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windmill
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A wind energy conversion system (WECS) that is used to grind grain, and that typically has a high-solidity rotor; the term "windmill" is often used to refer to all types of WECS. Windmills have been used by humans since at least 200 B.C. for grinding grain and pumping water. By the 1900s, windmills were used on farms and ranches in the United States to pump water and, later, to produce electricity. Traditional windmills have more blades than modern wind turbines, and they rely on drag to rotate the blades.
Related category
• WIND POWER
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