The Dutch people swiftly adopted wind energy as a necessary means of producing energy, food, and moving water between locations because of the Netherlands’ abundant wind resources. A generator that could transform the wind energy into useful mechanical energy was the only thing required. At this point, the concept of windmills emerged. Kinderdijk has the most windmills in The Netherlands. Windmills became one of the most popular symbols in The Netherlands. But do you know all about facts in The Netherlands? Here are interesting things about it and let’s explore with us!
The First Windmills In The Netherlands
The first fact you should know is that the earliest windmills were constructed in the Netherlands in the 13th century to grind grain for bread. In addition to being effective for grinding grain, windmills also grew more and more important for the agriculture sector. The initial windmills were constructed primarily of repurposed wood.
Windmills Have Many Uses
Due to their capacity for heavy labor, the windmills were a huge aid as well. As a result, it quickly gained popularity and spread throughout The Netherlands, expanding its functionality. From cutting wood to grinding grain, pressing oil from seeds, and milling barley for brewing beer. They later became useful for producing paper and paint in the 18th century.
Windmills were also developed in the 15th century for the purpose of forming land masses. The Netherlands needed to pump water out of the ground to add more landmass because it is 26% below sea level. Water was pumped up by the windmills, then moved to a separate location.
By pushing water up and moving it to different creeks, the windmills were also utilized to maintain a consistent groundwater level. In times of drought, this helped farmers water their grass fields. Their farms frequently flooded during rainy seasons. They may turn on the windmills and position the blades to capture the maximum wind in order to remove the large volume of water. The energy required by the pumps to remove the water from the fields would be created from the force collected from the wind.
Many Windmills Are Not In Use Anymore In The Netherlands
The Netherlands still maintains several classic windmills, but sadly, technology has caught up, and many of them are no longer in operation. This is definitely an interesting fact that many people have not known about windmill in The Netherlands yet. They are either now regarded as cultural artifacts or have degraded through time.
The Netherlands enjoys discussing its past and takes great pride in its windmills. Because of this, the Netherlands has a foundation called “Het Gilde van Vrijwillige Molenaars” that specializes in maintaining old-fashioned windmills. This non-profit organization makes it possible to see more and more active windmills throughout the Netherlands.
Kinderdijk Has The Most Windmills In The Netherlands
The village of Kinderdijk is one of the best spots to see windmills. There are 19 windmills in Kinderdijk, and they are all close enough to one another to be visited in a single day. The small village in the southern Netherlands mostly transports water using windmills. This village, which is reachable by public transportation, is one of the best spots to observe windmills in the Netherlands.
Related post Where are the most beautiful windmills in the Netherlands?
There Are Five Main Kinds Of Windmills In Holland
Around 1100 historic windmills should be visible if you were to drive the length of the Netherlands. There are five different types of windmills, each built for different use. The various types of windmills that the Netherlands has employed in the past and now utilizes are visible here.
The “Polder Molen” used to maintain a balance in groundwater levels.
The “Koren Molen” utilized to crush grains for breadmaking.
The “Industrie Molen” used for industrial tasks such as cutting wood, extracting oil from seeds, producing paper or paint, peeling rice, etc.
The “Wind Molen” used to capture the most wind possible and transform it into usable electricity. Following that, this energy is used by residences, businesses, etc.
The “Water Molen” is a unique type. Running water is used to power the water mill instead of the wind.
Do you know The Only Public Windmill In Amsterdam: The Sloten Windmill
Modern Windturbines Are Used More Than Windmills Nowadays
There is a fact that you do not know is that modern windturbines are used more than windmills in The Netherlands nowadays. In Holland, where they are widely used, wind turbines are expanding exponentially. Over 2031 wind turbines were operational in 2019. The number of turbines in the Netherlands as of this writing is difficult to estimate. By 2020, the government hoped to have enough energy to power 60% of Dutch households. In Flevoland, which is located in the center of the Netherlands, there are the most wind turbines that are close together.
