Wind turbines are fast becoming a popular alternative way of generating electricity. They are environmentally friendly and very clean as they don't emit any harmful gasses. You have probably seen the big commercial wind turbines but have you considered installing a smaller domestic windmill in your own home?
If you live in an area that frequently gets windspeeds of 12mph or greater then you are in an ideal spot as this is the speed required to turn the blades of a wind turbine.
The tower must be tall enough for the blades to catch the wind so if you live in a less windy area then you will need a much taller tower.
The blades of the wind turbine are attached to a rotor which turns a drive shaft that in turn generates electricity. This electricity is stored in a battery for use when there is no wind.
We have all seen pictures of the old style windmills that used to grind corn and pump water, but modern windmills look very similar to the propellers on an aircraft.
There are two types of wind turbine. Horizontal axis turbines and vertical axis turbines. The most efficient and commonly used wind turbine is the horizontal axis. As it's name suggests a horizontal axis wind turbine rotate along a horizontal axis, and a vertical wind turbine rotates along a vertical axis.
You can save a lot of money on electricity bills by installing a wind turbine but before you make any decisions you have to look into the area you live in and the amount of space you have surrounding your property.
Ideally you should have at least an acre of ground to give enough space between you and your neighbours. The blades can make a noise depending on the size of your wind turbine and a larger area gives the blades plenty of space to turn.
As mentioned earlier ideally you should live somewhere that does get sufficient wind to turn the blades. On the coast or on top of a windy hill are perfect locations. If on the other hand you still want your own wind turbine and live in a less windy area you would need to fix the blades on top of a much taller tower and this may not be an ideal solution.
You could also consider installing a few solar panels to really maximise the amount of electricity you generate. After the initial cost you will save on power bills and if you generate an excess of electricity you could sell it to your power company and earn money from them!
Building a wind turbine for the home is a great investmet and will save you thousands in energy bills. You can install a wind power system for as little as $200 using materials available in your local diy store. Find out how you can build your own wind turbine with very little diy experience and start saving money. Click Here now to find out more..
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