Wind turbines work on a simple principle: instead of using electricity to make wind—like a fan—wind turbines use wind to make electricity. Wind flow. . Harvesting wind power isn't exactly a new idea – sailing ships, wind-mills, wind-pumps 1st Wind Energy Systems – Ancient Civilization in the Near East / Persia – Vertical-Axis Wind-Mill: sails connected to a vertical shaft connected to a grinding stone for milling Wind in the Middle Ages – P t Mill. . To truly understand how wind turbines generate power—from the movement of their blades to the delivery of electricity into the grid—it is essential to explore every stage of the process, from aerodynamics to electrical conversion, and from environmental interaction to global energy integration. The blades are connected to a drive shaft that turns an electric generator, which produces (generates) electricity.