Wind resources are calculated based on the average wind speed and the distribution of wind speed values occurring within a particular area. Areas are grouped into wind power classes that range from 1 to 7. A wind power class of 3 or above (equivalent to a wind power density of 150–200 watts per square metre, or a mean wind of 5.1–5.6 metres per second) is suitable for utility-scale wind power generation, although some suitable sites may also be found in areas of classes 1 and 2. In the United States there are substantial wind resources in the Great Plains region as well as in some offshore locations. As of 2010 the largest wind farm in the world was the Roscoe Wind Farm in Texas, which produces 781.5 megawatts. By comparison, a typical new coal-fired generating plant averages about 550 megawatts.
By the early 21st century, wind was contributing slightly more than 1 percent of the world’s total electricity, and electricity generation by wind has been increasing dramatically because of concerns over the cost of petroleum and the effects of fossil fuel combustion on the climate and environment. From 2004 to 2007, for example, total wind power increased from 59 to 95 gigawatts worldwide. Germany possesses the most installed wind capacity (16.6 gigawatts), and Denmark generates the largest percentage of its electricity from wind (nearly 20 percent). The wind power industry estimates that the world could feasibly generate 12 percent of its total electricity from wind power by 2020. Various estimates put the cost of wind energy between 3 and 12 cents per kilowatt-hour, depending on the location. This is comparable to the cost of fossil energy. (The cost of coal-generated electricity is estimated at 4–8 cents per kilowatt-hour.)
Challenges to the large-scale implementation of wind energy include siting requirements such as wind availability, aesthetic and environmental concerns, and land availability. Wind farms are most cost-effective in areas with consistent strong winds; however, these areas are not necessarily near large population centres. Thus, power lines and other components of electrical distribution systems must have the capacity to transmit this electricity to consumers. In addition, since wind is an intermittent and inconsistent power source, storing power may be necessary. Public advocacy groups have raised concerns about the potential disruptions that wind farms may have on wildlife and overall aesthetics.
For example, the first proposed offshore wind farm in the United States, the Cape Wind Project located off the coast of Cape Cod in Massachusetts, has been opposed by residents concerned about the natural landscape. In addition, wind generators have been blamed for injuring and killing birds; however, experts have shown that modern turbines have a small effect on bird populations. The National Audubon Society, a large environmental group based in the United States and focused on the conservation of birds and other wildlife, is strongly in favour of wind power, provided that wind farms are appropriately sited to minimize the impacts on migrating bird populations and important wildlife habitat.
In 2011, wind turbines in the United States generated about 3% of total U.S. electricity generation. Although this is a small fraction of the Nation's total electricity production, it was equal to the annual electricity use of about 10 million households.
The amount of electricity generated from wind has grown significantly in recent years. Generation from wind in the United States increased from about 6 billion kilowatthours in 2000 to about 120 billion kilowatthours in 2011.
New technologies have decreased the cost of producing electricity from wind, and growth in wind power has been encouraged by tax breaks for renewable energy and green pricing programs. Many utilities around the country offer green pricing options that allow customers the choice to pay more for electricity that comes from renewable sources to support new technologies.
There are two types of wind machines (turbines) used today, based on the direction of the rotating shaft (axis): horizontal-axis wind machines and vertical-axis wind machines. The size of wind machines varies widely. Small turbines used to power a single home or business may have a capacity of less than 100 kilowatts. Some large commercial-sized turbines may have a capacity of 5 million watts, or 5 megawatts. Larger turbines are often grouped together into wind farms that provide power to the electrical grid.
Most wind machines being used today are the horizontal-axis type. Horizontal-axis wind machines have blades like airplane propellers. A typical horizontal wind machine stands as tall as a 20-story building and has three blades that span 200 feet across. The largest wind machines in the world have blades longer than a football field. Wind machines stand tall and wide to capture more wind.
Vertical-axis wind machines have blades that go from top to bottom. The most common type — the Darrieus wind turbine, named after the French engineer Georges Darrieus who patented the design in 1931 — looks like a giant, two-bladed egg beater. This type of vertical wind machine typically stands 100 feet tall and 50 feet wide. Vertical-axis wind machines make up only a very small share of the wind machines used today.