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.
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. . .

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. . .

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 …

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 …
Wind powered factories: history (and future) of industrial windmills
By
Kris De Decker
One of the most spectacular developments of industrial wind power technology occurred in the Zaan district, a region situated just above Amsterdam in the Netherlands. . . From 1600 to 1750, when the Netherlands became an important economical power, around 1,000 windmills were built and operated here. . .

Winds of Change: A comparative study of the politics of wind energy innovation in California and Denmark
By
Paul Gipe
Winds of Change by Rinie van Est is a masterly work of meticulous research that could well become a classic …
