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Wind Power: Ancient source of power Sailors have used wind power for thousands of years to move their sailboats and sail ships across countries and continents.  The first century (AD) Greek engineer Heron Alexandria's wind wheel is the earliest known instance of using a wind-driven wheel to power a machine. Windmills first came to be used in the Persian civilization (today's Iran) by  around 9th century and hence the name Persian wheel. Later,  windmills became popular across the Middle East, Central Asia, India and China to lift water for human needs and irrigating crops. By the end of 12th century, windmills were used  to grind flour in Europe. Later, by the end of 19th century,  a Scottish professor produced electricity by a crude wind turbine to light his cottage. Around the same time,  inventions in America  and Netherlands standardized the production of electricity by wind turbines.

How does wind produce power?
Wind is nothing but the movement of air across the surface of the Earth due to difference in air pressure. The variation in air pressure is caused by uneven heating of the earth surface and the air above. Therefore, wind speed  varies depending on the place, altitude and other weather factors.  The wind, thus blowing from high pressure area to the low pressure area, is tapped by  gigantic wings  mounted over  tall structures. The rotating wings  get the turbines located underneath to revolve at a high speed and produce electricity. Typically, wind farms are located at places where the velocity of wind is capable of  rotating turbines to produce electric energy. Generally, a wind farm has hundreds of wind turbines interconnected with a medium voltage power collection system. The power produced by  the wind turbines is  then collected at a grid from where it is transmitted and distributed to power users.

Wind Power: The power of the future
With the global use of fossil fuels  touching dangerously high levels and its consequences, of late, there is a  huge  interest in wind power as an alternate source of energy. Production of wind power consumes no fuel, and emits no pollution unlike fossil fuels as source of power. Hence, wind power is considered as  clean and ideal source of  energy  in the global warming context.  Besides, it is estimated that the total quantity of available wind power is way above the  power sourced by the world from  all other energy sources. In a way wind power can be considered as an eternal energy source. And therefore, wind power is hailed as the power of the future. Wind power production industry  offers an attractive investment option, as many countries are inviting entrepreneurs by giving tax concessions for establishing and running wind turbines. Huge investments are being made in many countries in setting up large wind farms.  While China, the U.S.A. and Germany have the highest potential for producing wind power, the U.S.A. is in the forefront of  realizing the potential.  It produces nearly 30 per cent of the total world wind power. China, Spain, Germany follow distantly. There are however many other countries including the developed and the developing ones in the race of harnessing wind power.  Considering the world-wide interest evinced  in wind power,  it clearly stands out and  holds promise as  the energy of the future.