Wind power is the fastest growing of the renewable energy technologies, though it currently provides less than 0.5% of global energy.  Modern wind turbines range from around 600kW to up to 5 MW of rated power, with turbine rated output of 1.5–3 MW the most common for commercial use.  The power output of a turbine is a function of the cube of the wind speed, so as wind speed increases, power output increases dramatically. Areas where winds are stronger and more constant, such as offshore and high altitude sites, are preferred locations for wind farms. 

Globally, the long-term technical potential of wind energy is believed to be five times total current global energy production, or 40 times current electricity demand. This could require large amounts of land to be used for wind turbines, particularly in areas of higher wind resources. Offshore resources experience mean wind speeds around 90% greater than that of land, so offshore resources could contribute substantially more energy.  

Wind power is renewable and produces no greenhouse gases during operation, such as carbon dioxide and methane.