is Wind Power?

Do you like to fly a kite on a windy day?

The kite lifts off the ground and goes high in the sky.

A pinwheel spins in the wind.

Wind blows the seeds from a dandelion.

The kite, the pinwheel, and the seeds are all moved by wind power.

Wind power is a source of energy.

Getting power from wind is nothing new.

People used wind power long ago.

They made sailboats.

Later, they built windmills.

Wind turns the blades on a windmill.

People used windmills to pump water or turn grain into flour.

Today, we can use wind power to make electricity.

Electricity powers many things in our homes, such as lights and refrigerators.

Sources of Energy Wind blows all over the world.

Today, however, very little of our energy comes from wind.

Where does our energy come from?

Most of it comes from oil, natural gas, and coal.

These energy sources are called fossil fuels.

Fossil fuels are made from the remains of things that lived millions of years ago.

People burn fossil fuels to make energy.

A power plant, for example, burns coal to make electricity.

After fossil fuels are used up, they are gone forever.

Fossil fuels are nonrenewable resources.

They cannot be replaced.

Wind power is a clean source of energy.

It does not cause pollution.

We will not run out of wind.

It is a renewable resource.

Wind does not stop blowing after it is used for energy.

How Wind Power Works Today, modern windmills called wind turbines

make electricity.

A turbine looks different from the old type of windmill.

Its blades look like airplane propellers.

The tall part is usually hollow and made of metal instead of wood.

Most turbines have three blades.

Often, many turbines are built close together to form a wind farm.

Wind Power in the Future Today, we get most of our energy from fossil

fuels.

Wind power, however, is the fastest-growing renewable energy source.

Wind may be one important source of energy in the future.

Energy from water and the sun might also help reduce our need for fossil fuels.

Using these renewable energy sources will help make our planet a cleaner, greener place

to live!