Wind is air in motion. The Earth’s surface absorbs the warmth of the sun at different rates. It depends whether it is water or land, and whether land is covered by dark vegetation, sand or ice. This means that the air above land heats up more quickly over land than over water, and more over darker areas compared to those that reflect sunlight. When this warmer air rises during the day, as it does, cooler air from nearby oceans or lakes rushes into this ‘vacuum’ which creates wind

Wind turbines offer part of the solution to the world's renewable energy sourced electricity needs, and in some countries currently represents over 10% of the electricity supply. While we are familiar with the huge turbines that produce electricity for hundreds or thousands of residences, there are now many smaller options available for residential use.

Turbine lifespan

The lifespan of a modern turbine is pegged at around 120 000 hours or 20-25 years, but they aren't totally maintenance free. As they contain moving components, some parts will need to be replaced during their working life

Environmental impact

Wind turbines aren't overly noisy - mechanical noise is minimum these days and you'll mostly hear the swoosh of the blades passing the tower.

Wind turbines are created from fiberglass, plastics, aluminum, copper, steel and various other metals, so they do have an impact on the environment in that respect and there's also the energy used to manufacture the turbine. Many turbine parts are recyclable and it's my understanding the amount of energy used in manufacture is balanced out within six to eight months after being commissioned