From Grain to Green Energy: The Evolution of Wind Power in Wisconsin

Wisconsin’s long history of using wind power has evolved from milling grain to producing green energy. And the day to celebrate it is May 11.

The evolution of wind power in Wisconsin is historic. It includes milling grain and pumping water to producing green energy.

Windmills dotted the state’s landscape when farmers first used it to pump water during the late 1800s. The water would first be pumped into a tank to cool milk which had to be kept in deep cans. It then flowed from the milk storage tank into wooden troughs in the barnyard for the cattle and horses to drink.

Eventually, wind energy was used to saw logs and mill grain.

Did you know?? There is an annual event celebrating the windmill’s history in Wisconsin. It’s “Windmill Days” in Baldwin, Wisconsin – a celebration of Dutch heritage, and the windmills in the village. SAVE THE DATE to attend: June 5-9, 2024.

The modern windmills you see across Wisconsin today are wind turbines. These still use the wind, but now it’s to produce electricity. A report from the financial company Lazard shows the cost of electricity coming from wind power projects has dropped by more than 60% in the last nine years. The turbines are considered more productive than ever, and this technology, using the weather or in this case the wind, continues to grow.

Saturday, May 11, 2024 is National Windmill Day. It’s an opportunity to remember the past use of windmills, along with looking to the future of wind energy, a renewable, clean energy source.