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Posts Tagged ‘homemade wind turbine’

For centuries now, people have been using wind turbines to generate energy. Even now, the basic principle behind this type of device remains the same, but design aspects of the blades used have undergone major changes over the years. The basic advantage of modern blade design is that it allows wind turbines to generate power more efficiently now than ever before, which in turn makes it realistic to use smaller and quieter turbines.

Mats made out of reeds were used as the blades for the first-generation wind turbines. While they did the job under the right conditions, they broke easily. If the winds got too high, these blades would usually be damaged.

The next stage in the development of wind turbine blades was the cloth sail. With the help of this blade design, early windmills were able to harness wind power effectively in order to process grain.

The next major kind of blade to be introduced was the wood blade, which was usually used in conjunction with a horizontal axis configuration. The impetus for the new turbine designs was the design of airplane blades, which had recently made major strides. Although much lighter, wooden blades were nevertheless able to provide much more power than earlier turbine blades.

These designs allowed turbines to be used for the purpose of generating electricity. Larger wind turbines were soon built to capitalize on these improvements, providing power in commercial settings.

From this point on, wind turbine blade development separated into two distinct paths: horizontal axis blades, and vertical axis blades. With regard to horizontal axis blade design, the majority of the changes would manifest themselves as differences in blade shape and pitch, materials, and the number of blades used per rotor.

In most cases, 3-blade designs came to be used for horizontal axis wind turbines, as they provide the best balance of stability and rotor speed. Modern turbines make use of composite blades, which are both lightweight and durable. Unlike older turbines, these new turbines can both spin at higher speeds and pick up winds of lower velocity.

Some of the most radical and effective designs on the market currently can be found on vertical axis wind turbines. The rotation for these units is usually provided by features that take advantage of either the lift or drag of the wind.

Regardless of the direction of the wind, modern vertical axis turbines will always convert it into energy. In this respect, they can give you a more constant supply of power than standard horizontal axis turbines. Residential users will find vertical axis turbines particularly attractive, as they generally don’t require a tower or an open landscape in order to get the best production.

If you would like to know the pros and cons of solar energy, take a look at Advantages and Disadvantages of Wind Power.

For the best guide I have found for building your own wind turbines with step by step videos, go to Best DIY Solar and Wind Guides.

Here’s another guide to building your own wind turbine Homemade Wind Turbine.

Residential wind turbines are an excellent way of generating power, thanks to developments seen in the past ten years. New materials and technological advancements have made improved turbine designs possible, which in turn generate even more energy from less wind than ever before. Furthermore, there are plenty of styles and sizes of residential turbines available now, and interested parties are certain to find one that meets their specifications with regard to size and power.

Advantages

Endless energy

We’ll never run out of wind (though the same can’t be said about some other energy sources). The wind will keep on providing energy – as long as we do what it takes to harness it – endlessly. As we’re all learning, that certainly isn’t the case with fossil fuels. Non-renewable sources of energy like oil, coal and natural gas are just that – non-renewable. As difficult as it may be to imagine, we will eventually run out of those things. Dwindling supplies mean increasing prices, and the unlimited nature of wind means that its price is constant, and therefore more and more attractive by comparison.

Free power

If you’re using wind energy, you won’t have to worry about kilowatt hours or anything like that. After the one-off cost of installing a wind turbine, you have permanent, free power. The previously unrealistic goals of getting off the grid and saying goodbye forever to electric bills are now attainable with the use of residential wind turbines.

Clean energy

Wind power is completely free of pollution. Fossil fuels, on the other hand, generate all kinds of pollution. By using wind power, you can reduce your carbon footprint significantly.

Forget about foreign oil

Many experts say these days that dependence on foreign oil is a major issue for our country with regard to both security and economics. One of the most effective ways to reduce dependence on foreign oil to switch to wind power, as this will eliminate the need for oil of any sort.

Energy at all times

Residential wind turbines can generate electricity 24 hours a day in any weather. Solar panels, meanwhile, only generate electricity when the sun is out. Thus, with solar panels, it’s likely that you’ll still find it necessary to purchase electricity from a power company. These restrictions don’t apply to wind power.

No home orientation problems

Also, even when the sun is shining, solar panels need to have the proper exposure to the sun in order to work at peak efficiency. This means that solar panels aren’t a good choice for homes that have a lot of shade, or where the roof isn’t aligned appropriately. A wind generator isn’t subject to the same restrictions. You can also get the same amount of power from a wind generator while using less space than solar panels would.

Drawbacks

Installation cost

Make no mistake: a wind generator is a significant investment. In the long run, though, the free electricity that comes from a wind turbine will more than offset the initial cost. Furthermore, you can seriously reduce that cost by putting together your own wind generator, as many people do. If you’re interested take a look at Wind Generator Plans.

Height requirement

If you’re using a larger type of wind generator, you’ll need to make sure that it’s mounted high enough to be exposed to consistent, strong wind. It might be necessary to mount the turbine at a significant height depending on the level of the surrounding tree line and/or the height of any nearby buildings. This means that, often, users mount wind generators on top of towers or other tall structures. This may mean that it’s necessary to obtain HOA approval or other kinds of permits, which in turn create some additional up-front cost. Though, again, building a homemade wind generator will help lower the cost.

Wind requirement

Wind generators work best in areas with consistent wind. Thus, the most effective locations for wind turbines are those which see the strongest and most consistent wind. This means that wind power can be produced most effectively in locations with relatively few buildings or trees. This means that, for the most part, the types of locations where you don’t even have to consider putting your wind turbine on a tall structure are the prime areas for wind generators anyway. A DIY guide will teach you how to build a wind generator.

These are the advantages and disadvantages of wind power. An increasing number of homeowners are finding out that the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages. Even compared to other renewable energy sources, wind power has a variety of distinct advantages. The benefits of wind power in many ways directly correspond to the drawbacks of solar (and vice versa). Solar and wind power do have the common drawback of being expensive to start up. Perhaps the best way to deal with this issue, if you find the expense is discouraging you from moving forward, is to build a wind generator yourself.