Residential Wind Turbines - How to Take Advantage of This Cheap Source of Power
Residential wind turbines are being installed at an accelerating rate as people realise how affordable this cheap form of energy has become.
At present wind power only accounts for around 1.
5% of global electricity, but the industry is still in its infancy.
Economies of scale are expected to allow a 20 fold growth in just 5 years.
The most important factor that determines if a turbine is worth installing is the surrounding geography.
Not all locations have the right wind conditions that turbines need.
In general, open spaces without any trees or buildings nearby are able to produce the most electricity.
The WindMaps website is one way of quickly finding out if you are one of the lucky ones.
A lot of people who install a wind turbine at their home also install solar panels.
Each compliment the other well and reduce the risk of running out of electricity.
A nearby stream or river can provide another backup which is even more reliable than either sun or wind power.
If you are looking for the ideal location to build an eco home, it would probably be near the top of a small hill (for wind), with a nearby flow of water (for hydro) and without too much over-shading from large trees (for good solar coverage).
Since wind power fluctuates according to the whether, it is necessary to store the energy in batteries.
The type that are used for backup power by telephone exchanges are ideal for domestic use.
Domestic wind turbines can also make good financial sense if the payback period is short (i.
e.
5-10 years).
This is becoming much easier with the introduction of "feed in tariffs" which allow home owners to sell back surplus energy back to the national grid.
If you live in a particularly exposed location, you could even make enough money retire early! After you have checked the wind resource for your location the next step is to find out if you want to have it professionally installed or do the installation yourself.
Depending on your level of DIY skill, you can even design and build the turbine from scratch.
There are several documented examples that can be found on the web, which show step by step how to build residential wind turbines.
On the other hand a professional installation has the benefits of a quick installation and any maintenance is taken care of for you.
It does cost more, but saves a good deal of time and can give more peace of mind.
At present wind power only accounts for around 1.
5% of global electricity, but the industry is still in its infancy.
Economies of scale are expected to allow a 20 fold growth in just 5 years.
The most important factor that determines if a turbine is worth installing is the surrounding geography.
Not all locations have the right wind conditions that turbines need.
In general, open spaces without any trees or buildings nearby are able to produce the most electricity.
The WindMaps website is one way of quickly finding out if you are one of the lucky ones.
A lot of people who install a wind turbine at their home also install solar panels.
Each compliment the other well and reduce the risk of running out of electricity.
A nearby stream or river can provide another backup which is even more reliable than either sun or wind power.
If you are looking for the ideal location to build an eco home, it would probably be near the top of a small hill (for wind), with a nearby flow of water (for hydro) and without too much over-shading from large trees (for good solar coverage).
Since wind power fluctuates according to the whether, it is necessary to store the energy in batteries.
The type that are used for backup power by telephone exchanges are ideal for domestic use.
Domestic wind turbines can also make good financial sense if the payback period is short (i.
e.
5-10 years).
This is becoming much easier with the introduction of "feed in tariffs" which allow home owners to sell back surplus energy back to the national grid.
If you live in a particularly exposed location, you could even make enough money retire early! After you have checked the wind resource for your location the next step is to find out if you want to have it professionally installed or do the installation yourself.
Depending on your level of DIY skill, you can even design and build the turbine from scratch.
There are several documented examples that can be found on the web, which show step by step how to build residential wind turbines.
On the other hand a professional installation has the benefits of a quick installation and any maintenance is taken care of for you.
It does cost more, but saves a good deal of time and can give more peace of mind.
