Wind Turbines Get Bigger and Better

May 22, 2023

Wind turbines are getting bigger and better. Turbines have grown in size in both height and blade lengths, making them able to generate more electricity. The hub height is the distance from the ground to the middle of the turbine’s rotor. This is increasing, on average, from 330 feet in 2016 to projections of 500 by 2035, or the height of the Washington Monument. Taller hub heights enable larger blades. The average rotor diameter now resembles the length of a football field. A turbine with longer blades can capture more energy with less wind. It is common now for on-shore turbines to generate electricity in wind speeds as low as 6 mph or lower. This is known as “cut-in” speed.

For more:
Wind Turbines: the Bigger, the Better | energy.gov