How does a wind turbine work? | Sustainability - ACCIONA

Wind Turbine Operation Mechanics
📌 Wind turbines convert the kinetic energy from moving air currents into electrical energy.
🌬️ A wind vane at the top indicates wind direction, allowing the turbine to rotate on the tower and face the wind for optimal capture.
⚙️ Turbine blades, which can be up to 60 m long, spin on their axis and begin producing energy with winds starting at approximately 11 km/h.
🛑 For safety during very strong winds, above 90 km/h, the blades are placed in the "feed" position and the turbine stops spinning.

Energy Conversion Process
🔗 The blades connect via the hub to the low-speed shaft, which rotates between 7 and 12 revolutions per minute (rpm).
⚡ A gearbox increases the rotational speed over 100 times and transfers this speed to the high-speed shaft, reaching up to 1,500 rpm.
💡 The generator is connected to the high-speed shaft and converts this mechanical kinetic energy into electricity.

Electricity Distribution and Grid Integration
🔌 Electricity flows down the tower to a transformer at the base, which raises the voltage for transport within the wind farm.
📡 Alternating current from each turbine is sent via underground cables to a substation.
📈 At the substation, the voltage is increased again to feed the electricity into the power grid for transportation to end consumers.

Key Points & Insights
➡️ The primary function of the gearbox is to increase the low shaft speed (7–12 rpm) by a factor greater than 100 to power the generator effectively.
➡️ Wind turbines use light and resistant materials for the blades to allow energy production even in light winds.
➡️ The entire process emphasizes using wind energy in a clean and sustainable way to power cities, industries, and homes.

📸 Video summarized with SummaryTube.com on Feb 01, 2026, 09:50 UTC