# Onshore wind

Horizontal-axis turbines on land, the main source of new wind power.

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_onshore_wind/

Capture · Wind · No. 26

- Capture
- Output: Electricity
 Capture · Wind · Foundation · Energy

Power from a new onshore wind farm now costs about USD 33 a megawatt-hour, 71% less than in 2010.

Chart: Illustration: Onshore wind

##### Where it comes from

Chart: Map of where it comes from

Wind is solar energy in disguise: sunlight warms the air unevenly and sets it moving. Turbines catch it with blades that turn 10 to 20 times a minute.

##### Three things to know

1. No rotor can ever capture more than 59.3% of the wind's energy, and modern turbines manage about 40-50% in good winds.
2. Because the wind keeps changing, a typical new turbine delivers only about 36% of its rated output across a year (2025).
3. Each megawatt needs roughly 457 t of concrete and 117 t of steel, mostly in the foundation and tower.

##### The journey

1. 1 **Sunlight**Uneven heating of air drives the wind
2. 2 **Wind**Moving air flows through the rotor
3. 3 **Blades**Lift spins the rotor at 10-20 rpm
4. 4 **Generator**Gearbox or direct drive makes electricity
5. 5 **Grid**AC lines carry power to users
 Covered in [Energy, power and the units that measure themEnergy](https://www.materialinsights.org/learn/energy/energy-power-units/)[Earth's energy flows: sun, wind, water, heat and lifeEnergy](https://www.materialinsights.org/learn/energy/earths-energy-flows/)[Muscles, wood, water and wind: energy before fossil fuelsEnergy](https://www.materialinsights.org/learn/energy/energy-before-fossil-fuels/)[Making electricity: thermal, nuclear, hydro, wind and solarEnergy](https://www.materialinsights.org/learn/energy/making-electricity/)

##### Go deeper pick a tab to open it in full

## Other sections

- [Overview](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_onshore_wind/overview/index.md)
- [Correlation](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_onshore_wind/correlation/index.md)
- [Efficiency](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_onshore_wind/efficiency/index.md)
- [Techniques](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_onshore_wind/techniques/index.md)
- [Resources and labour](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_onshore_wind/resources/index.md)
- [Impact on the biosphere](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_onshore_wind/biosphere/index.md)
- [Relationships](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_onshore_wind/links/index.md)