SAM+M

= WIND ENERGY =

What Is It?
Wind energy is the uneven heating of the Earth's surface caused by the. believe as long as the sun shine the earth will have wind power.

Types
There are three types, they are VAWT Savonius, HAWT towered and VAWT Darrieus. Wind turbines can rotate in either a horizontal or a vertical axis, the most common being both. They types are pictured below. Also there are horizontal-axis variety, and vertical-axis design.

[[image:wind+farm2.jpg align="right"]]
===They use blades to collect the wind’s kinetic energy and then turns it into mechanical, so it will power things. It turns the moving air and power an electric generatorthat supplies an electric current and make energy. The wind turns the blades, which spins a shaft, which connects to a generator and makes electricity to power stuff. If the wind gets too high, the turbine has a brake that will keep the blades from turning too fast and being damaged, and flying off.===

How the energy is used?
The energy produces by the wind turbines can be used as pumping water, generator, to power homes, businesses, schools, and more.

Video:
http://www.nrel.gov/learning/re_wind.html

Facts:
About 11 percent of the entire world's wind-generated electricity is found in California. As of 1999, there were 11,368 wind turbines in California. Wind speeds usually must be above 12 to 14 milesper hour.

[[image:wind-energy.jpg]]
Sources: http://www.eia.doe.gov/kids/energy.cfm?page=wind_home-basics http://windeis.anl.gov/guide/basics/index.cfm http://www1.eere.energy.gov/windandhydro/ http://www.energyquest.ca.gov/story/chapter16.html http://www.nrel.gov/learning/re_wind.html http://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/prog/energy/wind_energy.html http://www.windustry.org/wind-basics/learn-about-wind-energy/wind-basics-why-wind-energy/why-wind-energy http://www.energy.ca.gov/wind/ http://www.windenergy.org/ http://www.greenstudentu.com/encyclopedia/energy/wind