Setting Up A Wind Power Generator

Wind energy is one of the cheapest and cleanest sources of energy and is available in abundance. Wind power generators are being extensively used all over the world to produce clean energy since centuries. Even today, in the modern world, farmers in the United States are not afraid to flaunt their age-old windmills. Use of wind energy has relieved the burden of energy production through fossil fuels, which are depleting progressively and also causing a lot of pollution and diseases along the way.

Setting up a residential wind power generator may seem difficult but it can easily be achieved by putting in some effort. Quite often the money and energy put in setting up a wind power generator can be easily recovered as utility companies readily agree to purchase any extra energy that you generate.

Getting Started

To start with there should be enough wind, approximately 10 miles per hour, for a wind power generator to work at home. Restrictions on structure heights should be carefully checked. A 100-foot tower is good enough to catch speedy winds. Determining the size shape and price of the turbine, which would match the needs of your geographical area and your pocket, is of utmost importance.

Working Of A Wind Turbine

The working of a wind turbine is quite simple. Placed on the top of a tower, the turbine collects kinetic energy from the wind and changes it into potential energy in the form of electricity stored in a generator. Batteries are typically absent in modern residential wind power generators and the power is directly led into the household.

The home will be collectively served by wind power and the local power supply. An increase in the turbine output will reduce the amount of power purchased from the local power provider. If the turbine produces more power than what the household may need, excessive power will be sold to the local power provider. All this is done automatically.

Pricing, Wiring, Noise, Interference And Other Aspects

A mid size turbine may cost anywhere from $7000 to $ 30,000 depending on size, function and servicing cost agreements. Luckily, there is no need to go through a tedious wiring overhaul as the turbine can be easily fitted to all kinds of households. The power supply providers may install a secondary meter to measure the amount of extra energy it is purchasing from the owners.

Small power turbines do make some noise but not enough to cause objectionable disturbance. These turbines do not interfere with other electronics and television signals. Maintenance of turbines comes easy as they have a small number of moving parts and operates completely automatically. They are designed to work for long periods of time (up to 20 years in most cases).

A small turbine may lower your electricity bill by as much as 50% – 90% depending upon your power consumption, average wind speed and other factors.

In addition you also have an option to purchase either ready to operate turbine installations which in turn will offer more customer support or an option to purchase an install-it–yourself kit direct from the factory.

Wind power generators are completely pollution free. So imagine offsetting a ton of air pollutants and several hundred tons of green house gases like carbon dioxide over a typical small turbines life period. So by setting up a residential wind power generator, not only so you save money, you also contribute in improving our environment.