Wind Turbines. Evolution, basic principles and potential for conversion

Wind turbines are a very old form of wind energy. However, their operating principles were not established until the early 20th century, and it was not until the 1970s and 2000s in particular that we saw the development of today's wind turbines, with a major evolution in their use worldwide, in their size and power, and in their design. We've gone from small, isolated machines for pumping water to large, multi-megawatt wind farms connected to the grid.

Technological and scientific advances in various engineering fields, including aerodynamics, structures, materials, electrical engineering, meteorology and control, have improved the efficiency and reliability of these machines. Three-bladed horizontal-axis wind turbines have gradually become the norm, and now account for almost the entire market. These advances have also led to a significant reduction in the cost of a kilowatt-hour of wind power, resulting in a large and growing installed capacity in Europe, America and Asia.

This article provides an overview of all aspects related to wind power, covering, without being exhaustive, the themes involved and its specific features. In particular, it describes the energy conversion potential of the wind turbine rotor, whose principles are similar to or derived from those of helicopter propellers and rotors.