Wind Energy Technology: Application and Impact

Energy plays a crucial role in both social and economic advancement. The growing impacts of climate change have prompted the use of renewable sources of energy, with wind being one of the main sources, to generate electricity. Wind energy technology captures the kinetic energy of wind and converts it into mechanical power or electricity. This technology is implemented primarily through wind turbines. This chapter wind energy technology primarily addresses the kinds of turbines or wind energy systems that are employed and their potential future applications. This chapter also highlights some of the forthcoming technologies for the production of wind energy (like multi-rotor, offshore floating, smart rotor, tip-rotors, composites, vortex nano, and airborne). Moreover, the applications of wind energy such as electricity generation, renewable hydrogen, water pumping, milling, industrial and agricultural uses, energy storage, transportation and mobility, and sailing. This chapter also gives an overview of the impacts of wind energy technology, including environmental, economic, and social impacts. As technology advances, wind energy continues to play an increasingly significant role in the global transition to renewable energy, contributing to sustainability, energy independence, and economic growth.