For Children

How does the wind get into the mains socket?

Erni Wind is the windy, popular figure, which ABO Wind has developed in order to explain renewable energies to children: On display boards at wind farms, on posters and in brochures, the high-energy comic figure explains how the wind gets into the mains socket. Erni Wind explains how a wind turbine works, with rotor blades, generator, hub and gondola – in a way that children understand (and adults also).

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  It’s Erni Wind

Look who’s whirling out of the wind turbine: It’s Erni Wind. He’s full of energy. We can use his energy to switch on the light, cook and watch TV.

How a wind turbine generates electricity:

A wind turbine generates electricity – like the dynamo on your bicycle. When you are pedalling, the wheel starts turning and the dynamo is set in motion. The harder you pedal, the brighter are the lights on your bike.

In a wind turbine the wind sets the rotor blade in motion. A generator converts the kinetic energy of these large wings into electricity. The electricity is then transmitted to the power grid and homes via cables. 

Rotor Blades
The rotor blades are shaped like the wings of an airplane. They can catch the wind better than anything else.

Hub
The hub looks like the nose of the wind turbine. The blades are attached to the hub.

Nacelle
The nacelle at the top of a wind turbine is also called gondola. It houses the generator and other technical components.

The rotor blades are usually attached to the hub on the ground. A crane lifts them, and fitters mount them to the hub.

The cables carrying the large amount of electricity from the generator of the wind turbine are nearly as thick as a child‘s arm.

The tower is hollow. There is a steep ladder inside. Workers climb up the ladder to the nacelle if there are any repairs to be done.

A cable plough buries the cables in the ground. The cables carry the electricity that has been generated by wind power to the homes of the people.

Tower
The wind becomes stronger at greater heights. The higher the tower of a wind turbine, the more electricity is produced. Inside the tower you will find a lift and a ladder to get up to the nacelle.





Rotor
The rotor has three blades which catch the wind. When the wind is strong enough, the rotor, which is mounted to the thick drive shaft, starts turning.

Drive Shaft
The rotor turns the drive shaft with great power. That is why the shaft has to be very thick. Otherwise it would break off.

Gearbox
The gears in the gearbox turn the slow rotation of the rotor into a quick rotation for the generator so that it can produce as much electricity as possible.

Anemometer
The anemometer measures the speed of the wind. It constantly sends information about the wind speed to the controller. In case of a storm the rotor is slowed down.

Wind Vane
The wind vane is turned by the wind. It tells the controller from which direction the wind is blowing. The controller tells the yaw motor how to turn the rotor into the wind.

Yaw Motor
The yaw motor turns the nacelle so that the rotor always faces the wind.

Mechanical Brake
The mechanical brake is used when the wind turbine has to be repaired or serviced. It ensures that the rotor will not start turning so that none of the workers will get hurt.

Controllers
The controllers are small computers. They monitor the many parts of the wind turbine and make sure that it always faces the wind. When the wind is turning, the controllers tell the nacelle to turn as well.

Generator
The generator is driven by the thick shaft. It produces electric current when it is turning. The current is sent down through thick cables.