How To Make The Greenest Choices

Using Wind Turbine Energy as a Renewable Energy Source

The Hazleton area sits atop a high mountain range which makes it a prime candidate for capturing wind energy. Rooftop wind speeds average 12mph which exceeds the minimum speed needed to create wind power.

The standard wind mills we grew up seeing in farmers fields, as well as the mammoth wind turbines now visible along many a mountain range are called Horizontal Axis Wind Turbines (HAWT). This form of wind mill will not work well within close proximity to your home or trees due to its sensitivity to turbulent air flow.

Depending upon the size of the HAWTs, they can be installed on single poles that require no additional guide wires, such as the Skystream 3.7 by Southwest Windpower, or they can be installed on standard slim towers that will require the use of guide wires and also generate a larger footprint on the available land. (Photo courtesy of Southwest Windpower.)

The type of wind mills that work best in areas that may have air flow turbulence are called Vertical Axis Wind Turbines (VAWT). These turbines resemble sideways hamster wheels and actually do well in turbulent air patterns, making them a perfect match for installing on your rooftop.

Since many newer homes and almost all older homes within city limits have very little land space to work with, the VAWT style is often the only choice, since air turbulence is high in these areas and most HAWT styles would not do well in this environment.

One of the greatest features of harnessing wind energy is that it has the potential to provide power twenty-four hours a day. If you live in a location where you are on a high mountain range, or are near a coastline, or are located almost anywhere within the central plains of America, your location is a prime candidate for capturing wind energy. To see a very close estimate of what your available wind energy is for your geographic area, please use the Wind Energy Sizing Calculator provided below.

When viewing any wind map, keep in mind that most residential-scale wind turbines need a minimum average wind speed of 12 mph in order for the turbine to provide some level of consistent and efficient power output.

Compliments of Energy Efficient Choices

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