Wind power is the conversion of wind energy into useful form, such as electricity, using wind turbines.

Most modern wind power is generated in the form of electricity by converting the rotation of turbine blades into electrical current by means of an electrical generator.

Wind power is used in large scale wind farms for national electrical grids as well as in small individual turbines for providing electricity to rural residences or grid-isolated locations.

Wind energy is plentiful, renewable, widely distributed, clean, and reduces toxic atmospheric and greenhouse gas emissions if used to replace fossil-fuel-derived electricity.

There is an estimated 50 to 100 times more wind energy than plant biomass energy available on Earth. Most of this wind energy can be found at high altitudes where continuous wind speeds of over 160 km/h (100 mph) occur.

Wind energy continued its dynamic growth worldwide in the year 2006. 14.900 MW were added in the past year summing up to a global installed capacity of 73.904 MW by the end of December 2006. The added capacity equals a growth rate of 25 %, after 24 % in 2005. The currently installed wind power capacity generates more than 1 % of the global electricity consumption. Based on the accelerated development, WWEA has increased its prediction for 2010 and expects now 160.000 MW to be installed by the end of 2010. Source: WWEA

As a general rule, wind generators are practical where the average wind speed is 10 mph (16 km/h or 4.5 m/s) or greater. Usually sites are pre-selected on basis of a wind atlas, and validated with wind measurements. Meteorology plays an important part in determining possible locations for wind parks but meteorological wind data alone is usually not sufficient for accurate sitting of a large wind power project.

THE WIND CAN PROVIDE FOUR TIMES MORE ENERGY THAN WE NEED.
Greenpeace