Introduction

Iowa has become a leader in the development of alternate energy in the United States. This paper will examine the origins and use of wind-based power production and how Iowa has become a wind-energy leader.

The Development of Wind Power

For centuries, man has harnessed the power of the wind to operate machines. Vertical axis windmills were used to grind grain and pump water in Persia as early as 2,000 years ago (“Oldest windmills”, 2010). These early mills were constructed using sails covered in reeds or wood which were then mounted to a central shaft. Although not as efficient as later designs, these devices used wind energy for agriculture in both the Middle East and China during ancient times.

Centuries later, windmills with horizontal axes began to be used in Europe. Whether these were derived from Middle Eastern machines is unknown. It may be that these windmills were patterned after water wheels which also utilize a horizontal axis. Improvements made over the years led to the development of sails employing aerodynamic lift. This advancement made faster and more efficient milling of grain possible. The classic type of European windmill seen today in the Netherlands and other European countries continues to use this technology (Dodge, 2006).

In the United States, wind energy was widely used for grinding grain and pumping water beginning in the 19th century. During the middle 1800s, millions of small wind machines were put in place to provide water for homes and irrigation. In 1870 metal blades were developed which were light and easy to shape. The first use of a large windmill to produce electricity was the Brush mill in 1888. The rotor of this device spanned 17 meters; the mill was able to produce about 12 kilowatts of energy (Dodge, 2006).
During the early 20th century, the designs used for airplane propellers and wings led to improvements in the rotors of wind generated electricity systems. Small wind-based generators found widespread use in rural areas of the U.S. Midwest. These systems were able to provide power for lighting and refrigeration as well as other uses.

The Great Depression led to a decreased use of windmills for electrical power generation. There were two primary reasons for this: windmills alone were not able to provide the power needed by rural farms and extension of the national electrical grid was promoted by the federal government as a way to stimulate depressed economies.

The use of fossil fuels for power plants became the norm throughout the U.S. during the mid-20th century. Although wind energy was still widely used in Europe, Asia, and Africa, its use in the United States decreased dramatically as oil, coal, and natural gas fired plants began producing the bulk of U.S. electricity.

The 1973 Arab-Israeli War led to major disruptions of fossil fuel deliveries. Because of its support of Israel during this conflict, the U.S. was subject to an oil embargo by Arab nations. Members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) cut shipments drastically and raised the price of a barrel of crude oil from $2.90 to $11.65 between October and December of 1973. Deliveries of petroleum from Arab nations were cut for less than three months, but lasting effects are felt even today by U.S. consumers. The rise in prices of gasoline and fuel oil which began during this crisis has led to many changes in the way we view energy (Lippman, 1993).

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