A wind turbine uses moving air to turn rotor blades connected to an electrical generator.
The blades are shaped like airfoils, so moving air creates lift and torque that rotate the rotor. A shaft transfers this mechanical power to a generator, either directly or through a gearbox. Modern turbines also use control systems to face the wind and regulate output.
Horizontal-axis wind turbines are the most common large utility machines. Their rotors are mounted on tall towers, where wind is generally stronger and less turbulent. Vertical-axis designs also exist, but they are much less common for large-scale electricity generation.
A wind turbine does not create energy from nothing. It extracts part of the wind’s kinetic energy, so output changes with wind speed. Wind farms group many turbines together and connect their generators to an electrical network.