Wind Energy

Wind is a renewable energy source that emits no pollution. It is the fastest-growing "green" energy in the U.S. and provides light to the Statue of Liberty. Wind power is the conversion of wind energy into more useful forms, usually electricity, using wind turbines. Most modern wind power is generated in the form of electricity by converting the rotation of turbine blades into electrical current by means of an electrical generator. Wind farms—clusters of huge windmills—produce electricity by using the motion of their blades to spin a shaft connected to a generator. Experts estimate that the electricity created in 2006 by America's wind farms will displace some 15 million tons of carbon dioxide. Over five million acres of forest would be needed to absorb that much CO2. Some people oppose wind farms because they occupy large tracts of land and can sometimes harm birds, but most agree that their environmental costs are much lower than those of fossil fuels.