Function

• Wind turbines rely on the renewable source of wind power that results when the Earth rotates. The wind spins three large blades connected to a turbine that spins a shaft connected to a generator. When the generator spins, giant magnets cast power through wires, and that electricity is sent down through a wind turbine shaft and into the power grid. Wind strong enough is only available in certain areas, but these areas can constantly supply enough power for complete cities if needed.
  
  

Size

• Wind turbines placed together are known as a wind farm. Wind farms take up unused land and instead of polluting the air like a coal burning plant, they provide a noise-free and pollution-free source of power. Smaller wind turbines can be attached to a corner of home and provide free electricity for lighting and small appliances. These sources of power will help cut down on electricity bills overall and the payback period is worth it for the life of the turbines.
  
  

Benefits

• One of the main benefits of wind turbines is that while they cost more than coal plants, their impact on the environment is minimal. Coal has to be mined and transported to plants almost every day, adding even more CO2 into the air, but after the construction of the wind turbines, little maintenance needs to be done to the machines except for routine check-ups.
  
  

Geography

• While wind turbines could take up a large area of land, many of the high winds are available just off the coast of the United States. This means that power can be supplied to large areas without having to take up any of the actual land in the United States. This saves up a lot of space for nature preservation and future development.
  
  

Significance

• One wind turbine could power up to 300 homes, so the placement of these in specific areas can provide power to whole neighborhoods and sections of a city. The use of one can power a whole business building on its own and cut down on electricity wasted to supply power to 24-hour lights at large retailers. The mixed use of wind turbines and other environmentally friendly products will leader to a cleaner atmosphere and potential avoidance of global warming.