Based on applications, are broadly classified as (a) direct shaft power system (b) hybrid or autonomous system (c) wind farms.

Wind turbines converts kinetic energy of the wind to mechanical power. This may be used to pump water or drive electric generators or be converted to chemical energy for storage in batteries. Vertical axis wind turbines and the horizontal axis types are two basic technologies employed for converting wind to useful energy. In Karnataka 0.55 wind farm is installed at Talacauvery. Wind pumps of horizontal axis type are working in Karnataka (42 numbers disseminated by KSCST for pumping water etc.).