| Wind energy is an environmentally inert, clean, and | | | | generators to provide storable, on-demand power in |
| inexhaustible source of electric power that, as it turns | | | | more remote, off-the-grid places. In most residential |
| out, is really just another form of solar energy. The | | | | situations, a wind turbine is used as a supplemental |
| sun creates wind by its uneven heating of the | | | | source of power in combination with local, on-the-grid, |
| planet's atmosphere. It's moderated by the earth's | | | | utility power. There is something called a cut-in speed |
| rotation and irregularities in its surface. The planet's | | | | (7-10 miles per hour), below which the wind turbine |
| terrain, water bodies, and vegetation then affect the | | | | will cease to provide an output, and the utility grid |
| wind flow patterns. With the invention of wind | | | | provides the structure's power. Above the cut-in |
| turbines, we can now harness the wind's energy and | | | | speed, the wind turbine kicks in and the grid power |
| use it instead of purchasing electricity from the utility | | | | supply is proportionately reduced (depending on the |
| companies that are derived from non-renewable | | | | structure's energy draw at the given moment). If the |
| sources. The easiest way to understand how wind | | | | output produced by the wind turbine exceeds the |
| turbines work is to think of a fan operating in | | | | draw from the structure (and/or storage devices, like |
| reverse - rather than electricity spinning the blades | | | | batteries), the excess power is then sold back to the |
| and thus generating wind, the wind spins the blades, | | | | pubic utility company. Use of wind energy can reduce |
| thereby generating electricity. Breaking it down to it's | | | | a residence's energy costs by, on average, 50-90%, |
| simplest components, a wind turbine operates as | | | | though these numbers are influenced by a variety of |
| follows: the wind turns the blades the blades spin a | | | | factors and, as such, can fluctuate greatly. In a |
| shaft the shaft connects to a generator the | | | | typical residence that uses under 10,000 kilowatt |
| generator produces electricity To expand on that | | | | hours per year of electric power, a 5-15 kilowatt |
| simplification, the turbine's blades are connected to a | | | | wind turbine should more than suffice. This type of |
| hub that's mounted atop a turning shaft which runs | | | | system can run anywhere from $6,000-$22,000 to |
| into a gear transmission box that increases the | | | | install, depending on a variety of factors, including: its |
| turning speed which, in turn, is connected to a high | | | | size, your intended application, and any service |
| speed shaft that cranks the generator. If the wind | | | | contracts entered into with the manufacturer. Being |
| speeds get too high, a brake is deployed to slow the | | | | that certain situations (such as in the city) make |
| blades down and prevent damage being done to the | | | | personal wind power use an unviable option, a general |
| system. There are two basic types of wind turbine: | | | | rule of thumb is to consider installing your own wind |
| horizontal axis wind turbines: the kind most commonly | | | | power system if and only if you pay at least 10 |
| in use today and the focus of U.S. Department of | | | | cents per kilowatt hour and your location's average |
| Energy research on wind power, these come in two | | | | wind speeds exceed 10 miles per hour. The larger |
| varieties - 2-blade horizontal axis turbines spin | | | | wind turbines have capacities upwards of 50 |
| downwind 3-blade horizontal axis turbines spin upwind | | | | kilowatts, running these days into the |
| vertical axis wind turbines The size of a wind turbine | | | | several-megawatt range. These windmills, known as |
| will influence its power generating capacity, with the | | | | utility scale turbines, can be grouped together and |
| smaller windmills that produce under 50 kilowatts | | | | connected to central lines for transmitting and |
| being the type most commonly used to power | | | | distributing in bulk to the local utility grids that, in turn, |
| water pumps, telecom dishes, and homes. In an | | | | sell that power to homes and businesses across the |
| innovative advancement known as hybrid wind | | | | land. These are called wind power plants or wind |
| systems, these smaller turbines are also being used in | | | | farms. |
| combination with solar (photovoltaic) systems, | | | | For easy to understand, in depth information about |
| rechargeable deep-cycle batteries, and diesel | | | | wind power visit our ezGuide 2 Wind Power. |