The Energy Matrix

The use of wind energy has been around for thousands of years. The ancient Egyptians used sails on their ships to capture the strength of the air currents to visit other lands. The Chinese used wind mills to grind grain. The practice spread throughout the world and the American settlers used wind to pump water and later to provide power to their farm houses. Today we are using wind to power not one house but thousands of homes. In 2008, we produced enough electricity by using wind turbines to power the entire state of Colorado.
There are two types of wind turbines being used to produce electricity. The two vertical blades are curved and attach at the top and the bottom of the shaft and look something like an eggbeater. The horizontal wind machines use three blades and look like a child’s pinwheel. These are giant machines stand hundreds of feet in the air to capture the stronger air currents that are above the ground.
Wind is a useful renewable energy as long as the sun shines and produces air currents. This is just energy from old technology with newer uses and hopefully replaces the need for dangerous coal production.

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