Wind power has been a source of energy from as far back as the 1st century AD. In the early centuries when the first set of windmills were built, the blades were made of a wooden frame covered with cloth. Though these windmills were not like our turbines today in look. They were very effective in fulfilling the purposes for which they were made. They were mostly used for grinding corn and to draw up water. Windmills were also used in the sugarcane industry to extract the cane juice for processing.
The windmill as it was known back then was also good in providing a means of pumping water. This made the lives of many farmers so much easier as they could get more water into their fields. It also helped the rail industry by allowing them to send water to wells which were more accessible to steam engines.
However things began to change in the 1980’s. We found out a way in which we could generate electricity by simply using the wind to power electricity producing turbines. This was the beginning of a new era. The design was modified to improve efficiency. Some countries now get up to 19% of their electricity from the wind. The numbers continue to grow as more and more countries realize the importance of using renewable energy such as wind power.
