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. Being a form of a solar energy, the heating of the atmosphere by the sun, the rotation of the earth, and the earth’s surface irregularities that creates wind, this is one energy source that can’t be used up, and is one of the lowest-priced renewable energy technologies available today again, based on the wind resources of the area. 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. Many residential homes mostly in farm lands and open fields installs their own wind turbines as source of energy
The first thing to consider in installing a wind turbine generator in your homes would obviously be the wind. Your area should nowhere be near tall buildings and structures, as it will have a pronounced effect on the wind turbines’ efficiency to deliver 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. It can be retrofitted into any homes without the need for re-wiring There are two basic types of home wind turbine : the horizontal and vertical axis. Horizontal axis needs to be directed 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 disadvantage however, is that the electricity generated at any one time by a wind turbine is highly dependent 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.