Wind

Air set moving by uneven solar heating of land, sea and atmosphere.

Natural sources · Solar-derived flows · No. 2

• Natural sources
• Origin: Indirect solar
• Renewable: Yes

Make the wind blow just 10% faster and the power it carries jumps by about a third.

Chart: Illustration: Wind

Where it comes from

Chart: Map of where it comes from

Uneven solar heating creates pressure differences that set air moving; a wind farm delivers only about 0.5 W per square metre of land it spreads across.

Three things to know

1. The central plains of the United States alone could host turbines producing up to 16 times national electricity demand.
2. Of 83.1 GW of offshore wind at the end of 2024, China had 41.8 GW and the UK 15.9 GW.
3. The global onshore capacity factor rose from 27% in 2010 to 36% in 2025.

The journey

1. 1 Uneven heatingThe Sun warms land, sea and air unequally
2. 2 Pressure gapsAir rushes from high to low pressure
3. 3 Moving airPower rises with the cube of speed
4. 4 TurbinesOnshore plains, coasts and shallow seas
5. 5 ElectricityFed into grids alongside other sources

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