Humans have been using wind to their advantage ever since they put sails on ships. In fact, these could almost be a precursor to the first industrial revolution. For two thousand years, wind power pumped water and ground grain in Europe. The history of wind power in America took these achievements to new heights.
The Early History of Wind Power in the U.S.
After European settlers arrived in the United States, they were soon using wind power to grind wheat and corn. They also used it to pump water and cut wood at sawmills. Hence, the wind, the blessed free wind helped build America.
A few months after James Blythe built the first wind power generator in Scotland, Charles Brush built a bigger one for his home in Cleveland Ohio. This powered 100 incandescent light bulbs, three arc lamps, and various motors in his laboratory. After that, wind-powered electricity took a backseat as coal power stations came on line.
How the 1970 Oil Crises Changed Things
Rampant oil prices caused the U.S. government to work with industry to produce large, commercial wind turbines through to the mid-1980’s. Thereafter, it took its foot off the throttle and reduced tax incentives, as oil prices plummeted again.
Fortunately, initiatives continued in California on the back of growing concern about global warming. As a consequence the tide is turning again, as benefits of scale make wind power and other renewables as cheap as coal and gas.
Surely, This is Not just About Money
We hope the Federal Energy Regulation Commission’s decision to open the market to storage batteries will finally make a difference to the history of wind power. However, at UPS Battery Center we would like to take this a stage further. Wind power is more than simply ‘saving money at the pumps’. Surely, we have a nobler mission than that.
Related
James Blythes Wind Power Generator
Batteries and Solar Beat Gas in Arizona
Preview Image: Dutch Windmills
