Chapter 2. Scope of Wind Energy Generation Technologies

The energy from the wind has been harnessed since early recorded history all across the world. There are proofs that wind energy propelled boats along the Nile River around 5000 B.C. The use of wind to provide mechanical power came somewhat later in time — by 200 B.C. simple windmills started pumping water in China, and vertical-axis windmills with woven reed sails were grinding grain in the Middle East. The Europeans got the idea of using wind power from the Persians who introduced it to the Roman Empire by 250 A.D. By the 11th century, a strong focus on technical improvements enabled wind power to be leveraged by the people in the Middle East extensively for food production. Returning merchants and crusaders carried this idea back to Europe where the Dutch refined the windmill and adapted it for draining lakes and marshes in 1300s.