Wind Energy Project Managers

The power of the wind was used as early as 5000 B.C., when Egyptians propelled boats on the Nile River with wind energy. By 200 B.C., windmills were used in China for pumping water, and vertical-axis windmills with woven reed sails were used in Persia and the Middle East for grinding grain. In the 11th century, windmills were used extensively in the Middle East for food production. European traders and religious crusaders brought windmill technology back to Europe, and the Dutch refined the design of the windmill so it could be used for draining marshes and lakes.

European colonists brought windmill technology to the Americas, where settlers used windmills to pump water for ranches and farms. Windmills were eventually used to generate electricity. European and American windmill use declined after the Industrial Revolution, as steam engines replaced water-pumping windmills. Inexpensive electricity became available to rural areas in the United States.

At the turn of the 20th century, larger windmills, known as wind turbines, were developed to create large amounts of electricity. Wind turbines were constructed in Denmark as early as 1890, and were also constructed in the United States.

There was increased focus on wind energy research and other renewable energy options due to the energy crisis in the 1970s. Scientists and other researchers sought ways to reduce costs and streamline wind energy technology. Since then, innovations and developments in wind energy systems and technologies have made wind power a viable energy source for homes and businesses. There are more than 76,050 turbines in the United States, according to the U.S. Wind Turbine Database. The U.S. Department of Energy reports that installed wind electricity capacity has been growing steadily in the U.S. since 2000, and is expected to continue growing throughout the states.