# Onshore wind: Overview

Why the three-blade tower became the workhorse of new power

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

What this tile covers Horizontal-axis turbines on land, the main source of new wind power. Share of use 1.4% share of world energy supply (2024)

Share of world total energy supply captured or extracted by each method, 2024 (latest year where noted). Denominator is the Energy Institute Statistical Review 2025 total of 592.2 EJ (physical energy content method); electricity from wind, solar, hydro and geothermal is counted at output, nuclear at reactor heat. Heat and biomass flows outside EI's total are set against the same 592.2 EJ. Wind 2,494 TWh (8.98 EJ) minus offshore and small wind = 8.23 EJ of 592.2 EJ (calculated). Offshore split estimated from capacity: 83 GW of 1,135 GW, weighted by IRENA capacity factors of 41% offshore and 36% onshore. Source: [Statistical Review of World Energy 2025 (74th edition)](https://assets.kpmg.com/content/dam/kpmgsites/sg/pdf/2025/08/2025-statistical-review-of-world-energy.pdf), Energy Institute.

#### Key facts

| **Output** | Electricity |
|---|---|
| **Chain** | Solar → heat → kinetic (wind) → mechanical (rotor) → electrical |

#### Included from the reference tables

- Horizontal-axis turbines, onshore

#### Linked to the material world
[St Steel](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/steel/)[Cu Copper](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/copper/)[REE Rare earths](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/rare_earths/)

#### Also in Wind
[WOf Offshore wind](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_offshore_wind/)[WSm Small, airborne and traditional wind](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_small_wind/)

Explore paths from here
 More on this tile in the tabs above: efficiency, techniques, resources and labour, impact on the biosphere.

## Other sections

- [Summary](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_onshore_wind/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)