Wind Power-Producing Electricity

The first windmill for producing electricity was built in Scotland in 1887. In the US, a windmill producing electricity began operation in 1888. By 1908, there were 72 wind power generators from 5 kW to 25 kW. By the 1930s, windmills were mainly used to generate electricity on farms, mostly in the United States, where electrical distribution systems had not yet been installed. In this period, high strength steel was cheap, and windmills were placed atop prefabricated open steel towers. In 1941, the world's first megawatt-size wind turbine was connected to the local electrical distribution system on Grandpa's Knob in Castleton, Vermont, USA. This 1.25 MW wind power generator operated for 1100 hours before a blade failed at a known weak point, which had not been reinforced due to war-time material shortages.

From the mid 1970's through the mid 1980's, the United States government worked with industry to advance the technology and enable large commercial wind turbines to be developed. The large wind power generators that were developed then set several world records for diameter and power output. During this time, building home wind power generators became popular. However, building a home wind power generator was typically beyond the capabilities of the average homeowner. Later, in the 1980s, California provided tax rebates for wind power generation. These rebates funded the first major use of wind power for utility electricity. These machines, gathered in large wind parks such as at Altamont Pass would be considered small and inefficient by modern wind power development standards. In the 1990s, as aesthetics and durability became more important, turbines were placed atop steel or reinforced concrete towers.

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