Residential Wind Power

Generating renewable energy through wind power is possible for homes and residences with a single wind turbine. Turbine systems, including the poles, installations, and batteries, can cost up to $20,000. For a low cost option, try building one yourself.

Accessing the free power of the wind for generating electricity is possible in many areas. The first step is to determine the average strength and velocity of the wind that blows over the property. If the average wind speed is more than 10 MPH, a wind turbine would be appropriate to install on your property.

Next, look online for some windmill building guides. While the information to build a windmill system yourself isn’t free, it comes from people who are dedicated to the technology, and who’ve spent years perfecting their individual systems. Comprehensive books, including Hugh Piggott’s A Wind Turbine Recipe Book and Off-Grid Living’s Homemade Wind Generator guide, are low-cost, step by step guides that provide valuable information from people who live to build wind power systems.

Common household tools can be used to build your turbine structure, including raising the pole on which your turbine will sit, connecting the turbine to the battery and inverter that will turn it into usable electricity for your home, and general maintenance.

The blades can be made from PVC pipe, plywood, corrugated cardboard, or metal if steel working tools are available. The base and frame of the turbine, and the tail, can be made from the same materials. Also, Honeywell sells turbines through Ace Hardware, which can then be mounted on a pole and connected to the electrical system.

The turbine itself strongly affects the amount of electricity the system can generate. Turbine blades should be the correct length to catch the most average wind; longer blades will generate energy even with slower wind speeds, while shorter blades can create energy faster from strong winds. The turbine should be mounted high enough in the air to be unobstructed by trees, buildings, and hills, in order to catch the strongest winds.

The turbine will be connected to the home via electrical wires that feed into a battery, which is where the energy will first be stored. The battery can be powered by regular AA batteries or NiMH (nickel-metal hydride) batteries. In order for the energy generated by your windmill to be used by your home, it will need to be converted using an inverter.

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The upfront costs of installing a wind power system on your property can be high. It’s important, in order to recoup your costs in an acceptable time frame, to maximize the amount of power your system can generate.

Wind velocity is the number one factor in determining the amount of energy your system can create. An increase in wind speed from 10 MPH to 12 MPH will cause an 100% increase in power generation, so you want to make sure your system has the ability and the position to catch high wind speeds. Information on wind speed and velocity can be obtained using state wind maps, or by having a professional do a wind survey on the property.

For a quick estimate of your property’s wind speed, you can measure the speed at ground level over the course of a few weeks. Generally, there are seven days of prevalent winds and three days of energy winds in a two week period. Most of a wind power system’s energy is generated from energy wind. If the average ground level wind speed that you measure over the two week period is at least 8 MPH, a wind power system is most likely optimal for your property.

Another consideration is location. Your turbine should be 20 feet above the tallest tree, building, or other obstacle within a 400 ft radius to ensure that the wind reaching the turbines is smooth and strong. A good site for a turbine is on the highest, most exposed ground in an area to ensure that the wind coming through will hit the turbine with as much force as possible.

Along with wind speed and location, the turbine length will affect the potential output of the entire system. Shorter turbine blades will be cheaper and louder. They are designed to catch fast moving winds and generate as much energy as possible from them. When they are operating at a maximum speed, they can be very noisy. The bigger the turbine blade, the slower the wind that can be caught and used to generate energy. Large turbine blades can catch winds as slow as 8 MPH, and don’t make as much noise, but they can cost tens of thousands of dollars in installation and maintenance. Read the rest of this entry »

The most important aspect to consider when deciding if a residential wind power system is right for a property is the wind speed and velocity that comes through the area. This information will determine the size, location, and height of your wind turbine, and the amount of potential energy your residential wind turbine.

To determine the wind speed for your property, begin by checking online wind maps for your state and specific region. Wind maps are available on the Department of Energy and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory websites.

A wind map is divided into classes from 1-7, with class 1 having the lowest wind speeds and class 7 having the highest. Classes 3 and above should be suitable for residential wind generators, which require average wind speeds of at least 10 MPH. Still, a wind map isn’t the last word, because every specific property is different. In a class 1 area, the property may have high ground in an exposed area suited for catching wind, and conversely, a class 7 property on low ground with many tall trees may not be able to catch enough wind to power an wind energy system.

The wind map also gives wind speeds and densities by height. When reviewing your property for obstacles that will affect residential wind turbine performance, note the height of all trees, buildings, and hills on your property. A residential windmill tower should stand 20 feet above the highest obstacle within a 400 foot radius, in order to catch the most wind possible without obstruction. Using this information, check the wind speeds for the height you’ve estimated for the tower. Lower classes may have stronger winds at greater heights.

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