10 surprising wind power facts

How many of these facts do you know already?

A natural resource with huge potential: Wind power usage is growing rapidly and will play a huge role in our future. But how much do you know about wind power? We provide a rundown of some interesting, and possibly surprising, facts. Do you know all of these?

1. 1. Wind power is not a new invention. It was used as far back as 2000 BCE by civilizations in regions such as China and Persia to pump water or crush grain instead of generate electricity.
   2. Modern wind turbines are made of up to a staggering 8000 components. They have come a long way over the years.
   3. Wind energy is the fastest growing format of electricity throughout the world. It is likely to play a key role in negating global warming in the future.
   4. The blades that feature on most modern wind turbines can reach astonishing speeds of 320kph (200mph). That’s a similar speed as the Shinkhansen– known in English as the Japanese bullet train.
   5. It isn’t just buildings that turbines generate power for. Smaller turbines can actually charge batteries or act as backup generators for ships.
   6. Unlike many other forms of electricity production, wind power does not require significant amounts of water. It is estimated that this could save 30 trillion bottles of water in the USA alone.
   7. Despite their gargantuan size, wind turbines actually make very little noise. Some are even effectively silent, meaning you could stand next to these giants and have a conversation.
   8. It only takes a wind turbine approximately six months to offset the carbon dioxide required to produce it. After that, it will contribute to reducing global carbon dioxide emission for years to come.
   9. Wind energy is creating a large number of jobs. A 2017 study states that the solar and wind power sectors are creating jobs 12 times faster than the rest of the U.S. economy.
   10. On February 22, 2017, Denmark powered the entire nation for the day using only wind energy.