The History of Wind PowerIf you look back at the history of wind power, you find that people have been harnessing wind energy since very ancient times. The first account of wind power is found with the Egyptians using sails on ships to travel up and down the Nile River over 5000 years ago. The first windmills were used to grind wheat, corn and other grains. 
People from Holland later added to the windmill and improved it by giving it the propeller blades we usually picture when we think of Holland. These blades were covered with a material to make them “catch” the wind and cause them to turn.We find windmills used again in history by the early American colonials. They used them to grind grain and wheat, pump water, and power sawmills for cutting lumber. In the 1920s, smaller individual windmills were actually used in rural locations to generate electricity – independent from electric companies. Why did we stop using windmills?Very simply, as power lines were used more and more to carry electricity to more and more rural areas during the 1930s (especially in the United States), these individual windmills were used less and less. Eventually, everyone was “on the grid” and using electricity provided by electric companies. Many discussions have taken place concerning what life would be like if these individual windmills were still being used by most of us. The Re-Awakening of |
