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