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Butcher your power bills in 3 weeks or less using home wind power
These 8 facts will explain the basics of how you can stop giving your money to the big power conglomerates. With a small effort, you can become a big source of improvement for the environment and your wallet.
1. If not done properly, home wind power can be pricy. Done right, the savings are a pure dream. The magic takes place when a simple turbine is placed on a high tower or on a roof. The blades take kinetic energy from the wind, turn it into mechanical energy in a shaft which in turn changes it to electrical energy in a generator. Many places on earth already have residential generators of 1 kw and bigger.
2. In some localities, you can make a deal with your local power authority. What it does is allow you to sell excess power to them. Your system will cost a bit in the short run but, since the turbines and equipment last 25 years or more, it will pay for itself many times over. In some localities, you can even get a tax break for being a producer of power.
3. A relatively new design of turbine are called Energy Balls. They have a radicall rotor design that includes the generator itself. Energy Balls are very efficient because they make use of microwinds and are usually sold in sizes below 6 feet across.
4. Turbines for home owners or small industry come in sizes varying from 1kW to 50 kW outputs. Turbines, like airplanes, utilize the laws of aerodynamics to work. Turbines can be made passively able to better cope with high wind speeds and light electrical loads with, for example, "furling" to point them out of high winds, or using designs such as VAWTs that tend to speed up less due to turbulence.
One drawback of wind systems is that some view them as an eyesore and I suppose they can be. They get real pretty when you get your first check from the power company, though!
5. Power generated from solar panels and home built wind generators has to be stored in deep-cycle battery banks until you need it. Battery banks are typically sized for one to three days of windless operation. You WILL need batteries to store excess power for use when the wind is calm.
6. There will be times when your system is producing more than you can use. If you can't or don't want to have to deal with the local authority to sell your power, you can use it by heating up the water in your hot water tank, for example. When the winds are not blowing and your batteries are saying "Help!", you can tap into your local power grid and buy just the power you need for a short time.
7. Some home wind power systems are tied into the local power grid. In times of excess, power is automatically sold and meterred to the local utility. In times of need, your system sucks power off the grid automatically and you are billed for what you use. All this can be easily done automatically but make sure the whole installation is approved by an electrician or other knowledgeable expert. Let electricity be your friend, not your enemy.
Investing a few dollars in courses and books are your best investments as you plan, build and test your system. Having the proper tradespeople certifying your install will give you the peace of mind that all is safe, efficient and capable of selling energy to the grid.
Environmental are still a concern. Environmentalists claim that wind power generators have an effect on wild bird populations and bats. This is probably true, but nothing comes without a price. How does smoke from a coal fired plant affect birds and bats? It, in the end, is your decision.
8. Knowledge is power. Installing a home wind power system is easy and fun. What the most critical element in the whole project is accurate, timely information from people who are experts in this field. Get some. You'll be glad you did (and laugh all the way to the bank!)
About the Author About The Author: Gene Vent is a Certified Engineering Technologist. His lifelong passion has been to incorporate the latest in research with nurturing the environment. His greatest accomplishment has been to build a working partnership with a genius of innovation named David Knight. Learn everything there is to know about solar and Wind Power Generation at their Do It Yourself site Home Wind Power |
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