How to power your home from the wind – and save yourself money
Today’s most significant sources of power is the wind energy It is fuelled by the wind, meaning it doesn’t pollute the air unlike power plants which depends on combustion of fossil fuels like natural gas and coal. Wind is formed by the heating of the atmosphere and the earth’s rotation, making it an inexhaustible and least expensive renewable energy source today. But is a wind powered home really a viable option?
With the current state of our environment today, now more than ever do we need to turn to using such renewable energies. In areas like farmlands and other open fields unobstructed by trees and hills, a large number of residential homes have in homes with their own wind turbines, some of which had no outside power lines at all
The first thing to consider in installing a wind turbine generator in your homes would obviously be the wind. The area should be clear of obstructions to the wind such as tall buildings and trees as it might affect the efficiency of the turbines to gather electricity According to American Wind Energy Association, it is best if the home is located on one acre or more due to the size of a small wind turbine. It should rise high enough above objects on the ground to lower wind turbulence With an average home requirement of 9,400 kilowatt-hours per year, a turbine should be rated 5 to 15 kilowatts.
Individual turbines vary in size and power output from a few hundred watts to two or three megawatt, the typical domestic system would be 1 – 6 kilowatts. Re-wiring is not necessary as it can be retrofitted in any home There are two basic types of home wind turbine : the horizontal and vertical axis. The more common horizontal axis needs to be aimed directly at the wind The vertical axis, although it can face any direction the wind is blowing requires more ground space than horizontal axis turbines.
Neighbours must also be considered when installing a wind turbine Inform them of your plan and keep the turbine away from neighbouring houses as much as possible to avoid conflict.
As any other products, wind turbine generators have its advantages as well as disadvantages Other than providing a clean, limitless energy source, other advantages include low expenses. Wind turbines require very little maintenance and can last for about 20 years This typically lowers electricity bill by 50 to 90 percent. A major disadvantage is that wind turbines relies wholly on the speed and direction of the wind Wind energy cannot be stored with the use of batteries, thus may not meet timely electric needs. The noise produced by the motors and concerns over TV reception interference are also listed as disadvantages, but the modern technology today allows home turbines to run with less noise than a washing machine, and it has been proven that turbines does not affect TV signals. Coupled with solar power, a home wind turbine can really save you money and help save the environment at the same time.
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Filed under: House and Home
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