How do wind turbines generate electricity?

Wind turbines work by capturing the kinetic energy of moving air. The blades are shaped like wings, so moving air creates lift and rotates the rotor. That rotation is transferred through a shaft, sometimes with a gearbox, to a generator that produces electrical current through electromagnetic induction. Modern wind turbines can be very large; some offshore machines now exceed 200 metres in total height from base to blade tip. Wind power became a major renewable energy source in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, especially in countries such as Denmark, Germany, and the United Kingdom.