Wind Power For centuries, the energy created by wind has been caught and used for milling, pumping and other things. Only in the past 50 years or so have we started to use wind energy to generate electricity on a small and large scale.

Advantages: Wind energy is there to use, it is renewable, clean and does not give off harmful gases. Our coastal regions are ideal for use of this technology.

Disadvantages: The wind doesn’t always blow, and wind generators create noise and are expensive to build, which means the electricity will be expensive.

How do we Generate Electricity from Wind Energy? The principle involved in electricity generation is very much the same as what has been used during the centuries. The only difference is the introduction of an electricity generator. The movement of air is used to propel blades. These blades then turn in the wind and along with it an axle that is attached at the centre of the blades. The axle caries over the energy to a gearbox and finally to the generator where the electricity is generated.

[source:  http://www.eskom.co.za]