Similarly to hydropower, wind is one of the oldest sources of energy. Initially, it was used to operate a windmill, but is now one of the leading technologies for the generation of renewable electricity, despite the volatile nature of wind and the challenges of forecasting wind intensity in the long term. In terms of energy generation, the higher the wind velocity, the more energy can be generated. Therefore, it is possible to get the most electricity from wind in the autumn and winter months.

The amount of wind energy in the total amount of electricity generated is highly dependent on the region's willingness to use and develop the wind energy sector. In total, only 5% of the world's electricity is generated from wind. The European Union (EU) has a higher share of wind energy, providing around 16% of total EU electricity production. The EU generates the most wind energy in Germany and Denmark. In Latvia, wind energy provides only 3% of the total amount of electricity generated.

Wind energy is generated by wind turbines or wind generators. Both vertical axis and horizontal axis wind turbines are available on the market. Horizontal axis wind turbines are most often installed in wind farms both onshore and offshore. Wind farms at sea are called offshore wind farms. They have the greatest growth potential, as their installation is not restricted by land use regulations, buffer zones or land ownership. Compared to onshore wind farms, offshore wind farms generate more electricity as it is possible to install higher wind turbines and offshore wind velocity is much higher than onshore.

Every year, more and more new wind farms are opened, both onshore and offshore. In Latvia, all wind power plants (WPPs) have been installed on land, and wind capacity has not been increased since 2017. Most of the WPPs are located on the coast of Kurzeme, which in terms of wind resources, is one of the richest regions in Latvia as well. Equivalent wind velocity is also available elsewhere in the highlands of Latvia, but the total area for useful energy generation is smaller. At the same time, five offshore WPP projects are being developed, however, so far, none of them have been commissioned.

The wind turns the turbine propeller or rotor, which generates electricity as it rotates. The amount of electricity generated by the wind generator can be increased by increasing the height of the rotor of a wind turbine or by improving the aerodynamics of the blades. Improved blade aerodynamics will allow them to start turning at lower wind velocity, making turbines suitable for countries with low wind volumes.