Book 22, Question 106
How Does a Wind Turbine Turn Wind Into Electricity?
A giant wind turbine looks like a big pinwheel. It makes electricity from the wind. The tip of a big turbine blade can move over a hundred miles an hour, even though the blades look slow.
More fun facts
- Wind turbines use their blades to catch the wind's moving energy.
- Wind flowing over the blades creates lift, like on an airplane wing, which makes the blades turn.
- The blades turn a shaft connected to a generator, which makes electricity.
- Wind turbines made about 10.5% of US electricity in 2025.
- Blade length is the biggest factor in how much electricity a turbine can make.
- Some turbines spin around a vertical axis, like an eggbeater, instead of a horizontal one.
Sources: eia.gov
Questions kids ask
How fast does the wind need to blow?
Big turbines work best where the wind averages at least 13 miles per hour, or 5.8 meters per second.