WALT: use our notes from watching a 'You Tube' clip to write an explanation for our mini-inquiry.

How is wind transformed into electrical energy (electricity)?

To transform the kinetic energy of the wind into electricity, a machine such as a wind turbine is used.

On top of a wind turbine is a box called a nacelle.  Attached to the nacelle are propeller like blades which are attached to a rotor.  Also on top of the nacelle is an anemometer that measures wind speed and direction.  The wind direction rotates the nacelle to face into the wind.  The kinetic energy of the wind turns the turbine blades around the rotor creating mechanical energy.

The rotor connects the main shaft which turns inside the generator housing.  Here a magnetic rotor spins inside loops of cooper wire.  This causes electrons inside the copper to flow, creating electrical energy - electricity.

A step-up transformer inside the nacelle increases the electrical generation -vaults.  The electricity generated then travels down large cables from the nacelle through the tower and into underground cables.  The cables take the electricity generated from all the wind turbines to a sub station.  Here another step-up transformer increases the electrical out-put.  A transmission line connects the electricity out-put at the sub-station to the electrical grid which serves communities in the region.

That in summary, is how wind turbines transform kinetic energy from the wind, into electrical energy - electricity.


Miss Gray used Google Images to find diagrams to support her explanation.