Who developed the first wind turbine to create electricity?
History of wind power
The first practical windmills were in use in Sistan, a region in Iran and bordering Afghanistan, at least by the 9th century and possibly as early as the 7th century. These "Panemone windmills" were horizontal windmills,[note 1] which had long vertical driveshafts with six to twelve rectangular sails covered in reed matting or cloth.[7] These windmills were used to pump water, and in the gristmilling and sugarcane industries.[8] The use of windmills became widespread across the Middle East and Central Asia, and later spread to China and India.[9] Vertical windmills were later used extensively in Northwestern Europe to grind flour beginning in the 1180s, and many examples still exist.[10] By 1000 AD, windmills were used to pump seawater for salt-making in China and Sicily.[11]