An Introduction To Residential Wind Power

By David Glen

Anywhere that there are relatively strong winds is a good candidate for a wind energy system to partially or even totally replace the power from your local utility. A residential wind turbine can help you to meet the energy needs of your home or business, significantly reducing costs. These turbines may be and often are used along with a solar power system, since many of the parts needed for one are also used for the other. A wind turbine is installed on a tower and transforms the kinetic energy of the wind into electrical energy which may be used to provide power in the home.

The majority of homes which have a residential wind power system use power from the local utility company in addition to their wind turbines. The reason for this is that most wind turbines have a cut-in speed (usually 7 to ten mph). If the wind speed falls below this, then power must be drawn from the local grid. When the wind is moving faster than the cut-in speed, then the turbines begin supplying electricity to the home, reducing the need for electricity from the utility company. If you generate more power than you use, it can be fed back into the power grid - and your utility company will pay you for it!

The typical wind turbine system owner sees a savings of around 50% on their electricity costs; depending on weather conditions and the home's energy needs, this may be slightly more or less.

A wind power system is dependent on the average wind speed in the area where it is installed. Homeowners will find that their turbines yield the best results when installed in areas which see average wind speeds of 10 mph and up.

For most residential wind power systems, the charge of taking wind measurements is not warranted to predict wind turbine performance. However, in some mountainous areas, it may be best to score wind data before securing a system. If a person lives in a place that has sufficient breeze and wind patterns, then producing extra power from a residential wind turbine and supplying electricity to the grid will be fast and easy.

Residential wind systems are quiet and don't interfere with television or other electronic signals and can be installed with relative ease. Your local utility may even install an additional meter in your home to measure the excess electricity your wind power system is feeding back into the power grid.

Most wind turbine system dealers provide either complete ready-to-install applications or the option to buy directly from a store and let a would-be turbine owner do the installation instead. While the first option offers more customer support from the company, self-installation offers considerable savings and a technical understanding of the turbine. Soon-to-be owners can discuss the choices available with manufacturers to settle on which method best suits their financial accounts and skills.

Homeowners can save a lot of money by installing a home wind power generator. These alternative energy technologies have the additional advantage of being environmentally friendly. A wind turbine doesn't produce any pollution and greatly reduces the amount of fossil fuels needed to power your home.

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