Wind Turbines for Private Homes
Is there a way to build wind turbines for private homes so that you can tap into wind power and generate your own electricity? The answer is yes. Wind resources are large enough and powerful enough to supply the electricity needs of the entire United States many times over, according to the Department of Energy. This source of energy can be used to help power your home, reducing dependence on conventional fuels and the power companies. Bigger turbines are usually pointed by a wind sensor coupled with a servo machine to point the blade in the proper direction. The vertical axis turbine on the other hand has the main rotor shaft arranged vertically which makes it effective even if the turbine is not directed into the wind, unlike the horizontal axis turbine. This is a better design for areas where wind direction can change from time to time. This design also allows the gearbox and generator to be placed on the ground, thus maintenance is a lot easier. This design however, will limit the speed of the blade because it generates more torque and drag, thus producing lesser energy. Do you want to generate enough to go off-grid? Or even sell some back to the utility company? In many countries there are financial incentives for selling green electricity back to the energy companies. In some places they must buy any excess back at a very favourable rate. But if you do want to do this, your equipment will need to comply with the technical requirements of the utility company. Obviously you need to know that before you build your turbine.
