Wind Power Scaled Up

Turbines have ballooned in size. In 1990 a typical machine spanned about 30 meters across and made 300 kilowatts.

Today's offshore giants, like the Vestas V236, stretch 236 meters tip to tip and produce 15 megawatts each. At that scale, a single slow rotation of the blades makes enough electricity to run a home for two days.

Why Offshore Wind Wins

Wind blows harder and steadier over open water than over land, and there are fewer neighbors to object to the view. That combination makes offshore farms both more productive and easier to permit.

The North Sea has become the clearest example. The UK, Denmark, and the Netherlands are building clusters of turbines there that will together produce tens of gigawatts.