ABSTRACT
This chapter provides an overview of wind energy systems. Coal, oil, and gas, which are being used as fuels for conventional power plants, are being depleted gradually, so exploration of alternative fuel sources—that is renewable energy sources for producing electricity—is needed. Renewable energy is the use of nonconventional energy sources to generate electrical power and fuel vehicles for residential, commercial, institutional, and industrial energy applications. Wind power is France’s fastest growing energy source; in 2008, around 60% of all new power generation capacity in France was wind energy. Wind is the fastest growing power technology in Europe. Spain is Europe’s second largest market and has seen growth in line. Despite being host to some of the best wind resources in Europe, the United Kingdom’s wind energy market has taken a long time to start realizing biggest potential. In the European Union, wind power is by far the most popular electricity-generating technology.
