Wind Energy Paragraph

Wind energy is one of the many available renewable energy sources, meaning that it is a resource which can be used repeatedly because it is replaced naturally. Early recorded history shows that people used this form of energy to propel their boats since 5,000 B.C. Later China used windmills to pump water by 200 B.C., and Persia used windmills to grind grain and pump water about 500-900 A.D. Eventually the windmill lead to the creation of the first wind turbine, invented in 1888 in Cleveland, Ohio, by a Scottish scholar named Charles F. Brush [1]. A wind turbine is a device that converts kinetic energy gained from the wind into electrical energy [2], and a collection of wind turbines in one place is referred to as a wind farm. Today, wind energy contributes only 4.7% of the energy generated in the United States, but the Department of Energy predicts that the percentage will increase to 20% by 2030. Thus, a career in wind energy seems like a good choice for mechanical engineers.
The two main types of wind turbines are the horizontal-axis wind turbines and the vertical-axis wind turbines. The horizontal-axis wind turbine (HAWT), whose rotating axis is horizontal and thus parallel to the ground, is the most common type because it has a higher efficiency. The second type is the …show more content…
To be a wind energy engineer, you require a bachelor’s in a relevant field of engineering from an ABET-accredited program, a passing score on the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam and on the Professional Engineering (PE) exam, and at least 4 years of relevant work experience. Engineering majors that can become wind energy engineers include aerospace, civil, electrical, materials, and mechanical. Since our major is in mechanical engineering, the tasks expected of us are to work on, manufacture, develop tests and test tools for, and test the wind turbine system and its components