What is a wind turbine?

A wind turbine is a machine that converts kinetic energy in wind into mechanical energy. They can be separated into two types based on the axis about which the turbine rotates. Turbines that rotate around on a horizontal axis are more common.

How do they work?

The horizontal axis wind turbines have a main rotor shaft and an electrical generator at the top of the tower, this must be pointed into the wind, they then convert the energy into kinetic energy to help produce energy for other machines.

Advantages

• The energy is free and renewable
• There are no hazardous emissions and no environmental impact
• Economical to produce
• Ground can still be used for agricultural purposes

Disadvantages

• People think that wind turbines might ruin the landscape
• Takes up more space yet produces same amount of energy than a power station
• They are very expensive to produce
• Some people have criticised the noise of the wind turbines