Build Your Own Wind Turbine » Turbines

Wind Speeds What Is The Best For Wind Turbines

Build Your Own Wind Turbine — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 02:32:57 +0000

What Should The Wind Speeds Be For Your Wind Turbine?

There are many different types of wind turbine models people would be able to use for their home. But, not all of them would be ideal for each residence since wind speed differs depending on where you live. There are several places on the web that will show what the average wind speeds are for different areas all over the United States. This article will go over the many types of wind turbines designs that work best in high to low wind speed locations.

First, to get the best results from the wind a wind mill ought to be located in a location where there is a consistent wind speed of 12 mph. If you live in an area that has wind speeds between 12-20 mph you’re in business to get great results from your home wind turbine! There must be a 7-10 mph wind speed at least for a horizontal axis wind turbine before power starts being created. Now you can see how crucial it is to know what your average wind speed is in your area if you want to get any use out of your windmill.

Now as many know the higher you go up in the air the more wind there tends to be. So what is the right height to be able to take full advantage of the wind in your area? First, you should find out whether you can put in a horizontal or vertical axis wind mill at your residence. Once you have decided which one to go with then you will have a better understanding of which wind mill design will work for your home. If you have a vertical axis wind mill you can start producing power with as little as 6 mph wind speed. That is great for a location where the wind speed is weak. Horizontal axis windmills ought to be placed where there aren’t any obstructions within 300 feet. This is tough for a lot of places so the other solution would be to have the windmill created to sit higher up over any barriers. Furthermore, if the height of the tower is increased by 60-100 feet the cost will increase by 10% but the energy produced will increase by 29%! Now that is a huge difference in the amount of energy created.

There are great resources online if you are trying to learn on how to build a windmill. The most important thing to know is which wind turbine design is best for your home. If you are in an area where other homes surround you or different structures are by you it might be best to have a vertical axis windmill. But, if your location is in an open area the horizontal axis windmill would be a great addition for your home.

Adam Renrav is an expert in the field of home wind & solar power. Let him show you how to be energy independent and get huge savings from using home solar and wind power. For less than $250 you can get your own Wind Powered Home powering your appliances. You’ll want to visit his website now, where he offers a wealth of knowledge to the beginner and expert relating to installing a Home Wind Turbine.

Originally posted 2010-01-07 16:42:09. Republished by Old Post Promoter

Go Green In Your Home Improvement Plans: Green Is More Than Solar Panels and Wind Turbines

Build Your Own Wind Turbine — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 20:51:11 +0000

There will be big money made in the renewable energy business, but some of the easiest money is ready to fall into your own lap. Going green can save you green…a lot of green. There are dozens of things you can do to save energy that will not only help the planet but your financial health as well.

Some green projects for your home improvement plans are fairly elaborate and may cost a little money, and others are very simple. Some things will give you astonishing returns on your investment, while others will pay you back more slowly, but give you that warm green feeling, anyway.

You will get the best bang for your investment buck by focusing first on ways you can avoid using energy around your home, before you start trying to find ways to install renewable energy systems. The fastest return on your investment will come from insulating your attic, caulking around your window and doors, and buying or making insulated coverings to use on your windows at night in the winter.

The next step is to reduce the amount of energy your lighting and appliances require. Replacing incandescent lighting with compact fluorescent bulbs or LED lighting pays off quickly, and looking for energy efficient appliances when your old ones die is also a good step.

Once you have your conservation steps all in place, then you might want to think about installing renewable energy systems. Installing DIY solar panels or building your own wind turbine might be a good option for you if you are handy with tools and knowledgeable enough to work around electricity safely. Or, you can buy a relatively inexpensive commercially manufactured home wind turbine. One small wind turbine can cut the amount of electricity you need to buy from your utility company by an amount hat can add up to a very significant savings.

Going green can be as simple and cheap or as elaborate and expensive as you want it to be. The important thing is that you decide on a course of action and then act on it. Especially with the current tax incentives for energy conservation and renewable energy projects, your good green intentions will translate into green in your pocket.

Search the web for energy conservation and renewable energy products you may not easily find in your local big box store. A good place to start is BeGreenAndProsper.com.

Originally posted 2009-12-26 16:43:51. Republished by Old Post Promoter

Another Reason to Build Wind Turbines – if You Want a (better) Job

Build Your Own Wind Turbine — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 22:33:03 +0000

If you gain experience in building wind turbines for your home, it wonât only reduce your power bills and maybe get back some money from the power company like in California, but as a recent survey shows there is a serious shortage of qualified wind turbine technicians across the country!

Â We just read the results of Frontier Pro Servicesâ survey of approximately 75 wind farm operators in the United States. This reveals the aforementioned problem, and that this is an industry-wide situation and a serious threat to current wind farms.

Apparently manufacturers also face similar resource struggles because the services offered under warranty â like gearbox lubrication and general oil changes â prove to be a challenge for maintenance teams caused by their limited resources. These operations are essential in order for the turbines to continue generating electricity.

The most common failure is gearbox related and it could be prevented with regular and high quality maintenance thus avoiding the very costly repair of the already broken parts. These can total 15-20% of the price of the wind turbine itself. Experts say that a $1,500 bearing fails unnoticed it can cause severe damage to the company including revenue loss and the need for a replacement gearbox with the price of $100,000!

Gearbox failures account for the largest amount of downtime, maintenance, and lose of power production.Â These costly failures can total 15-20% of the price of the turbine itself, making wind turbine and gearbox maintenance a high priority.

You can find out how to build wind turbines (in a smaller scale compared to industry sizes of course) to power your home only with the help of the wind, lowering your bills with 80% or sometimes completely eliminating them.

Jason Myers is a senior editor at http://www.Earth2Power.com website dedicated to provide everyday people with information on cheap, homemade power making solutions.

Originally posted 2010-01-13 16:44:54. Republished by Old Post Promoter

Homemade Wind Turbines

Build Your Own Wind Turbine — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 14:40:47 +0000

Homemade Wind Turbines.

Wind power is for sure a very prospective alternative for green energy source. If you ever consider to use it to power your house, first thing first please consider the location where you live.

A windmill solution obviously requires wind. To be specific, you will need wind speeds more than 8MPH on average. But even 8MPH is considered a low-wind-speed area for wind turbines. 12MPH average is ideal.

Start your search by checking wind speed charts that fit your area:

If You Live in the USA: http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/online/ccd/wndspd.txt If You Live in Canada: http://www.wunderground.com/global/Region/CN/WindSpeed.html If You Live in the UK or Europe: http://www.xcweather.co.uk If you live in Australia: http://www.wunderground.com/global/Region/AU/WindSpeed.html

Assuming that the average wind speed in your area is above 8MPH, then continue on to the other considerations listed below.

If you don’t live in a suitable area, then you should consider a solar power conversion instead.

Wind Turbine Considerations

Once you’ve determined that wind power is suitable for your area there are a few other things you need to consider. Really this is just about asking some questions and then answering them. Taking the time to do so will ensure you choose a wind power system that fits. Especially if you are planning to live off the grid, you should take the time to answer these questions before you start.

Here are the questions you need to ask yourself:

Your Power Needs

The first thing that needs to be considered is your power needs. Are you simply looking to reduce your power bill with a single small windmill? Or, will you want to power your entire home?
If you’re looking to power your whole home, you should take the time to calculate your actual power requirements. If you take the time to download Earth 4 Energy, their guide comes with a calculator and instructions on how to do this (you’ll need this guide anyway).

Storing Power from Wind Turbines

After answering your first question you then need to consider building a storage system for your wind turbine. A simple array of batteries can be designed to store as little or as much power as needed.
If you’re only building a small wind power solution to reduce your power bills then this is likely less of a concern.
On the other hand if you’re looking to live off the grid, you will need to consider energy storage. You should use your calculation for your power needs to design this part of your system. Take into consideration how much power you will need to store and for how long.

If you have weeks where there is less wind than usual, ensure that you have a large enough battery array to compensate (or better yet work to reduce you energy needs by using high efficiency bulbs and appliances).

Having a Backup Plan

Finally, for those who plan to live entirely off the grid, you should consider your backup plan. For most of us consistent power is a requirement. Ensure that you design your wind turbine solution with a backup plan. Generally a small gas generator is enough to ensure you have power if something goes wrong.

You might want to check more to guide you step by step on converting to green energy with this green-power easy guide, the so far best DIY green power available.

Just a decent citizen that want to contribute something to the world to be better, how small it is. Please visit my Go Green Power Easy Blog to know me more

Originally posted 2010-01-25 16:42:23. Republished by Old Post Promoter

Rooftop Wind Turbines Coming Home

Build Your Own Wind Turbine — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 10:37:46 +0000

From San Francisco to New York City, rooftop wind turbines are hitting the home front. Rooftop wind turbines are being installed on both homes and businesses at an unprecedented rate due to several factors including the desire to save electricity, cut down owns dependency upon fossil fuels and as a visible symbol that one is doing their part to go green.

Critics of rooftop wind turbines say that they simply don’t work or don’t work as well as advertised. The critics are right in some instances and that is why the consumer needs to know what they are getting into and what to watch out for before investing in a rooftop wind turbine.

Some of the factors that will influence the output of the rooftop wind turbine include the design itself (horizontal or vertical axis), the kilowatt rating of the generator, where the rooftop wind turbine is placed, the angle or pitch of the roof, how much wind the region provides and any obstructions that may block the wind.

The design of the rooftop wind turbine is important for several reasons. Aesthetics is one of the larger reasons homeowners today would want to put a renewable energy generator atop their houses. Also, rooftop wind generators can be a status symbol that one is doing one’s part to help the environment, create jobs for others and lower bills in these tough economic times.

Some wind turbines make more noise than others. The biggest complaint about a series of rooftop wind turbines placed at the Logan International Airport in Boston has been from an office worker below that says they make too much noise.

As I’ve stated in other sections of this website, celebrities like Jay Leno and Ed Begley, Jr. have decided to place rooftop wind turbines on their homes and garages. In both cases vertical axis magnetic wind turbines were chosen to fill the bill.

Some homeowners state that vertical axis wind turbines in general are a little quieter than their horizontal axis counterparts. Rooftop wind turbines generally come with a kilowatt (kW) rating such as 5 kW, 10 kW or 20 kW that reflects how much electricity one can expect it to generate for one’s home or business. It is important to either have a large enough rooftop wind generator or several that add up to enough in order to provide the needed power.

Some rooftop wind turbines will work more favorably when on the edge of a rooftop, such as one that is long and flat (sort of like being on the edge of a cliff with an updraft). Others, however, on roofs with more angle or pitch will work more favorably in a higher location. Finding the right spot on the rooftop can add 5 to 40-percent more efficiency in electricity generation.

One of the most obvious points is for home and business owners in rather windless areas to not buy rooftop wind turbines but rather opt for other alternative energy resources. Wind maps may help some determine if there is enough regional wind to justify the purchase of building of a rooftop wind turbine. Buying an inexpensive anemometer and tracking results is also helpful before making a decision.

A less obvious issue when deciding on putting up a rooftop wind generator may be any obstructions current or future that could block the full wind from getting to the generator. Trees, other buildings, hillsides or even large vehicles can deflect the wind away from the turbine. If the rooftop is inside a city filled with buildings the wind path can become quite tricky as it may bounce from one structure to the next causing turbulence and an inconsistent flow.

Near homes, neighbors’ trees grow and leaf out, people may put up a second story or business may build structure in close proximity to homes which all may impact rooftop wind turbines. The important thing is to think about as may variables as possible when deciding if a rooftop wind turbine makes sense and the location that fits well.

That said, many people are now rolling back their electrical meters using rooftop wind turbines. Manufacturers of these turbines are busier than ever before. With a little forethought and planning, a rooftop wind turbine may make sense (and dollars) for homes and businesses across the nation. So, what are you waiting for? The time is now just like the name of this website indicates.

Originally posted 2010-01-25 16:42:16. Republished by Old Post Promoter

3 Myths of Wind Turbines for Home Use

Build Your Own Wind Turbine — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 22:27:24 +0000

The tough recessionary times has many people looking for ways to save money any way they can. One such way to do this is to try and make your own free electricity at home. I had heard many good things about wind power for home use, so I decided to look into this further. I was quite shocked at what I learned, and the good alternative. Here is what I found, in my opinion, are the three biggest myths to making your own wind turbine for home use.

Myth number one, home-made wind turbines are safe. At first glance these little wind mills seem harmless enough. But a closer look reveals potential danger! You see, to make these devices you need to attach blades to a hub, if you don’t make the connection just perfect, or use the wrong materials you have a potential missile on your hands. Let me explain. The dream of every wind farmer is steady high winds. That’s great, but high winds speeds put a tremendous amount of stress on the turbine blades. Over time these blades become stressed, and often times the material can start a small crack and eventually fail. You really have to know what you are doing to fabricate these devices properly. This job is best left to the professionals who will back their work and know by experience what they are doing. You don’t want a wind turbine blade shearing off in the middle of a storm and have it flying across the neighborhood.

Myth number two, home-made wind turbines generate a steady stream of electricity. I think this is self explanatory, but wind turbines will only produce electricity if the wind is blowing! There are very few regions in the United States that have a steady and reliable source of atmospheric wind. It seems like the wind is either not blowing enough (most of the time for me), or it is blowing too much and creating a dangerous condition for the turbine blades. There are very few days where I live when the wind is blowing at a steady pace and providing the energy I need for home use. These home-made wind turbines are simple, but not necessarily reliable.

Myth number three, wind power for home use is cost effective. You really have to take a hard look at the numbers to find out exactly how many wind turbines you will need to meet your energy requirements. I think in most cases, you need a small farm of these devices to make any significant amount of energy at all. The cost associated with this is usually in the tens of thousands of dollars. And, if you really put a pencil to this, you will see that your investment does not payout for twenty to thirty years. I don’t know about you, but if I had twenty five thousand dollars I could make more money investing in government bonds! So I really think the idea of wind energy for home use as an investment vehicle is a myth.

A better method of making free energy is building your own magnetic power generator. These devices do not have the risks and inefficiencies involved with wind turbines, and there are easy to follow guides available. You can easily make on with part and materials found at a hardware store, and you can make it in an afternoon. You can either supplement or replace you’re your power needs depending upon the size of the system you make.

You can make all the free energy you want with a home magnetic power generator.

Now you can generate free electricity with a simple and easy to use guide for making a magnetic power generator at home.

To learn more watch this video by following this link == > http://generating-electricity-at-home.canemanim.com

Elijiah Rampart is an internet researcher on generating electricity at home. He is particularly interested in magnetic power generators for home use to save money on electricity bills. Find out more information on how you can start saving money by making electricity at home, go to http://generating-electricity-at-home.canemanim.com

Originally posted 2010-01-25 16:42:28. Republished by Old Post Promoter

Home Wind Turbines – Cut Your Energy Bill

Build Your Own Wind Turbine — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 17:02:26 +0000

Energy costs keep sky rocketing with no end in sight. Pollution levels are increasing and our planet is facing a warming trend that could have devastating results. So the question is what can the average citizen do to save money and help the environment at the same time? One great way to help is to lower the amount of electricity your home purchases from the utility company by creating your own power. There are a few ways to do this, and wind power is one of the easiest and more reliable ways to produce energy at your home.

What is a Wind Turbine?

A wind turbine is a simple machine that collects kinetic energy produced by wind currents and converts this energy into power that can be used in the home. Wind turbines are installed on high towers; these towers are usually around eighty to one hundred and twenty feet high. Towers must be high enough to allow the turbine to be above any turbulence generated by objects on the ground. The higher the altitude also results in higher wind speed and in turn, a higher amount of energy can be produced.

How do Wind Turbines Work?

Wind energy is used to create mechanical energy. Turbines have blades that are turned by the wind; these blades turn a shaft to which they are connected. The shaft is then connected to a generator; the mechanical energy is transferred into the generator through the shaft and converts the mechanical energy into electricity. This electricity can then be used in the home for any electrical need. Homes that are using wind turbines to produce power are still hooked up to the power grid. Being hooked up to the power grid allows the home to still have power when wind currents aren’t strong enough to produce electricity. Another benefit of continuing to be connected to the power grid is that at the times your wind turbine is producing more power than your home can use, the utility company is absorbing the extra energy and paying you for it. This can lead to very low electric bills. A wind turbine can lower your power bill by 50-80% depending on the amount of wind in your area.

Types of Wind Turbines

There are two main types of turbines: horizontal- axis turbines and vertical-axis turbines. Turbines also come in different sizes as well. Utility companies use wind turbines that can range in size from 100 kilowatts up to several megawatts. These larger turbines are found in groups on wind farms. If you ever drive over the Temecula pass in California, you can see large wind farms along the highway. It is a spectacular site. Small turbines, 100 kilowatts or less, are used at homes. These are place on towers on the homeowner’s property and then used to provide some of the energy needed to run the home. Since the size of the tower is quite large, they are usually used in areas where the home is on one acre or more. There are very small turbines on very small towers that may be able to be of use in urban areas or on smaller lots.

The Future of the Wind Turbine

In September of 2008, the U.S. Senate passed a bill that grants a one-year extension of the renewable energy production tax credit. If passed by the U.S. House of Representatives the tax credit would be available until December 2009. Wind power is a viable part of the solution to lessen our dependency on fossil fuels. Wind power is a renewable resource and produces no harmful pollutants. The future looks bright for wind power and hopefully, as a result, there will be a bright future for our planet too.

Detlef runs Wind Power Savings, where you can learn more about saving energy in your home.

Originally posted 2009-11-14 16:50:02. Republished by Old Post Promoter

Use Wind Turbines – Save Money And Stop Paying Electricity Bills

Build Your Own Wind Turbine — Sat, 29 May 2010 19:17:31 +0000

What would you do if you could get the electric company to give you money? Well, there are ways to make the electric company and ways that you never have to pay them again. Wind energy is the fastest growing means of alternative energy in the world. Since 2000, the electricity output from wind energy has more than quadrupled. The reason wind energy is popular is because it is clean, efficient, renewable and readily available. Wind turbines have been popping up all over the world. It isn’t just homeowners or regular people trying to find alternative energy, but countries and large organizations. There is a demand and people are turning to wind power as a way to meet the alternative energy needs.

Wind power is an interesting idea. There are people who have been installing wind turbines and then taking themselves “off the grid.” This means they disconnect themselves from the electric company and never deal with them again. No bills, no notes, no phone calls. Nothing.

This sounds like a great idea, but it requires installing wind turbines, which can be costly. However, there are ways to make some money back. In the United States, there are many states that offer tax breaks by using alternative energy. You will save money if you qualify and you will make your money back faster. There are also some states that allow homeowners to sell the extra energy back. These are “net metering laws.” When using the wind turbine, the electricity meter will actually spin backwards. Net metering laws allow homeowners and businesses to be billed only for their net energy consumption as opposed to all of the energy they used.

Net metering helps because customers get full value of the electricity they use. People who use wind turbines might need to use the power company still because wind is intermittent. Over 40 states offer some type of net metering law. Residents should take advantage of these. They can get more information by going to http://www.eere.energy.gov/greenpower/resources/maps/netmetering_map.shtml or contacting the Dept. of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.

As more people begin using wind turbines and the technology progresses, the cost of getting and installing wind turbines is decreasing. This is good news for anyone looking to use wind turbines. Now, there are other avenues to pursue when looking for alternative energy.

Worldwide, wind energy only accounts for 1 percent of the electricity use. However, there are countries that have taken a bigger role in using wind as a viable solution to meeting alternative energy needs. Denmark uses wind turbines for 19 percent of its electricity productions, Spain and Portugal use nine percent and Germany and Ireland use six percent.

Wind turbines also help the environment. Over the course of the wind turbine’s lifetime, a residential turbine would be equivalent to planting two trees with the amount of carbon dioxide that would be saved. There are many reasons to get on the wind power bandwagon. They are all worth it. If money is the only thing holding you back, consider all the rebates and benefits you can get from owning a wind turbine. You will make your money back in a few years.

Abhishek is an avid Environmentalist and he has got some great Alternative Fuel Secrets up his sleeves! Download his FREE 70 Pages Ebook, “Energy Conservation And Alternative Fuel” from his website http://www.Wonder-Homes.com/643/index.htm . Only limited Free Copies available.

Originally posted 2009-11-26 17:33:35. Republished by Old Post Promoter

Pros and Cons of Wind Turbines, Does it Worth It?

Build Your Own Wind Turbine — Thu, 27 May 2010 00:39:00 +0000

In short: resounding yes. Many are against wind turbines and wind farm building, and I have to admit they have a few good reasons other than the stupid „I don’t like the look of wind mills in the countryside”. Well, I don’t like that the Arctic is getting smaller and smaller every day, and the fact that maybe my children won’t be able to experience the world as it is today. Letting go of the untouched view is a small sacrifice in exchange for nothing less than the whole future of Earth.

Other than the panorama there are a few reasons why one wouldn’t choose wind turbines over regular electricity generation:
Wind turbines do not produce constantly. Their performance varies based on the actual power of the wind. This can be from zero to storm force!
Efficiency is not the best available: a modern turbine running at its normal pace can deliver power to 500 households. Count quickly how many would be needed for a city with 20 million habitants?
It is not true that wind turbines are 100% environment friendly, because when factories produce them, they do emit pollution into the air. But that is a onetime pollution against the constant negative effects of regular ways.
They are noisy creatures. One turbine can produce the same level of noise as a car travelling at 60mph on the highway! You certainly don’t want that under your window constantly.

BUT almost all of these are against the industrial versions, not the ones built for home usage.

The wind is free, and it can be captured with good efficiency nowadays compared to the results some decades ago.
They do not take large portion of lands like solar farms do! The land around these small towers can be cultivated or used in a different way without any problem!
The other half of people thinks they add to the view of the landscape!
If you live on the top of the hill or miles away from any civilization you can still generate your own power with smaller wind turbines!
And the last and best one: you can build one yourself! It’s an easy process and nowadays there are complete guides available. You can view a few of these on the link found at the end of this article!

Mark Gavalda is an environment enthusiast, author of several articles in the Green and Eco industry. You can find more interesting news, articles, how-to guides at his online magazine: http://www.EcoTaz.com click on the link to visit!

Originally posted 2010-01-05 16:44:29. Republished by Old Post Promoter

Home Wind Turbines – Facts You Should Know

Build Your Own Wind Turbine — Sat, 22 May 2010 13:50:49 +0000

Home wind turbines are not really among the things that people would normally consider when buying renewable power systems for their homes. One of the reasons behind this is their lack of knowledge about these small wind systems that are ideal for home use. Since the most obvious alternative energy source is the sun, most people will surely look for solar panels to put up on their roofs. Although there is nothing wrong with using solar power, you should consider the power of the wind too. Even if you live in suburban areas, there is still a way for you to harness wind power using small wind systems.

The first thing that many people ask about home wind turbines is how they work. In essence, a turbine, which is placed on top of a tower, collects energy from the wind and turns it to usable electricity. In residences that are not located in remote areas, it is still necessary to get the services of your local utility company because the energy generated by the turbines will not be enough. It is also worth noting that the speed of the wind can greatly affect the electric output of your home wind system. If the wind speed is lower than 7 miles per hour, you should not expect any output from your turbine. However, if you are able to generate more electricity than what you need, your local energy company can purchase the excess power from you.

Another concern for homeowners is how much money is saved when they use home wind turbines. According to studies, a small wind system can actually cut your bill by as much as 50 to 90 percent. Some people even claim that after successfully installing a wind system in their homes, they only pay $8 to $15 dollars in monthly electricity bill for more than two-thirds of any given year.

However, you should understand that the size of your home wind turbine will greatly affect the amount of money you will save. The higher the output of the small wind turbine, the more significant the impact will be on your electric bill. It would be a good idea to use several small wind turbines in order to generate enough usable electricity. The most common turbines available in the market have 600, 800, 1,000 or 3,000 output watts.

Before you buy home wind turbines, there are some things that you need to consider. First, you have to determine local laws on installing small wind systems in your city or locality. You do not want to end up buying a wind turbine only to realize later on that you cannot use it at home. Furthermore, you also need to choose a home wind turbine that is suitable to the size of your home and the size of your property. Furthermore, you also need to look for an online store that will not only provide you with quality small wind turbines but will give you value for your money as well.

To know more about Home Wind Turbines and other alternative energy sources, go to http://www.eSolarZone.com.

Originally posted 2009-11-23 17:55:06. Republished by Old Post Promoter