Wind energy is one of the major solutions for reducing greenhouse gas emissions on a global scale. France, which is committed to achieving carbon neutrality in 2050, by focusing on renewable energies, has the second largest wind farm in Europe.

Although each wind turbine now produces the equivalent of the consumption of 1,500 homes, the first prototypes were far from being as efficient. Of The ancient windmill with ultra-modern installations, SirEnergies explains the history of wind energy.

Where does wind energy come from?

As the name suggests, Wind energy depends on wind and air currents. The Sun does not heat the Earth uniformly (yes, some are luckier than others!).

In fact, this inequality creates zones of varying atmospheric pressure and temperature around the world. The result is air movements: it is the wind.

Mechanical energy induced by the Wind force allows wind turbines to be activated. The speed of rotation of these wind turbines is at the origin of the wind energy transformed by an alternator and evacuated by the electrical lines that are connected to the distribution network.

The wind turbine consists of 4 parts:

• a mast,
• a propeller (the rotor),
• a gondola,
• power lines.

Wind energy is an intermittent source of energy, because its production depends on atmospheric conditions. It involves storage or production facilities to replace them during periods of unavailability.

The origin of wind energy dates back to ancient times, since humans set sails in the wind. In fact, the oldest use of this energy is sailing. Historians place this period in the 11th millennium BC, just that!

Evolution of wind energy over time

Renewable energy Now omnipresent In France and Europe, wind turbines have however suffered from the rise of fossil fuels in the 20th century. We have retraced its evolution for you, between revolutionary discoveries and ever greater challenges.

Generalization of the windmill in Europe

The first windmills appeared in the Middle East in the year 600. Subsequently, they settled in Egypt before appearing in Europe shortly before the year 1000.

Great Britain was the first to experiment with windmills on the Old Continent. Other nations gradually adopted wind turbines. The generalization was finally effective in the 12th century.

The first fully automated wind turbines

All that was needed for the brightest minds to take an interest in wind energy. The first Wind turbines appeared at the end of the 19th century century under the leadership of Charles F. Bush in Cleveland (United States). Without knowing it, he had just launched 20 years of electrical autonomy thanks to a device 18 m high and 17 m in diameter.

At the same time, the Danish meteorologist Poul La Cour is creating a prototype wind turbine built on the grounds of the Askov school. What is the particularity of this model? One reduced number of blades to produce more electricity! It is the first industrial wind turbine.

In 1918, 3% of the energy produced in Denmark already came from wind power. Other inventors worked to make wind turbines more efficient. This is the case of the German physicist Albert Betz. In particular, it is at the origin of the Betz limit, a physical law establishing the relationship between the maximum theoretical power of a wind turbine and the incident power of the wind that passes through the device.

Albert Betz discovered this principle that applies to all wind turbines in 1919. He then published the results of his research in 1926 in his book Wind Energy.

The first offshore wind farm

Progress does not wait, let alone the Danes! In 1957, it was the turn of Johannes Juul to contribute by designing the Gedser turbine. With a power of 200 kW, it is the first turbine to produce alternating current.

Recall that before this major advance, wind energy had taken a back seat in favor of fossil fuels. The oil shocks of 1973 and 1979 made it possible to relaunch this sector. Renewable energies are on the rise: nothing more was needed to conquer the ocean.

The rise of floating wind turbines really started in 1991 off the coast of Denmark. The first offshore wind farm consists of 11 turbines of about 450 kW. The Middelgrunden station was then created off the coast of Copenhagen with floating wind turbines with a capacity of 40 MW.

France has the second largest maritime space in the world. However, it only has one offshore wind turbine off the coast of Saint-Nazaire installed in 2018. However, this turbine is part of a larger project whose finalization is scheduled for 2022.

20th century: blades inspired by the aeronautical industry

Thanks to his research carried out in an aerodynamic wind tunnel, Poul La Cour established the Foundations of modern wind turbines. A fast-rotating wind turbine, with a limited number of blades, produces more electricity.

The aviation industry has, so to speak, made it possible for wind energy to take off. In 1983, the French engineer Georges Darrieus developed the first vertical axis wind turbine. Its principle is based on the lift effect that is exerted on the wings of an airplane. Thus, the Darrieus-type wind turbine works, regardless of the direction of the wind.

Wind energy is positioned as one of the pillars of the energy transition

The energy transition presupposes reliable and sustainable sources of energy to reduce our energy footprint. Europe has a considerable lead in this fight, especially with offshore electricity production.

Moreover, the European Commission wants to multiply current capacities by 5 in 2030 and by 25 in 2050. France aims to reach an installed capacity of 2.4 GW in 2028 and 5 GW in 2028.

You will have understood it: wind energy is at the heart of the global challenges of ecological transition. If wind energy is positioned as one of the pillars of the energy transition, it is in part thanks to its numerous advantages. This energy source:

• Is renewable and non-polluting,
• Enables the diversification of energy resources,
• Facilitates the reuse of production sites.

Note that wind energy makes it possible to secure some of the supplies necessary for energy autonomy. Electricity is produced near the places of consumption, which facilitates its distribution.

However, it faces numerous obstacles. Societal acceptance, the tension on raw materials, the intermittency of production or even the strengthening of electrical networks are all challenges to be met in order to optimizing the efficiency of this energy source.

Wind energy in a few figures

The challenges associated with the energy transition and the potential of wind energy are the subject of much speculation. However, in France as well as internationally, wind energy is gaining ground and is a real lever for sustainable development. Here are a few figures to prove it.

Wind energy in France

In 2019, wind energy accounted for around 6.3% of electricity production in metropolitan France, according to RTE. It is nothing more and nothing less than the main renewable sector behind hydroelectricity.

The French wind farm subsequently reached a power of 18.9 GW on December 31, 2021. Numerous projects (onshore wind farms and floating wind turbines) are under way in France for a total power of 13.7 GW.

In addition, wind power generation increased to 36.8 TWh in 2021. In other words, 7.8% of our country's electricity consumption came from wind power.

Wind energy in the world

In 2021, the global wind industry had the second best year in its history. The World Wind Energy Association (WWEA) report shows that 93.6 GW of new wind capacity has been deployed.

This significant increase leads to 837 GW the power of the world's wind farm, an increase of 12% compared to 2020. Offshore wind is the sector most affected by this growth with 21.1 GW of new installations. The cumulative power of floating wind turbines increased to 57 GW at the end of 2021. Although having suffered a slowdown, onshore wind energy recorded 72.5 GW of new installations, in particular under the impetus of China.

In conclusion, wind energy has evolved over time, from windmills to aeronautical-inspired turbines. This renewable energy is one of the most cited for meeting the challenges of ecological transition.