Science: Harnessing the Wind

Vermont's mountain winds were harnessed last week to generate electricity for its homes and factories. Slowly, like the movements of an awakening giant, two stainless-steel vanes—the size and shape of a bomber's wings—began to rotate on their 100-ft. tower atop bleak Grandpa's Knob (2,000 ft.) near Rutland. Soon the 75-ton rotating unit will begin generating 1,350 horsepower or 1,000 kilowatts—enough electricity to light 2,000 homes. Wholly automatic, with its performance recorded by frequent photographs of its dial board, it will produce current about 4,000 hours a year (i.e., about half of the...