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Discover the World of Wind Power Generators, Where Wind is King.


There’s Wind Power Generators, and then there’s Generators Powered by the Wind… In fact, there are so many different generator configurations, and categories of these wind machines, that to cover every one, how they work, and what they look like, would require the task to become one's life pursuit.

Photograph - Wind Farm Turbines, Turbines, Turbines… Or rather, Generators, Generators, Generators, what ever - generators or turbines, concerning wind power generators, they're both the same. These wind machines are everywhere. Basically, they all work the same.

Small Wind Generators, and Large Wind Generators. There are stylistic Helical Wind Turbines Vertical Axis Wind Turbines and Horizontal Axis Wind Turbines and even Windmills. Ah yes, the Windmill, there's thousands upon hundreds of thousands of them. I could probably write as many pages on just the American Windmill, as there are windmills.

Click Links for Further Information on Wind Power Generators

Photograph - American and Dutch windmill Throughout history, an almost unimaginable array of wind machines have existed and still do. Tour the west, travel old route 66, and count them. While some of the oldest and most interesting have survived the winds of time and two world wars in Holland.

American windmill Today, the beauty and grace of a Helical Wind Turbine will mesmerize the viewer. They whirl with an elegant sweeping motion, their only sound, a gentle whoosh whoosh whoosh…generating electrical power. They are enchanting machines to watch – just blowin in the wind.

Helical wind turbine Helices are much quieter than ordinary blade systems because of their unique design. Horizontal Axis machines are interesting too, but I prefer bladed Vertical Axis Wind Power Generators. These have blades like giant airplane propellers. They are somewhat noisier, but atop a tower, the sound is hardly noticeable.

Whirling whirligig Bladed wind turbines remind me of my youth, when my dad made whirligigs for us kids to hold out the window of the Hudson, a time when gasoline was 18 cents a gallon. Since then, I’ve seen some weird contraptions spinning merrily away generating electricity for their owners.

As an alternative energy source, wind power generators are becoming more popular as well as economical. RV’ers and Boat Owners use this form of energy successfully. And an increasing number of Homeowners are Getting Off The Grid, i.e. dropping their electric power utility altogether.

Some are Net Metering, i.e. selling their excess power back to the electric utility company. Wanna know more? Learn about the grid.

Many home owners are seriously considering doing the same. However, in order to do it, a wind power generators output must provide sufficient electrical energy for an entire home. Such systems will usually be capable of producing up to 10KW.

(A kilowatt-hour is a unit of energy normally used as the measure of consumption of domestic electricity. Here’s the simple expression: (one joule = one watt per second, 3,600,000 joules = 1 kilowatt hour))

Power meter Large wind power generators are superior to lower power models because they’re capable of producing more power, but they are pricy. However, keep in mind, system costs are coming down. In the meantime, supplementing the electricity sent by the utilities with an affordable Lower power system is becoming commonplace.

Remember how personal computer prices have dropped since they first appeared on the market, therefore I believe prices for larger generators should also decline. Looking ahead, as technology advances, I predict that even the priciest wind generators will become affordable.

So, if you’re interested in having more than a flag blowin in the wind, you need to consider some important factors. In short, you’ll need to ask, How Does Wind Power Work. What do I really need to know, and where can I find it?

Answer the questions below, or take a look at Wind Power Either way, you should begin collecting essential data, by gathering answers to the following basic questions; as you accumulate information, it’s likely you’ll think of many more questions.

  • Will a wind machine interfere with the environment?
  • What about birds and bats?
  • Does the wind blow over the selected project site?
  • How do I determine if the wind is strong enough to generate electricity?
  • How high must the turbine tower be?
  • What is the monthly average wind speed?
  • What is the yearly average wind speed?
  • How fast is the wind under the most extreme conditions?
  • Which type system is best suited for my area?
  • Will city and or county ordinances allow the installation of wind power generators?
  • If they do what are there any restrictions if any?
  • What percentage of electricity can I expect to harvest from the wind?
  • Can I sell (net meter) my extra power back to the utility at retail prices?
  • How large must my system be to do that?
  • How do I know how many actual kilowatts of electricity will my generator produce?
  • How and where do I begin?

Let's get started, begin by securing the required permits, check for rebates and tax deductions, arrange for financing (if required. Decide whether it'll be DIY or manufactured, and refer to the directory below.

  1. Site Preparation
  2. Learn About System Components
  3. DIY Kits and Scratch Building
  4. Tower Erection
  5. Wind, Solar, Hydrogen

Important Information about where to get things and stuff.

  • Everything Wind: Manufactures, Systems, Kits, Towers, Parts, Hardware, Books, etc, etc...
  • Wind Maps

If you're not going DIY, you need to choose a manufacture. Either way, the last two steps are easy – (1) release the brakes and (2) Watch the Wind generate juice.

Wanna know more about wind, or take a look at a Wind Map, click on the following References: Department of Energy Wind Page
Is there enough wind in your area - look at a Wind Atlas

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