Wind - Basic Operation
A wind turbine is a machine that converts the kinetic energy in wind into mechanical energy by rotating the blades. The mechanical energy is then converted to electricity by electromagnetic induction using an electrical generator. The rotor blades take the most energy from the wind when they are facing directly into the wind. Turbines use a furling tail to point the blades into the wind. The tail is also used to safely direct the rotor blades away from the wind if the windspeeds are so great that they might damage the turbine
Each model of turbine has a minimum windspeed at which it starts producing power (cut-in windspeed). So, eventhough at very low windspeeds the blades turn, it is only when windspeeds exceed the cut-in windspeed that electricity is generated.
In general, the longer the blades the more electricity the turbine should deliver. The height above ground level has a large effect on the power generated with higher turbines delivering greater power. The quality of the wind is also vital in determining how much electricity is generated. Regular, clean wind with little or no turbulence results in greater amounts of electrcity being produced. See suitability.