Why are low-solidity horizontal-axis wind turbines commonly used for commercial electricity generation?

Low-solidity horizontal-axis wind turbines (HAWTs) are the most common choice for commercial electricity generation because they offer the greatest efficiency in converting wind energy into electricity, making them among the most cost-efficient designs available.1

In the context of wind turbine engineering, "solidity" refers to the percentage of the rotor's swept area covered by solid material. While high-solidity designs—such as traditional multibladed farm windmills—maximize contact with the wind, they are better suited for mechanical tasks like pumping water. In contrast, low-solidity HAWTs typically utilize two or three long, propeller-like blades. Although these blades cover a smaller proportion of the swept area, this is compensated for by a faster rotation speed, which allows the turbine to effectively fill the swept area and achieve higher operational efficiency.12

Because these designs provide superior performance for power generation, they have become the standard for industrial-scale wind farms.1