About Wind Turbines

Turbines used in commercial wind farms typically have three blades which rotate when pushed by the wind.  The blades are turned by a computer-controlled motor to face the wind and individual blades can be rotated to collect more or less wind depending on weather conditions.

The height of the tower and the length of the blades chosen for a project are determined largely by the type of wind at a particular site. For instance, a project on a farm with flat, sprawling land and low to medium wind speeds would be suitable for tall turbines with long blades to collect as much wind as possible. By contrast, a project on a mountain ridge with strong winds would be better suited with shorter, stockier turbines and shorter blades to mitigate the stress that these turbines would face in heavy wind conditions.

Turbine towers can range from approximately 90 to 150 meters in height and approximately 30 to 50 meters in length. The scale comparison chart below represents an average turbine of 120 meters alongside other objects for height reference: