Windmill Windup is the fast paced educational game that teaches how energy generating wind turbines really work. The trick is in finding the optimum wind speed to produce electricity as efficiently as possible. If you spin the turbine too slow, the propellers don't move and no energy is produced. Spin the turbine too quickly, and the turbine will shut down.

Most wind turbines are designed to operate within a small range of wind speeds. Taller turbines take advantage of higher windspeed, but are are more expensive to build and maintain than shorter ones. The Windmill Windup turbine is of average height, with a power rating of 1Megawatthour, and is modeled after a turbine designed to work at an optimal windspeed of around 25 MPH.

In the world world, turbines on average operate well below their rated capacity, perhaps at only 8 or 10 percent of its power rating. This isn't the fault of the turbine itself, but due to the variations of wind speed. Turbine Power curves rise and drop very steeply, so finding the efficiency sweet spot is critical. When operating in the peak efficiency zone, the Windmill Windup turbine will produce at a rate of about 100KWH.

So, play Windmill Windup, brought to you by Citizens For Affordable Energy, and look out for the new game Kilowatt Kaos later in 2010!

Founded in 2008 by former Shell Oil President John Hofmeister, the goals of CFAE are to educate citizens and government officials about pragmatic, non-partisan affordable energy solutions, environmental protection, energy alternatives, efficiency, infrastructure, public policy, competitiveness, social cohesion, and quality of life.