News & Articles on History of Wind Power

This page was prompted by a technical question about early electricity-generating wind turbines in the United States. The question followed a similar question about “who was the first” to interconnect a wind turbine with an electricity network. There is a lot of confusion internationally about both subjects.

The history of wind energy is a broad subject and many have written about it. I’ve pulled together a list of sources, books, links, and museums that I know about. This list is far from comprehensive. If anyone wants to add to this list or edit this list, please do so.

A number of the entries below are reviews I’ve written of books that include the history of wind energy. The original book can usually be reached from the review. Other news items are relevant to the history of wind turbine development.

The Almost Forgotten Story Of The 1970s East Village Windmill

By

Shayla Love

I first heard of the East 11th Street windmill in hushed voices, over cafe con leches at a Cuban restaurant on Avenue C.

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New Smith-Putnam Records Uncovered Include Log Books

By

Paul Gipe

Archivists at the York County Heritage Trust have uncovered a treasure trove of records from the 1.25 MW Smith-Putnam turbine …

Henning Holst’s Short History of the Danish Wind Industry

By

Paul Gipe

Henning Holst is one of Germany’s pioneering community wind developers. Located in the center of the wind energy universe in Husum (the gray city by the sea) in northwestern Germany, he was there at the creation. . .

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Wind Power: a Danish Story-A review

By

Paul Gipe

This is a beautifully done DVD on the early days of the Danish wind industry. The film was produced by Jørgen Vestergaard in Danish with English subtitles and includes movie clips, photos, and interviews of Danish wind pioneers. . .

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Windgesichter (The Face of Wind Energy) a Review by Paul Gipe

By

Paul Gipe

Windgesichter: Aufbruch der Windenergie in Deutschland (The face of wind: Dawn of wind energy in Germany) by Jan Oelker is …

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Wind Power–The Danish Way

By

Paul Gipe

Wind Power The Danish Way: From Poul la Cour to Modern Wind Turbines is a book written by a who’s …