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U.S. Department of Energy Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

How a Small Wind Electric System Works

Wind is created by the unequal heating of the Earth's surface by the sun. Wind turbines convert the kinetic energy in wind into clean electricity.

When the wind spins the wind turbine's blades, a rotor captures the kinetic energy of the wind and converts it into rotary motion to drive the generator. The manufacturer can provide information on the maximum wind speed at which the turbine is designed to operate safely. Most turbines have automatic overspeed-governing systems to keep the rotor from spinning out of control in very high winds.

A small wind system can be connected to an electric distribution system (grid-connected) or it can stand alone (off-grid).

See our wind power animation for more information.

This illustration shows the basic parts of a small wind electric system. It shows the wind turbine. The turbine features two, long, thin blades attached at one end. Next to the the blades is a rotor, which looks like a metal band next to the blades. The rotor's connected to a generator/alternator, a cylindrical-shaped device. A long, thin, triangular-shaped metal piece extends from the generator/alternator, with a tail at the end, which is shaped and placed much like the tail of one of those small wooden model planes. The turbine sits atop a tower, which is basically a long metal pole. The tower is connected beneath the generator/alternator.

Download high-resolution diagram:
JPG (ZIP 49 KB) | EPS (ZIP 413 KB)

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