tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91467342190819212622024-02-08T09:54:45.844-08:00Wind Energy at Home A PrimerWind energy has become a viable alternative that allows you to lower your dependence on electic companies. Learn about your options and understand how you can combat global warming.pherronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03499991194018837426noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9146734219081921262.post-37909632255264687372007-11-20T11:46:00.000-08:002007-11-20T11:48:25.856-08:00<span style="font-size:130%;">Vertical Axis Wind Turbines</span><br />By <a id="link_48" href="http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Pat_Herron">Pat Herron</a><br /><br />People have been harnessing the wind's power for centuries to pump water and perform other mechanical tasks. But it's only been in the last few decades that the expertise for converting the wind's energy into electricity has made the necessary strides to become an alternative source for energy production. Most of this technology has been applied to large scale operations and some smaller units for home use.<br /><br />For the home owner interested in producing their own electricity, choices have been limited primarily to investing in a horizontal axis wind turbine (HAWT). These units can carry a hefty price including the installation of a large tower, maintenance, plus the regulation in some areas regarding tower height, noise concerns and environmental issues.<br /><br />For city dwellers with no place to erect a HAWT, wind power has not been an option at all. The vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT) provides a more economical alternative for the small scale user. Some of the most recent designs have overcome the problems of early models such as their inability to self-start in light winds plus issues of noise and vibration levels. Most of the new technology works well in an urban or suburban environment where some wind turbulence is inevitable unless the turbine is sited well above any surrounding buildings.<br /><br />A HAWT has to physically rotate to face into the wind every time the direction changes, requiring a large tower to place the rotors above all obstructions. The VAWT doesn't require such clearances and can keep producing power in these turbulent areas.<br /><br />Most vertical axis wind turbines are very silent, emitting only a slight humming sound near the equipment. The turbines turn at a lower speed unlike the larger tower turbines where the blade tips can travel at supersonic speeds becoming a threat to bats and birds traveling thru them. For these reasons they are safe to use in population centers, public spaces, parks, wildlife parks and on buildings. Some of the more adventurous designs have the look of sculpture adding another dimension to your installation.<br /><br />The VAWT systems have a larger wind speed range and are able to self start in light winds, sometimes 2-3 meters per second, and continue producing electricity at much higher wind levels than the traditional HAWT units.<br /><br />If you are considering alternative energy sources to lower your utility bills or to minimize your impact on the environment, vertical axis wind turbines offer new technology that can help you achieve your goals.<br /><br />Pat Herron is an environmental activist concerned with our energy choices and the effects they have on our world. More information can be found at <a id="link_80" href="http://small-scale-wind-energy.blogspot.com/" target="_new">http://small-scale-wind-energy.blogspot.com/</a><br /><br />Article Source: <a id="link_81" href="http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Pat_Herron">http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Pat_Herron</a>pherronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03499991194018837426noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9146734219081921262.post-7442277395442514562007-11-11T12:04:00.000-08:002007-11-11T12:08:55.450-08:00<span style="font-size:130%;">Texas Wind Energy</span><br />By <a id="link_48" href="http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Richard_Chapo">Richard Chapo</a><br /><br />If every there was a state associated with oil, it is Texas. Given this association, many people are surprised to learn wind energy is popular in the state. Here is a guide to Texas wind energy.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Texas Wind Energy</span><br /><br />Wind energy is a growing industry in the United States. In the year 2004 alone, the quantity of energy that was generated by wind energy plants (wind farms) amounted to 6,720 megawatts (MW). Additionally, the US has spent about $7 billion dollars on the installation of these wind turbines and wind farms, meaning that wind energy has become a big industry. Fortune 500 companies as well as other big financial and energy companies have become major players in the wind energy arena. There are many different states throughout the country that are involved in wind energy and energy, but Texas wind energy is some of the most abundant.<br /><br />Texas wind energy was long considered to be a perfect solution for the state's energy needs, as well as the US's total energy needs. Texas is currently the largest wind energy producer in the United States, providing enough energy to energy 600,000 average size homes a year. Texas is also home to the US's first off-shore wind farms, along the Gulf Coast, as well as the largest wind turbines in the country. There are currently about 1,600 wind farms that are located in West Texas alone, with additional wind farms located in the wind-rich areas of the High Plains and along the Gulf Coast.<br /><br />The United States Department of Energy recently completed a study that found that the high wind energy states of Texas, North Dakota and Kansas could feasibly create enough energy through wind farms to satisfy the entire country's electricity needs. Wind energy as an energy source has increased more than four times in the years between 1999 and 2005, and it is now on a par with both coal- powered and natural gas-fired energy plants.<br /><br />One huge beneficiary from the profits that wind farms can generate are the schools of the state of Texas. Each year, these schools earn millions of dollars from wind energy that's generated on state land – the amount of money depending on how many megawatts of energy are produced as well as the current price of electricity. This money, as it is earned, is placed in the Texas Permanent School Fund, and this fund is expected to earn $300 million over the next 20 years.<br /><br />Texas wind energy is not only a great source of ecologically friendly, renewable energy – it's also a great economic boost to the state. Besides being cheaper to use, the revenue created from selling the energy harnessed on state land goes directly to the school system in the state.<br /><br />Rick Chapo is with SolarCompanies.com - providing <a id="link_70" href="http://www.solarcompanies.com/wind_farm" target="_new">wind farm</a> information.<br /><br />Article Source: <a id="link_71" href="http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Richard_Chapo">http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Richard_Chapo</a>pherronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03499991194018837426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9146734219081921262.post-61090784307259924892007-11-11T11:59:00.000-08:002007-11-11T12:03:50.934-08:00<span style="font-size:130%;">Working With The Power Of Wind</span><br />By <a id="link_48" href="http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=James_Copper">James Copper</a><br /><br />Wind power is growing in popularity as an alternative to fossil fuel and one of the best of the renewable energy sources. The use of wind power requires wind turbines. Wind turbine generators do little to harm the environment and are far preferable in this regard to fossil fuel. The only disadvantage is that they cannot be used everywhere. In order to effectively use turbines to generate wind power you would need an average wind speed of at least 13 miles per hour. Obviously, that is not found everywhere.<br /><br />Palm Springs California is ideal for wind turbines that generate power and as you pass through there along highway 10 you will see these wind turbines in various sizes. Called a wind farm, This San Bernadino Mountain area has over 4000 windmills in its San Gorgonio Mountain Pass. These turbines provide enough wind power to provide electricity to all of Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley area as a whole. Most of the current wind power generation in the U.S. resides in California.<br /><br />The largest of the wind power windmills is 150 feet in height with blades that stretch halfway across a football field. There are compartments at the windmills top that house its generators, its hub and its gearbox. These weigh at least 30,000 and as much as 45,000 pounds. At this size the turbine for wind power may cost more than 300,000 but will provide 300 kilowatts each hour. This amount of wind power is enough to keep one typical household in electrical power for an entire month.<br /><br />The American Wind Energy Association AWEA is a U.S. - wide non-profit organization promoting wind power as a clean electrical source for consumers the world over. AWEA represents developers of wind power projects, those who are in the business of supplying wind power equipment, wind power service providers, manufacturers of wind power parts, utilities that provide wind power for electrical power, scientists researching green energy resources that include the use of wind power and others involved in any way in the wind power industry. Hundreds of advocates of wind power are also members of AWEA.<br /><br />The American Wind Energy Association provides the latest information on the operation of current or potential wind power projects, the ongoing development of new wind power projects, companies who work in the burgeoning industry, the development of new wind energy technology, and government legislation and policies that pertain to the use, production and funding of wind power and other renewable energies.<br /><br />AWEA acts as a clearing house for the wind power industry, and as such communicates the pertinent statistics, facts and news. From AWEA consumers and others can find out the latest legislative decisions and efforts, including the best information on grants and loans to aid in the implementation of residential, commercial and governmental wind power projects.<br /><br />AWEA publishes and disseminates the only weekly wind power newsletter that exists anywhere. It also hosts an annual wind power conference, with presentations on the latest technological developments and trends as well as access to businesses offering help in its implementation.<br /><br />James Copper is a writer for <a id="link_72" href="http://www.newcareerskills.co.uk/domestic-energy-assessor-training.htm" target="_new">http://www.newcareerskills.co.uk/domestic-energy-assessor-training.htm</a><br /><br />Article Source: <a id="link_73" href="http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=James_Copper">http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=James_Copper</a>pherronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03499991194018837426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9146734219081921262.post-78250968313008922482007-10-11T11:21:00.000-07:002007-10-11T11:25:23.431-07:00Is A Wind Turbine Right For You?By James Bratley<br /><br />You may have seen the many different small home wind<br />turbines you are able to purchase in the shops, yet you<br />may be undecided whether one of these small scale wind<br />turbines is for you. Before purchasing a turbine, you<br />should do some research regarding; can your environment<br />make a turbine efficient enough, what alternative energy<br />sources can you harness, and which technology is the<br />best value for money.<br /><br />Below we shall discuss each of the three points<br />explained above in more detail, outlining the factors<br />relating to each.<br /><br />Wind turbines only generally work to their full<br />potential in very few areas. To gain an efficient use of<br />a turbine, you should do some in depth research and a<br />site survey into how sustainable your environment is to<br />support a wind turbine. For efficient placement of a<br />wind turbine, you need to look into the average annual<br />wind speed and direction. There are many references<br />available to explain what speed the wind must be for<br />different sized turbines. Wind direction is only a<br />factor which relates to which position your place your<br />turbine in, yet many modern small home turbines are very<br />mobile and you can usually twist them to face the<br />direction you prefer.<br /><br />It will be well worth your time to browse the market<br />looking for alternative renewable energy sources. This<br />mainly depends on your budget, but solar panels are a<br />very popular choice as either an addition, or a total<br />replacement for a wind turbine. Solar panels generally<br />offer you a greater pound per watt, and are also<br />generally more efficient for home power production.<br />Deciding which technology is the best value for money,<br />also ties in with the environment factor. You need to do<br />research and decide which of the renewable energy<br />sources is most in abundant in your region, for example<br />if you live on a small island off the coast of northern<br />Scotland, then you would more than likely choose a home<br />wind turbine as you are exposed to strong winds, but if<br />you live in the center of England (where wind speeds are<br />usually quite low), you may opt for a solar panel.<br /><br />So, as we can see here, many factors will decide on the<br />right natural energy source for you. If you can afford<br />to integrate renewable energy production methods into<br />your home, it is strongly suggested, considering the<br />current situation with global warming, that you make an<br />attempt to install these more environmentally friendly<br />appliances.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.clean-energy-ideas.com/wind_turbines.html">http://www.clean-energy-ideas.com/wind_turbines.html</a>pherronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03499991194018837426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9146734219081921262.post-46860759142120824922007-10-11T11:17:00.000-07:002007-10-11T11:21:08.571-07:00Improve Your Home With A Residential Wind TurbineBy Richard Chapo<br /><br /> What if I said you could cut your electric bill by 50<br />to 90 percent? Well, you can by installing a small,<br />residential wind turbine on your property.<br /><br /><strong>Improve Your Home With A Residential Wind Turbine</strong><br /><strong></strong><br />When you combine the cost of fossil fuels with the<br />pollution and climate problems they create, it can all<br />get a bit overwhelming. It is easy to find oneself<br />wondering where to start when dealing with these<br />problems. Given the state of fear attitude portrayed in<br />most media, this is hardly a surprise. Surprisingly, the<br />answers are fairly simple if you wade through the hype.<br />Wind power is a renewable energy source with a lot going<br />for it. It produces electricity by converting the<br />inherent energy in wind through a generator in a wind<br />turbine. It produces no pollutants of any sort and will<br />be available to us for as long as wind exists, to wit, a<br />very long time. Given this fact, you are probably<br />wondering if you are supposed to build a bunch of<br />turbines in your yard. Nope!<br /><br />As a conscientious person, you can do your part for the<br />environment while saving some serious money on your<br />utility bill. Residential wind turbines are the answer.<br />Often given the nickname “small wind”, these turbines<br />are designed to work on a per home basis. Given the<br />right conditions, a residential turbine can produce all<br />of the electricity you need and more. In fact, the<br />generator will be hooked up to the utility grid and you<br />can actually sell power to the utility if you produce<br />more than you need.<br /><br />Now, the word turbine can be a bit intimidating. When I<br />think of a turbine, I picture something large and loud.<br />In the case of small wind, this is not the case. The<br />machinery makes a bit of noisy, but nothing substantial.<br />Although sizes vary, your little power producer will be<br />roughly three to five feet wide from the tip of one<br />propeller to the other.<br /><br />The one area where residential wind power may be a<br />problem involves height. To make electricity, your<br />turbine needs to get 10 miles an hour of wind. This may<br />sound like a lot, but it often is not if you go 20 or 30<br />feet up in the air. To this end, you can do a search for<br />small wind information to find out the statistics for<br />your area.<br /><br />Assuming wind power makes sense for your home, you<br />should be able to greatly reduce or outright eliminate<br />your electricity bill.<br /><br /><br />Rick Chapo is with SolarCompanies.com Visit us to read<br />more articles on wind power.pherronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03499991194018837426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9146734219081921262.post-34287432547632340152007-10-11T11:13:00.000-07:002007-10-11T11:16:55.640-07:00Wind Energy – USABy Richard Chapo<br /><br /><br />One of the world's fastest growing types of renewable<br />energy sources is wind energy. While most of the Earth<br />is still reliant on different types of fossil fuels<br />(such as oil, natural gas and coal) for their energy<br />supply, many countries are trying to come up with<br />alternative methods of obtaining energy. Much of Europe<br />has begun to build and use wind farms, which are<br />groupings of wind turbines that harness the energy of<br />the wind in order to create energy and electricity.<br /> Also involved in using wind energy, USA has started to build their own wind farms.<br /><br />Wind turbines are the individual components of wind<br />farms, and they are machinery composed of several main<br />parts. The first part is the rotor, also known as the<br />blades or the propeller, and this is the part of the<br />turbine that actually collects the wind energy and<br />converts it into drive energy, which then turns a shaft.<br />This shaft actually creates the energy that is then<br />stored or converted into electricity. Wind farms are<br />groupings of many of these turbines, usually 10 or more.<br />The wind energy USA had capacity for in the year 2004<br />was 6,740 MW, with a prediction that the wind energy<br />capabilities of the United States will be increased by<br />5,000 MW in the next five years. The US Department of<br />Energy has a goal of obtaining 6 percent of the<br />country's electricity needs from wind energy by the year<br />2020, which is a fair goal judging by the current rate<br />of growth seen in the wind energy industry. California<br />is the state in the US that produces the most wind<br />energy, with 2,096 MW of wind generating capacity per<br />year.<br /><br />As one MW is enough energy to supply energy to 240 to<br />300 average US homes, the amount of wind energy USA<br />currently produces is enough to energy 500,000 to<br />620,000 homes per year. The United States is currently<br />ranked as the third highest wind energy producing<br />country in the world, behind Germany and Spain. The<br />business of wind energy in the US is also monetarily<br />significant – it costs about $1,000 per kilowatt (KW) of<br />installed wind energy capacity. When multiplied by the<br />US's capacity of 6,740 KW, this makes wind energy a $7<br />billion industry.<br /><br />Wind energy is a growing energy source in the United<br />States for many reasons. Wind energy is cleaner, cheaper<br />and more renewable than many of the current sources of<br />energy used in this country. Additionally, the capacity<br />for expansion of wind farms and ways to harness wind<br />energy means that as the US's energy needs grow, there<br />will continue to be enough energy to provide for all of<br />our energy needs.<br /><br /><br />Rick Chapo is with SolarCompanies.com - providing<br />information on wind power as an alternative energy<br />platform.pherronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03499991194018837426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9146734219081921262.post-8935464412231976752007-10-11T11:08:00.000-07:002007-10-11T11:12:36.847-07:00Wind Turbines - How to Harvest the Wind<strong>By Hans Dekker</strong><br /><br />Wind is produced from the uneven heating of the<br />atmosphere and irregularities in the earth’s surface.<br />The air movement between these areas is what we refer to<br />as wind. Just as we can use flowing water to turn<br />turbines, we can harness the power of the wind with wind<br />turbines to create electricity.<br /><br />Wind turbines have been in use since the 1920s. Their<br />earliest use was to provide electricity in remote areas<br />that didn’t have access to a large utility company.<br />Today there are fewer areas that are "off the grid" but<br />wind power can now be used to supplement traditional<br />power sources.<br /><br />Wind turbines can be used individually to provide power<br />for a household, or they can be used in arrays to<br />provide electricity on a large scale. These arrays of<br />industrial sized turbines are called "wind farms" and<br />are usually situated in areas that receive consistent<br />strong winds. Coastal areas, hilltops, and mountain<br />passes are common areas for wind farms.<br /><br />Thanks to advances in wind turbine technology we are now<br />able to use the wind as an affordable alternative to<br />fossil fuel for producing power. New technologies make<br />turbines more efficient and modern production techniques<br />bring the cost of turbines down.<br /><br />When used as a supplement for residential electricity,<br />wind turbines are connected to the breaker box provided<br />by the power company. The power produced is available<br />for immediate consumption, and if the wind turbine<br />produces more electricity than is needed the excess is<br />fed back into the utility grid for a credit on the<br />homeowners power bill.<br /><br />For those interested in living "off the grid" wind power<br />can be used in conjunction with other alternative energy<br />sources such as solar power. These two methods of<br />producing electricity complement each other, when the<br />sun is strong, the wind may be low, and the wind may be<br />stronger on cloudy days.<br /><br />Also, since solar power is not produced at night, a wind<br />turbine can provide the electricity at this time.<br /><br />Our site provides more in depth information wind energy<br />and the other sustainable energy sources, howto's and<br />downloadable building plans.<br /><br /><br />Hans is author of<br /><a href="http://www.alternative-energy-guide.com/">http://www.alternative-energy-guide.com/</a> find more<br />information at the our wind power sectionpherronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03499991194018837426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9146734219081921262.post-24621707794526905482007-10-11T10:58:00.000-07:002007-10-11T11:07:41.213-07:00Huff and Puff - Power Your Home with the Wind<div align="left"><strong>Rick Chapo<br /></strong><br /><br />The fastest growing alternative energy platform in the<br />United States is the wind. No, I’m not blowing hot air.<br /><br /><strong>Cheap and Productive</strong><strong><br /></strong>Manipulating the wind to generate electricity for your<br />home is cheap, easy and very misunderstood. First, you<br />don’t have to live in the middle of tornado alley to<br />generate electricity from the wind. Second, you don’t<br />need tulips and windmill like you’ve seen in pictures of<br />Holland. Third, smaller wind systems are so simply, you<br />can do it yourself.<br />Okay, let’s generate some enthusiasm on your part for<br />improving your home with wind power:<br /><br />1. Small wind platforms can cut your utility bill by<br />more than half.<br />2. Wind systems can work with barely any wind at all.<br />3. Most wind systems are so small, nobody will even<br />notice them.<br />4. You can install a small wind system yourself.<br />5. A small wind system will run you around $1,000 and<br />pay for itself in a year depending on your current<br />utility bill.<br />6. Wind power is the fastest growing energy producer in<br />the world.<br />7. You can get financial incentives for improving your<br />home with wind power.<br /><br />When talking about wind power, understand that<br />technological advances have dramatically changed the<br />systems. Forget windmills, turbines and large<br />structures. Unless you own a city, you will not be<br />dealing with those. Instead, modern residential wind<br />systems essentially look like weathervanes on top of 30<br />foot poles. They are no bigger than a couple of feet<br />long, have three blades and are very thin. It is no<br />different than having a flag pole in your backyard,<br />except this one saves you a ton of money.<br />The wind system works in a very compact an efficient<br />manner. The wind hits the blades and turns them.<br />Directly behind the blades is a small generator, which<br />converts the turning blades into power. The power is<br />then transferred to the ground through basic wiring<br />where you can either store it in a battery or feed it<br />directly back into the utility grid if allowed. If the<br />utility option is available, I recommend you take it<br />since batteries can be the most expensive part of the<br />system.<br /><br />That’s it. The world’s simplest energy producing system<br />is wind. As long as it exists, you will always be able<br />to tap it for power.<br /><br /><br /><em><strong>Rick Chapo is with SolarCompanies.com, a directory of<br />solar energy companies. </strong></em><strong><em>Visit us to read more articles<br />on renewable energy and wind power.<br /></div></em></strong>pherronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03499991194018837426noreply@blogger.com0