Wind Power Energy

Wind power can reduce your energy bill. However, wind power requires consistent winds and large land areas . . . not available in many places.

You may be able to take advantage of the wind to reduce your energy bill. But, in order to do that, you will need quite a bit of land area and a fair breeze.

Wind Generators

Wind generators come in many sizes. Small home or commercial generators (in the 500 to 1,000 watt range) may have blade widths of 4 to 10 feed and are generally mounted on a tower 30 or 40 feet above the ground. A large 3 to 4 megawatt commercial wind generator may have blades several hundred feet in combined width. A wind generator of that size will be mounted on a tower that is (at least) several hundred feet above the ground.

New Wind Power Designs

If you are serious about evaluating wind power production, co-axial and counter-rotating horizontal generators are two new technologies that you may want to look into.Co-axial generators have two or more rotors mounted to the same drive shaft. This blade arrangement multiplies the wind power that is transmitted to the electrical generator.Counter-rotating turbines increase the rotation speed of the electrical generator as a number of spinning rotors capture the wasted air flow that is left behind by each of the other blades.Both of these technologies are relatively new. If you are interested in exploring wind power generation they will be worth looking into.

Advantages

• The wind that fuels a wind power generator is free.
• Wind power is clean, renewable energy.
• Wind turbines can operate with, or without, connection to the grid.
• Newer turbines are available in a wide range of capacities.
• When combined with with energy conservation technologies, wind power can
  provide a reasonable return on investment.
• As wind technology continues to develop, equipment prices are declining.

Disadvantages

• Wind power generators require reasonably constant, moderate winds.
• Wind generators may make noise.
• Wind generators may be detrimental to wildlife.
• Large wind generators require a great deal of space.
• Wind generators are not functional in high wind conditions.

The Bottom Line On Wind Power Generators

Today, most commercial-grade wind generators are grouped in large centralized utility facilities. However, stand-alone applications can be practical in industrial settings and smaller, reliable generators may be appropriate for ranch, farm, recreational and other off-grid applications.

Wind Power And Your
Green Energy Roadmap

Wind power energy is just one of the several dozen green energy technologies that can reduce your energy bill. While each of these technologies provides unique benefits, no single technology is a "magic bullet."

Getting the best return on your green energy investment requires integrating the most cost-effective combination of technologies possible. Consider wind power energy as just one component of your Green Energy Roadmap.