Wind energy plays a crucial role among sustainable energy sources today. While turbines powered by wind energy may seem like a technological achievement, their origins actually date back quite far. As a company producing wind turbines under the SoyutWind brand, we aim to understand the history of wind energy and shed light on developments in this field. We are exploring the history of windmills in Europe. You will see how this impressive technology evolved and how the foundations of today’s modern wind turbines were laid.
Windmills in the Islamic World
Önceki yazımızda, İslam dünyasındaki rüzgar değirmenlerinin tarihini inceledik ve bu değirmenlerin temel olarak tahıl öğütme ve su pompalama gibi basit işlemleri gerçekleştirmek için kullanıldığını gördük. Ancak İslam dünyasında rüzgar değirmenlerinin teknolojik gelişimi, M.S. 1. yüzyıldan 9. yüzyıla kadar çok ilerleme kaydetmedi.
The Birth of Windmills in Europe
The use of wind energy in Europe followed a different trajectory compared to the Islamic world. While windmills in the Islamic world were generally simple and functional, in Europe, this technology evolved to serve larger and more diverse purposes. Let’s take a look at the history of windmills in Europe:
Post Windmills
The first windmill in Europe was built around the 11th century AD. These mills were called “post mills”. They have a different design from the models used in the Islamic world. The main feature of the post mills was that the whole structure revolved around a central post. In this way, the blades of the mill could turn in the direction of the wind. However, this system did not have the ability to change position according to the direction of the wind. Therefore, it had to be manually adjusted by people.
Technological advances have made the use of post mills more efficient. In particular, the use of metal parts and the addition of bearings that reduce vibrations have increased the durability of these mills.
But post mills had their limitations. They had to be manually adjusted, especially as the wind direction changed. There was limited space inside for people to monitor and control the grain grinding process.
Tower Windmills
Tower windmills appeared in England in the 12th century. These mills were characterized by their large and vertical structures. Their biggest feature was that they could automatically turn in the direction of the wind thanks to their adjustable wooden roofs. This made windmills more efficient.
Among the innovations brought by tower mills are:
- Rotation of only the upper part of the roof
- Creating an interior space where the operator and other equipment can fit comfortably
- The use of larger wings thanks to their high and robust construction
Tower mills, however, were a costly option and could only be built by the rich and governments. Some mills were mounted on old castle towers to reduce costs.
Smock Windmills
Due to the cost of tower mills and their inability to be installed on wet ground, the Dutch developed smock mills in the 17th century. This type of windmill is named after the smocks worn by farmers in earlier times, resembling these garments. The lower part of the mills was made of brick or stone, while the upper part resembled a wooden smock. This design made the mills lightweight and stable.
Another important feature of these smock-shaped mills was that they contained a small turbine that could automatically turn in the direction of the wind. This ensured that the mill stayed constantly in the direction of the wind. The blades also rotated from root to apex, making them more aerodynamic.
This design became popular in the Netherlands and was adopted throughout Europe. Particularly, the Dutch used these mills excellently for water pumping and distribution. They could also be built on wet ground. The Dutch supported the sails with wooden beams, making them more resistant to weather conditions. Additionally, they added features like curtains and shutters to control the speed of the windmills.
The End of Windmills
When windmills reached their peak prevalence in Europe, there were over 200,000 windmills across the continent. The two countries with the most windmills were the Netherlands and England. These mills played a crucial role in grain milling, water pumping, and other industrial processes.
However, the popularity of windmills declined with the emergence of steam engines and internal combustion engines. These engines were able to perform tasks such as water pumping and grain milling more efficiently.
Fortunately, with the further development of wind energy technology, wind turbines are back to contribute to clean energy production. Modern wind turbines now play an important role in environmentally friendly energy production and are becoming widespread around the world.
Frequently Asked Questions
The first windmills were used in the Islamic world. They were used in the Islamic world to perform simple operations such as grinding grain and pumping water.
Tower mills were more efficient thanks to their roofs, which could automatically turn in the direction of the wind. They could also generate more energy using larger blades.
The development of wind energy technology and its acceptance as an environmentally friendly energy source has made wind turbines popular again. Their use is increasing rapidly all over the world to contribute to clean energy production.
Conclusion
In this article, we examined the history of windmills in Europe. The evolution of this technology has played an important role in terms of energy production and environmental sustainability. As SoyutWind, we closely follow the developments in wind energy and technology and continue to contribute to future clean energy production.
Source: windmillstech