Brief History of Wind Energy
People have harnessed the wind and used its energy for many centuries.
Windmills
Wind Pumps
Wind Turbines
![Windmill](http://ei.lehigh.edu/learners/energy/wind/windmill.jpg)
![Wind Pump](http://ei.lehigh.edu/learners/energy/wind/windpump.jpg)
![Wind Turbines](http://ei.lehigh.edu/learners/energy/wind/windturbines.jpg)
The famous, old Dutch windmills were used for grinding grain and doing other things that needed power in their society.
The American pioneers took advantage of steady winds on the great plains to drive water wells that brought water from deep underground to the surface for cattle and others to drink.
In modern times, wind farms consist of dozens of new and aerodynamically designed wind turbines which are used to generate electricity for towns and cities.