Which wind turbine, built in Vermont in 1941, was the first megawatt-scale wind turbine?

The Smith–Putnam wind turbine, built in Vermont in 1941, was the first megawatt-scale wind turbine.

Designed by Palmer Cosslett Putnam with support from the S. Morgan Smith Company, the turbine stood on Grandpa’s Knob near Castleton. Its two-bladed rotor had a diameter of about 53 metres and drove a 1.25-megawatt generator.

The machine proved that wind could be used for power generation at a scale far beyond small farm windmills. Severe structural problems eventually ended its operation, and the turbine was dismantled after blade damage.

Its two-bladed design differs from the three-bladed configuration common on modern turbines. The project remains an important milestone in large wind-turbine engineering.