Wind
A reliable energy
source with
multiple economic,
environmental and
social benefits
Wind Energy
Clean, renewable wind energy is an ideal alternative to fossil fuels. Wind turbines produce no atmospheric emissions, no harmful waste nor any other type of air or water pollution. And the noise produced by a wind turbine, as measured outdoors close to nearby homes, is no more than 40 dB, which is equivalent to the hum in a library.
Did you know
1
Wind became an option to produce electricity in Canada in the early 1970s. Since then, the science and technology of wind energy has continued to advance, resulting in much more efficient wind turbines and a more accurate method for choosing their location. Wind parks can now be planned with greater precision, long before construction even begins.
2
Man has been converting wind into mechanical energy for thousands of years, as ancient windmills and sailboats can testify. Modern wind farms are converting the kinetic energy of the wind into electrical energy.
How a wind turbine works
At the top of the tower sits the rotor, the main components of which are the blades. The blades are attached to an horizontal shaft connected to a generator inside the nacelle. When the wind blows it turns the blades, and the rotation generates electricity: as they turn, the blades activate a gearbox in the nacelle that runs the generator. The electricity produced is transmitted to a step-up station and then delivered to consumers through the grid.
The amount of energy produced depends on three main factors: wind speed, air density and the area swept by the blades.
