Wind has been used for over a thousand years, with the first known windmill built between 500-900 AD in Persia (known as Iran, today).  For centuries to come, wind would be used to power grain mills and scoop up water out of a river or stream.  Surprisingly, the first windmill, or wind turbine, to actually produce electricity was built way back in 1887 in Scotland.   Inventor James Blyth used the turbine to power his vacation home.