History of Wind Energy
People have been using wind for energy since the beginning of recorded history. Wind has facilitated travel by powering sailboats. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, millions of windmills provided the power to pump water and grind grain. In the 1970s, wind energy production saw a resurgence. The energy crisis left energy consumers and corporations looking for a clean, cheap alternative to carbon-based fuels. Wind energy, this time in the form of high-tech wind turbines helped provide alternatives. Today, the U.S. has over 1600 MW of installed wind power that produces about 3 billion kWhrs of electricity each year.