Old technologies can be made new—and better. Simple, streamlined, and standing as tall as 150 feet, today's wind turbines bear little resemblance to their wooden ancestors, which still dot the Dutch countryside. Designed with three blades, the modern turbines function even in gentle breezes. Harnessing enough energy to be commercially viable requires that turbines be clustered in wind farms. In the conservation-conscious Netherlands, manufacturers are designing turbines with wider sweeps to boost capacity. Some may soon be placed offshore.

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