The fascination with wind power

Today, windsurfers can glide over water at speeds of over 90 kilometers per hour. This requires power, technique, good equipment and a lot of wind. Here at the Tokyo Olympics, Dutch windsurfer Kiran Badloe wins the gold medal.

Here in Novosibirsk, Russia, conditions are perfect for snowkiting — also known as kite skiing. The cold winters offer huge frozen areas and the wind blows strong. With the stunt kite once can reach very fast speeds of above 110 kilometers per hour.

Land sailing, also known as sand yachting, is performed in another wind-powered vehicle that can go very fast. In 2009, Richard Jenkins hit the highest speed on a land sail, reaching 203 kilometers per hour in Salt Lake in Nevada. Precursors are said to have existed in the windy north of China in the 6th century and in Europe from around the 17th century.

Greta Thunberg sailed the emissions-free racing yacht "Malizia" across the Atlantic in 2019. It took the then 16-year-old 14 days to cover the more than 5,300 kilometers from Plymouth in England to New York in the US. In doing so, the climate activist set an example for CO2-free travel. Electrical energy is generated on board the "Malizia" with solar panels and underwater turbines.

Hundreds of such mills existed in Spain in the 16th century in windy Castilla-La Mancha. The blades were covered with canvas to create a sail that once propelled by wind grinds flour. These Spanish windmills were famously depicted in novel Don Quixote when the confused title character picks a fight with the towers he believes are giants.

These windmills near Rotterdam in the Netherlands are masterpieces of engineering from the 18th century. Built to pump water from low-lying land, the resulting reclaimed swamp could be used for agriculture, meaning the wind-powered devices contributed to far greater prosperity in the region. Today, the wind pumps are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Modern power generation with wind began in 1980 in Palm Springs in California, where thousands of three-blade turbines were erected. Today, the oldest turbines have become a tourists site. Their minimal output of only 25 kilowatts compares to contemporary turbines with 500 times the power. Germany and Denmark were also at the forefront of modern wind technology, especially with offshore wind.

Two women with headdress observe a selfie in front of a modern wind turbine in Rong'an County, China. China has made an unprecedented push for wind power in recent years. In 2020, turbines with a capacity of 53 gigawatts were newly installed, which is equivalent to the output of 53 new nuclear power plants in one year.

Much research is currently being done on floating wind technology. This model turbine with two rotors is 18 meters high and is currently being tested in the Baltic Sea. The actual working turbine will be 180 meters high and have an output of 15,000 kilowatts. German energy company EnBW is investing heavily in the turbines and will test the first large-scale turbine off the Chinese coast in 2022.

Stunt kites can pull athletes and ships. This one in northern Germany generates electricity. During its ascent, the rope pulls on a winch with a generator. Once at the top, the kite is turned out of the wind and brought back with less energy, starting a new power generation cycle. The technology is being tested in cooperation with Europe's largest coal company, RWE.

As Germany aims to phase out coal power by 2030 under a new commitment by the incoming coalition, wind-generated electricity will, with solar, become the biggest source of power. The trend is set to continue in other countries as well.