Advancing technology is driving the increased use of wind energy

Wind energy continues to displace more expensive and polluting sources of energy by claiming larger shares of the electricity market. In a new study published by the American Institute of Physics, German researchers have investigated the potential for this renewable energy source to maintain its increasing popularity. The use of wind turbines for electricity has grown substantially over the last four decades. By 2018, the use of wind energy in the United States alone had expanded enough to power more than 28 million homes. According to the current study, wind energy growth has been primarily driven by dramatic improvements in the technology behind it. Experts have not only adapted the technology for cold climates and offshore use, but have also developed more accurate methods to forecast wind speed and power. Additionally, the wind turbines used today can generate at least 100 times more power compared to turbines produced in the 1970s. Large turbines now have the capacity to generate roughly 5 megawatts, while the market expectations for future turbine capacity are as high as 15 megawatts.