January 1st, 2009
Wind Power For The Average American
With both environmental and economic concerns leading the quest for renewable forms of alternative energy, a number of Americans have begun looking for ways to reduce their dependence on oil and coal-based energy. Though biodiesel, solar panels, and hydroelectric dams are currently the most well-known forms of alternative energy available, wind power is quickly becoming a viable alternative used both as a supplement to an external electrical supply and as a primary source of power. Though you might think that wind power requires acres of expensive wind turbines in order to produce energy, it can also be personalized for individual home or business use.
Wind power has traditionally been produced in large amounts by wind farms, which are the stereotypical large turbines that many people associate with renewable wind energy. While these large wind farms and their offshore cousins are very useful for reducing the carbon footprint of the areas that they provide power for, that form of wind power production just isn’t feasible for the average American. A home wind generator can generally be purchased for less than the cost of a comparable solar energy kit, allowing you to produce the energy that you need to reduce your energy costs for less. A larger home wind generator system can even be created so that you can live completely off grid with wind power if you so choose.
Tags: alternative energy, renewable energy, wind power
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April 30th, 2009
The average wind energy system costs between $3000 and $5000 per kilowatt-hour generated, though 10 kw/h systems can generally be purchased for around $14,000 to $15,000. Though this may seem like a lot of money at first, it still is cheaper than many forms of renewable alternative energy that is available to homeowners. The turbines for the home wind power generators are usually mounted on 60’ to 80’ towers located on land near the home or business that they will be supplying power to, though smaller systems that are being used as a means of generating energy for wells and similar devices tend to not require quite so high of a tower. Higher towers are used to be able to access stronger air currents and winds that might be blocked by trees or other obstacles closer to ground level.
One of the keys to successful self-sustaining wind energy generation is finding the right site to place your wind turbines on. Government agencies such as the Department of Energy and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory offer wind maps and statistical data for most parts of the country to assist with finding the perfect location for your wind turbines. Additional maps and resources can also be located from meteorological societies and private wind energy groups such as the American Wind Energy Association. Many of these agencies and groups also offer practical advice, assistance with finding information on county and city zoning and building permit requirements, and even finding financing assistance and tax credits which you can claim after building your wind power generator.
Currently, only around 7% of the nation’s energy comes from renewable alternative energy sources. Of this 7%, only 5% is generated by wind power. Even with this small of an amount of wind energy being produced in the United States, the country still ranks third in overall wind energy production after Germany and Spain. With the rising costs of petroleum-based fuels and the greater efficiency of modern wind turbines, wind energy is entering a stage of rising popularity and has become a major draw as an alternative means of getting needed electricity to American homes. Whether the energy comes from large multi-acre wind farms, offshore turbines that take advantage of the trade winds, or small wind units that are used by average Americans as a means to reduce their carbon footprint and ease their dependence on petroleum, wind energy is poised to be a major form of energy production throughout the 21st century.
If you are interested in learning more about going “off grid” with wind power, I highly recommend you read Paul Gipe. He has several books out on the subject, including the results of many trial and error “mistakes ” and how to avoid them. You can find his books here: Wind Energy Comes of Age (Wiley Series in Sustainable Design)
Tags: alternative energy, renewable energy, wind power
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February 1st, 2009
Wind Energy is abundant, renewable and pollution-free. It is relatively inexpensive and getting more so each day.. It is already being used by many households for generating electricity. Research shows that for every one megawatt of wind energy, about two hundred twenty five to three hundred households receive electricity. With the ever increasing cost of electricity via coal, natural gas, oil etc., wind becomes a serious alternative as a renewable energy source.
Wind energy comes from solar energy. When the sun’s reflected rays are absorbed by water or land, this causes the atmosphere to become warm. Because hot air is lighter than cold air, it will rise up. When hot air rises and cool air replaces it in the atmosphere, wind energy is formed. With its propeller blades, wind turbines supply power to whatever mechanical generator there is that will convert wind energy to electricity. The power generated by one wind turbine is believed to be enough to run some electricity in one house. A propeller blade is actually a mechanical rotor that is assembled in threes, with the blades connected at the center. The more wind there is, the more these blades are propelled by the wind, and the more electricity is produced.
In 2007 more than 74,000 Megawatts of electric energy was produced by wind power installations in the world. Out of this 74,000 Megawatts, 12,000 Megawatts of electric energy was produced by the US alone.
It is also becoming more commonplace to use wind energy as a source of power both in homes and for other domestic uses. The most common use is installing a single wind turbine generator to power the water systems or communication systems in your home. However, if your geographical location is suitable you may want to think about using numerous wind generators as a source of main power to your home.
Tags: alternative energy, renewable energy, windpower
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