Times
Siemens Gamesa has gone a step further with a record-breaking turbine of its own, a 14-megawatt offshore model that can raise its output up to 15-megawatts with a unique “power boost” function.
Siemens has stated it plans to continue developing larger and larger models, and that ultimately, the ceiling of turbine size may be decided by economics rather than physics.
As Peter Esmann, Senior Product Manager, and Sidse Legaard Jensen, Commercial Product Manager at Siemens Gamesa put it, “Like with ships or aircraft, there comes a point where increasing size is not economically viable anymore. This however does not mean that turbine developments will then stop, but instead that the advances will likely focus even more on efficiency.”
Not too long ago, wind farms were a much cleaner alternative to traditional power plants fueled by coal and natural gas – but they came at a substantially higher price. However, with the rapid acceleration of renewable energy in recent years, the cost of wind turbine energy is now cheaper than fossil fuels in many countries – and the price gap looks set to keep growing.
A report by the International Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) found that in , three-quarters of new onshore wind farms provided electricity at a lower cost than the cheapest new coal or gas power stations. IRENA also projects that between now and , the prices of onshore and offshore wind farms could drop by a further 45% and 50%, respectively.
“By , new utility-scale solar PV and onshore wind will be undercutting not only the cost of new fossil fuel fired projects by substantial margins, but will on average be cheaper than operating almost 1,700 GW of existing coal capacity.” Michael Taylor, IRENA
With new wind farms producing clean electricity at such a low cost, and coal generation continuing to drop by record amounts, it seems to be just a matter of time before wind power becomes one of the most dominant energy sources in America – if not the world.
In addition to providing clean, low-cost electricity, the wind industry is also expected to create thousands of new jobs as America strives towards net-zero emissions in the coming decades.
The wind sector already employs around 120,000 Americans, and the US Bureau of Labor Statistics expects the employment of wind turbine technicians to grow 61% over the next ten years, making it the second fastest growing job in the country. Wind technician jobs also pay an average annual salary of around $53,000 – more than $12,000 above the US national average.
“The wind industry’s rapid and continued growth has meant more family-sustaining jobs, more local manufacturing, more opportunities for veterans, and more support for farming communities, all while providing reliable, low-cost, and zero-carbon electricity for millions of Americans.” Tom Kiernen, CEO American Wind Association
When we hear discussions about the pros and cons of wind energy, one of the major objections is the threat that spinning blades present to bird populations. The US Fish and Wildlife Service estimates that wind turbines kill between 140,000 and 500,000 birds in America each year, and pose a significant threat to large birds with low birth rates such as eagles, hawks, and falcons.
But thankfully, a new discovery by the Norwegian Institute of Nature Research is generating some very promising results.
Following a multi-year trial, researchers found that painting one of the turbine’s three blades black reduced bird mortality rates by 70%, with the color change helping to reduce “motion smear” and giving birds more time to adjust their flight paths. And while the trial scope was relatively small, it provided a simple and practical method of reducing animal deaths without expensive changes to wind turbine manufacturing or operation.
And while we should note that wind farms kill far fewer birds than many other sources, it’s encouraging to see growing research into turbine safety – which will only help to accelerate the deployment of renewables around the country.
As wind power goes from strength to strength, there’s an increasing – and arguably, long overdue – focus on what should be done with the thousands of turbine blades and components that have reached the end of their usable life.
Around 85% of an existing wind energy generator can be recycled or reused, including copper, wires, steel, gears, and electrical components. But the blades themselves – which are made from special fiberglass to meet weight and strength requirements – are generally removed, cut into smaller pieces with industrial machinery, and stored or buried in the ground.
But thankfully, work is underway to put old turbine blades to much better use.
GE Renewable Energy recently announced a partnership with global waste management company Veolia to begin the first US wind turbine blade recycling program. Under the multi-year agreement, most of GE’s used blades will be shredded and used to make cement, replacing the need for coal and other virgin materials while reducing carbon dioxide emissions of cement production by 27%.
“Last summer we completed a trial using a GE blade, and we were very happy with the results. This fall we have processed more than 100 blades so far, and our customers have been very pleased with the product.” Bob Cappadona, Veolia North America Environmental Solutions
Many other turbine manufacturers are also experimenting with recyclable materials, including a new resin called Elium, which can be melted down and molded back into brand new blades.
Global wind turbine manufacturer Vestas has also announced an ambitious goal to develop blades that can be completely recycled and produce only “zero-waste” turbines by . The company said within two years, it would announce a new circular strategy covering its entire design, production, service, and end-of-life process. Vestas CEO, Anders Vedel, made it clear he was committed to developing greener wind energy solutions, “If we are to spearhead the energy transition, we must be an example for doing so in the most sustainable way, and this involves making sustainability part of everything we do.”
With the rapid acceleration of wind generation in recent years, and the plummeting electricity costs that are now outpacing coal and gas, wind power looks set to become one of our primary energy sources over the coming decades.
If you would like to support wind farms, you can purchase Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) from the Terrapass website, which encourage clean energy production while helping to construct and expand wind farms around America.
We’ve believed in the many benefits of wind energy for a very long time, and we’re encouraged by many of the exciting innovations in the sector. Wind power is clearly a great thing for our environment – as well as our economy.
In and beyond, we’re excited to see just how far wind power can take us in the fight against of global warming – and reduce our energy bills in the process.
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