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Posts Tagged ‘National Climatic Data’

Wind Energy: Affordable Solutions for Homeowners

Monday, August 31st, 2009

 

From sailing the seven seas to gathering water for the mill, wind has always been an important energy source. It has helped with food production, water irrigation, trade and commerce and morphed into aiding mankind in producing electricity for their residences and workplaces.

Wind turbines first showed up in the 19th century, and in the 20th century America’s first wind farm was built in Vermont and powered many areas during World War II. With the advancement of technology, it is possible for wind energy to be an affordable solution for homeowners to power their own homes.

You can both save money and reduce your carbon footprint by using wind energy. It is cost effective to put together for your home, and a humungous wind turbine like you see on a wind farm is not necessary for residential use.

You can purchase and install goods for a grid-connected or stand-alone system for your home. When you are still connected to the grid, wind energy can produce extra power, saving your need to use the utility company’s electricity with the company picking up any slack in your total production. When you go off-grid, you actually have the ability to sell money back to the power company.

Stand alone systems make trasnferring energy to locations far from the grid system more affordable. With either system, the average air speed should work out to around 10 mph. It’s important to have a measure of the wind speed where you live, and the National Climatic Data Center can provide this information.

The types of equipment you sill need to provide your home with affordable wind energy include a wind turbine, a tower, wiring, controllers, and inverters or batteries. The rotor and generator will be mounted on the tail of the frame of the turbine.

A general rule of thumb when figuring on what type of wattage you will be needing to produce is: 1.5 kW turbines fit the requirements of a 300 kWh monthly usage wherein the average wind speed is 14 mph. Off-grid systems would need to be three times as powerful. When the wind blows high the turbine usually has an automatic speed governing system to keep it in check so it doesn’t spin too hard or too fast.

When you purchase your system there is a self-supporting, free standing tower and the more popular guyed lattice tower. The latter is cheaper and is supported by cables and earth anchors. Stand alones take batteries to store the extra power generated so that you can still have electricity when the winds are calm.

You’ll need an inverter to convert energy from the battery to AC current. You can even buy a stand-alone system that piggy-backs with a solar cell. Local governmental agencies actually offer incentives such as rebates and discounts when you install and use these systems.

Many manufacturers produce wind turbines for the home. You’ll need to evaluate three and five blade turbines and the KwH produced to be sure you have enough energy for what you need to power, plus materials such as plastic or nylong synthetic materials. Some are more aerodynamic than others and the way in which your turbine is mounted to the tower.

Each manufacturer will have listed the specs for their equipment, so don’t be intimidated into thinking you need a physics degree to understand wind energy. It is affordable for homeowners now, so there’s no need to wait. Help save the planet and save your wallet with affordable wind energy for the home. You’ll be delighted at what you can do!

Residential Wind Turbines are Available and Affordable

Monday, August 31st, 2009

 

From sailing the seven seas to gathering water for the mill, wind has always been an important energy source. It has helped with food production, water irrigation, trade and commerce and morphed into aiding mankind in producing electricity for their residences and workplaces.

Wind turbines first showed up in the 19th century, and in the 20th century America’s first wind farm was built in Vermont and powered many areas during World War II. Technology advancements mean wind energy is now affordable for homeowners to power their own homes.

You can save money and help the environment by relying on wind energy to power your home. It is cost effective to put together for your home, and a humungous wind turbine like you see on a wind farm is not necessary for residential use.

You can opt for a grid-connected of a stand alone wind turbine system for your home. When you are still connected to the grid, wind energy can produce extra power, saving your need to use the utility company’s electricity with the company picking up any slack in your total production. When you go off-grid, you actually have the ability to sell money back to the power company.

Stand alone systems make trasnferring energy to locations far from the grid system more affordable. The average air movement speed should be about 10 mph for either system. The National Climatic Data Center can provide the information you’ll need to determine the wind speed where you live.

The types of equipment you sill need to provide your home with affordable wind energy include a wind turbine, a tower, wiring, controllers, and inverters or batteries. The rotor and generator will be mounted on the tail of the frame of the turbine.

A general rule of thumb when figuring on what type of wattage you will be needing to produce is: 1.5 kW turbines fit the requirements of a 300 kWh monthly usage wherein the average wind speed is 14 mph. Off-grid systems would need to be three times as powerful. When the wind blows high the turbine usually has an automatic speed governing system to keep it in check so it doesn’t spin too hard or too fast.

When you purchase your system there is a self-supporting, free standing tower and the more popular guyed lattice tower. The latter is cheaper and is supported by cables and earth anchors. Stand alones take batteries to store the extra power generated so that you can still have electricity when the winds are calm.

An inverter converts energy from battery to household or AC current. You even have the opportunity to purchase a stand-alone system that is piggy-backed with a solar cell. Local governmental agencies actually offer incentives such as rebates and discounts when you install and use these systems.

Many manufacturers produce wind turbines for the home. Keep an eye out for three and five blade turbines, the kwH produced – make sure you have enough for what you need to power, materials such as plastic or nylon synthetic materials. Some are more aerodynamic than others and the way in which your turbine is mounted to the tower.

Each manufacturer will have listed the specs for their equipment, so don’t be intimidated into thinking you need a physics degree to understand wind energy. It is affordable for homeowners now, so there’s no need to wait. Help save the planet and save your wallet with affordable wind energy for the home. You’ll be amazed at what you can do!