Wind energy is achieved by exploiting wind’s kinetic energy and converting it into electricity through the use of a wind turbine. The wind turbine consists mainly of a support base called the tower, a nacelle and rotor blades. The blades are designed and constructed for them to be set in motion by the wind; the rotor is connected to a main shaft, which in turn is connected to an electric power generator.

The renewable energy sector, and the wind sector in particular, is undergoing a phase of worldwide growth thanks to gradually falling investment costs, an increase in the demand for electricity, and an ever-increasing focus on issues relating to climate change and pollution.

There has been strong technological development in recent years, which has allowed increasingly high-performing wind turbines to be built, reducing the cost of the facilities and of the energy produced. Current research is moving toward increasingly large machines – both in terms of power and size – to capture even winds that are not very strong, in order to further reduce costs.

The development prospects indicate that power production from wind energy will play a major role in the field of renewable sources: The European Union forecasts that the EU's electricity consumption in 2030 will be 60% covered by renewable sources and around 34% by wind energy alone.