Wind+power+Introduction

" the conversion of wind energy into useful form, such as electricity, using [|wind turbines]. In [|windmills], wind energy is directly used to crush grain or to pump water. At the end of 2007, worldwide capacity of wind-powered generators was 94.1 [|gigawatts].[|[1]] Although wind currently produces just over 1% of world-wide electricity use, [|[2]] it accounts for approximately 19% of electricity production in [|Denmark], 9% in [|Spain] and [|Portugal], and 6% in [|Germany] and the [|Republic of Ireland] (2007 data). Globally, wind power generation increased more than fivefold between 2000 and 2007.[|[1]] Wind power is produced in large scale [|wind farms] connected to electrical grids, as well as in individual turbines for providing electricity to isolated locations. Wind energy is plentiful, [|renewable], widely distributed, clean, and reduces [|greenhouse gas emissions] when it displaces fossil-fuel-derived electricity. The [|intermittency] of wind seldom creates insurmountable problems when using wind power to supply a low proportion of total demand, but it presents extra costs when wind is to be used for a large fraction of demand.[|[3]]"