This 1976 University Experiment Spun Up the U.S. Wind Industry
Summary
IEEE Spectrum recounts the 1976 University of Massachusetts Amherst wind turbine WF-1, built to demonstrate wind power during the oil crisis. The piece highlights Captain William Heronemus and a student team whose Wind Furnace design helped kickstart the U.S. wind industry and influenced later offshore wind developments, policy, and research ecosystems.