Since the inception of windpower around 1000 AD, technology has been deployed to obtain the most economical power from wind. The author traces its technical evolution, concentrating on the growth in understanding of wind and charting crucial developments in windmill design. The history of the windmill focuses on North Western Europe, but Hills indicates the origins of the first horizontal windmills in Persia, Tibet and China. He also examines industrial applications such as in textiles, papermaking and mining. The book concludes with a look at the recent reemergence of windpower as a viable source of power in the wake of the energy crisis.

Average Customer Review: ( 3 customer reviews )
Write an online review and share your thoughts with other customers.

Very good coverage of British and Dutch windmill technology. American style windmills, only used to pump water, are sparsely covered --"A Field Guide to American Windmills" is not in danger of being challenged here.

Windmills being used to grind grain or pump water are of course well covered, but the harnessing of wind for other industrial uses such as sawing in lumbermills, pulping paper, and uses in wool industry are also explained in their own chapters. Good to see these lessor subjects expanded on.

The author does spend some time reiterating the standard arguments for where vertical windmills *didn't* originate historically, but holds back from stating the growing if still controversial view of Viking origin for this invention sometime between 700-1000 AD. He simply states the known case of the earliest recorded windmills existing in Europe around 1300 AD, and Persians recording the first windmills they'd seen being built by the Crusaders and then spreading the technology East, and only in crude form. Hopefully future archeology digs will settle this question.

Other historical technology books focus on recording specific historical windmills and their sites. This book gives the overview on how construction and mechanical methods improved, how those improvements spread (not uniformly!), and which proved best in actually getting the job done. While most windmills must by necessity remain with their sails stripped and idle as part of preservation, this book gives a detailed view of how they actually worked and moved in their time.

Power from WindJan 08, 2011
By Frank Mc
Wonderful book full of descriptive line drawings, b&w photos, history and observations. A real gem for teachers and students interested in early wind power and its technological evolution.

0 of 1 found the following review helpful:

Wind energy history bookSep 29, 2009
By G. Brewer "Brewmaster99"
This book was a great buy. Compared to the college's price this was the most cost effective and was in Great condition. I would recommend the seller, because of his prompt delivery and quality.