Wind power

Wind power is the use of <a href="/facts/Wind/Nt0QIu5B">wind</a> energy to generate useful work. Historically, wind power was used by <a href="/facts/Sails/Xm44ulmn">sails</a>, <a href="/facts/Windmill/D7rzFXT2">windmills</a> and <a href="/facts/Windpump/4c7sVQIj">windpumps</a>, but today it is mostly used to generate <a href="/facts/Electricity/hNC8D65W">electricity</a>. This article deals only with wind power for electricity generation.
Today, wind power is generated almost completely using <a href="/facts/Wind_turbine/lUfWqfLg">wind turbines</a>, generally grouped into <a href="/facts/Wind_farms/geQfaAFu">wind farms</a> and connected to the <a href="/facts/Electrical_grid/RkWPqjmG">electrical grid</a>.
In 2022, wind supplied over 2,304 <a href="/facts/TWh/qvVkEmPH">TWh</a> of electricity, which was 7.8% of world electricity.
With about 100 <a href="/facts/Gigawatt/VK8oqRrm">GW</a> added during 2021, mostly <a href="/facts/Wind_power_in_China/Bex7bc1v">in China</a> and the <a href="/facts/Wind_power_in_the_United_States/SXWxFH2z">United States</a>, global installed wind power capacity exceeded 800 GW. 32 countries generated more than a tenth of their electricity from wind power in 2023 and wind generation has nearly tripled since 2015. To help meet the <a href="/facts/Paris_Agreement/hfIXBN1W">Paris Agreement</a> goals to <a href="/facts/Climate_change_mitigation/GgkoeWMk">limit climate change</a>, analysts say it should expand much faster – by over 1% of electricity generation per year.
Wind power is considered a <a href="/facts/Sustainable_energy/EnD6dsKV">sustainable</a>, <a href="/facts/Renewable_energy/6Bu6IrpF">renewable energy</a> source, and has a much smaller <a href="/facts/Environmental_impact_of_wind_power/En9eT8fH">impact on the environment</a> compared to burning <a href="/facts/Fossil_fuel/BPgxAqB7">fossil fuels</a>. Wind power is <a href="/facts/Variable_renewable_energy/kynTl1t2">variable</a>, so it needs <a href="/facts/Energy_storage/9GWtAPeb">energy storage</a> or other <a href="/facts/Dispatchable_generation/CkT25V8c">dispatchable generation</a> energy sources to attain a reliable supply of electricity. Land-based (onshore) wind farms have a greater visual impact on the landscape than most other power stations per energy produced. <a href="/facts/Offshore_wind_farm/wqVKcFSw">Wind farms sited offshore</a> have less visual impact and have higher <a href="/facts/Capacity_factor/5DPMh92l">capacity factors</a>, although they are generally more expensive. Offshore wind power currently has a share of about 10% of new installations.
Wind power is one of the lowest-cost electricity sources per unit of energy produced. 
In many locations, new <a href="/facts/Onshore_wind_farm/geQfaAFu">onshore wind farms</a> are cheaper than new <a href="/facts/Coal-fired_power_station/QCklV8AD">coal</a> or <a href="/facts/Gas-fired_power_plant/DeDmXmHI">gas plants</a>.
Regions in the higher northern and southern latitudes have the highest potential for wind power. In most regions, wind power generation is higher in nighttime, and in winter when <a href="/facts/Solar_power/NpgmEbU2">solar power</a> output is low. For this reason, combinations of wind and solar power are suitable in many countries.

Wind power open-in-new

Wind power