James Blyth

Born in Marykirk, Scotland, in 1839, James Blyth studied at the University of Edinburgh and went on to teach mathematics before becoming Freeland Professor of Natural Philosophy at Anderson's College in Glasgow, now the University of Strathclyde.

He is best known for his experiments with wind power. In 1887, he built a wind turbine at his cottage in Marykirk and used it to charge accumulators for electric lighting, making him one of the earliest figures associated with generating electricity from wind. He later patented the design and developed an improved version that served as an emergency power source at the Montrose Lunatic Asylum, Infirmary and Dispensary.

Though his work was respected, wind-generated electricity was considered uneconomical in his lifetime, so his ideas were far ahead of their moment. Today, he is often remembered as a remarkably early thinker in renewable energy as well as a dedicated teacher and practical experimenter.