There is something wonderfully simple about a wind turbine gently turning in the breeze. 

As the wind flows by the blades of the turbine, a rotating force is created that spins the giant assembly. The rotation is then converted into electricity, just like conventional power generation. 

A wind turbine consists of a set of three blades defined by twisting and bending teardrop shapes. The turbine blades are cylindrical on one edge and sharper at the other. 

This blade graphic shows how the wind turbine shapes change as they move from the hub of the turbine blade (left) to the tip on the right. Credit: NIST

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