13. Wind
Wind power is a fast-growing energy source. The power of the largest wind turbines is well in excess of one MW. A 2 MW wind turbine is 80 to 125 m high and weighs 300 t. The power indicated is obtained when the wind is strong enough (at least 55 km/h, or force 7 on the Beaufort scale). The power varies as the cube of the wind speed (it is multiplied by 8 if the wind speed is multiplied by 2), so that at low speeds virtually no electricity is produced. If the wind is too strong, above 90 km/h, it must be stopped, otherwise the turbine could be irreparably damaged.
In 2016, the largest offshore wind turbine built by the Danish company Vestas, the V164, had a height of 140 m, an output of 8 MW and a rotor diameter of 160 m. To give an idea of the gigantic scale already achieved at the time, let's say that in the circular area swept by the 35 m-long blades of a typical...
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