Claims: This 1976 University Experiment Spun Up the U.S. Wind Industry
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- title: This 1976 University Experiment Spun Up the U.S. Wind Industry Source
- url: https://spectrum.ieee.org/william-heronemus-wind-energy Source
- summary: A half century ago, a scrappy crew at the University of Massachusetts Amherst erected a wind turbine on Orchard Hill, the highest point on campus. It was a frugal production, cobbled together from the rear axle of a Ford truck, a donated generator and microcontroller, a steam pipe, and various handcrafted steel and fiberglass parts, including its 4.5-meter blades. The team of UMass engineering grad students, faculty advisors, and one precocious undergrad built it to prove that wind energy could… Source
- published: Mon, 15 Jun 2026 13:00:01 +0000 Source