Residential Wind Turbines – Clean Renewable Energy
In essence, a residential wind turbine is a wind energy system which allows one to create electricity from wind by utilizing various components.
Wind Generated Power
Electricity can be effectively generated from the power of the wind in order to reduce electricity bills, not only for residential purposes, but also for businesses. Of course, while we’d all like to have the heating turned up in winter and the air conditioners on during the summer, the price of grid supplied power is simply too high.
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The beauty of wind power is, it’s a renewable form of energy and it has enormous potential for reducing our consumption of energy generated from fossil fuels. While wind power is still in the infancy stage, accounting for less than 10% of the world’s energy, it has been enjoying increasing popularity in recent times.
A Breakdown of Wind Energy Systems
A wind energy system is composed of various parts, which when all assembled together, they form a wind turbine. It’s these turbines which then harvest the kinetic energy of the wind. Essentially, all wind turbines will include the following components:
1. Rotor blades and hub
2. Tower
3. Generator
4. Deep cycle battery bank
5. Electrical wiring
6. Inverter
The majority of small residential wind turbines produce what’s known as “wild current”, meaning the direct current produced varies in accordance to the wind speed. For this reason, an inverter is wired into the system in order to convert the wild current into regular AC electricity.
Buying a Wind Turbine
There are various factors which influence the height required for wind turbines such as your specific location. Also, the taller a turbine is the more wind it will be able to catch.
Primarily, home owners need to ensure their wind turbine is erected in an area of the yard where buildings or trees won’t be an obstruction. In other words, the rotor blades need to enjoy the full and uninterrupted force of the wind. The actual height you settle on depends on just how much power you want to generate.
Interestingly enough, the average household uses approximately 10,000 kilowatt hours per year although admittedly, this figure can fluctuate depending on various factors. Wind turbines are essentially categorized according to how many kilowatts they can produce at a pre-determined wind speed. Using a bit of basic arithmetic, we can calculate what type of motor we require in order to meet out kilowatt hour requirements.
For those who also receive grid supplied electricity, kilowatt hours will vary. The advantage of remaining on the grid is that during times when there is no wind, you have the grid power there to back yourself up. Of course, those living in remote areas where there is no grid, need to pay greater attention to the specs of a wind turbine in order to be sure their requirements are met.
All wind turbines are different, in that while some are tiny, others can be huge. Also, while some home owners have their turbines tied into the grid without using a battery bank, others prefer to use batteries in order to save excess electricity. Furthermore, while not very common, some turbines can be hardwired directly into the home.
Keep in mind that ready made wind energy systems can be very costly so it’s imperative that you do some research before purchasing such a system. Additionally, even the best systems require maintenance so it would be in your best interest to discuss this with the manufacturer before jumping in.
Whether you buy a ready made system, or whether you decide to make your own, you will require some equipment as well as a reasonable amount of space. Because of the height of towers, the tower needs to be countersunk into the ground together with a concrete base. Depending on your property, this may require the use of a backhoe.
Even small ready made residential turbines can cost you $5000 or more and of course, the size you opt for will depend on how much electricity you wish to produce. If your home uses a lot of energy then you need to consider a system between the 5kW and 10kW categories.
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Wind turbines are an undeniable solution as far as reducing energy bills is concerned. Admittedly, they can cost quite a bit initially but home owners should never allow the price to be the determining factor when shopping for a wind turbine.