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A windpump is a type of windmill which is used to pump water from the earth. In the early 1920’s there were well over 6 million windpumps in the US alone however with the increasing use of fossil fuels they slowly disappeared from the landscape.; the ones that remain are generally on range land where livestock roam and where electricity needed to run a pump isn’t available. Today, with the rising awareness of climate change and the increase in energy costs, the windpump is making a comeback. For years I’ve been wanting to capture a unique photo of a windpump, but to no avail ....until I happened upon this vivid scene. Notice the dark storm clouds, the shaded middle-ground and the sun kissed foreground; together creating horizontal layers of vibrant color. Now notice the vertical windpump and how it cuts through the layers of color and how the blades stand out against the dark sky; together these things demand ones attention. Fortunately, the sun shone just long enough for me to capture this unique image! An interesting side note: A windmill is used to grind grain. A wind turbine is used to generate power. A wind pump is used to pump water from the ground.
Travel and photography go hand in hand but together with curiosity, the opportunities to expand one’s knowledge is endless. That said, my curious mind led me to google "wind turbines"; this is what I learned. *Be sure to Note #2! :-) 1. The towers are +/- 328 feet tall. 2. The average length of the blades are 260 feet but some are over 300 feet and weighs 11.3 tons(!). Oh my gosh, they are enormous! I passed one once, that was being transported on a freeway. The front of the blade sat on a transport truck trailer while the back of the blade sat on a trailer that totally detached from the transport truck. It basically just followed behind. It was quite the site to see! 3. The tallest turbine is in Hawaii. It’s 20 stories high and its blades are the length of a football field (!). 4. A single commercial turbine can power over 600 homes, while a small backyard turbine could power your home. 5. Some blades are more aerodynamically so they spin faster. 6. When the wind dies down, it can take hours for the blades to stop rotating. 7. They will automatically shut down (to prevent damage) if the winds are greater than 55mph (89km) 8. Optimal wind speed is 30-50mph (50-80km). 9. Large wind turbines spin at the rate of 180mph (260km). 10. Some don’t spin because they’re under maintenance. 11. They generally last 20 years. 12. The first wind turbines where windmills which were used to grind wheat and pump water. 13. Palm Springs has the oldest wind turbine farm.
