How To Make The Greenest Choices

Using Wind Turbine Energy as a Renewable Energy Source

Areas that sit atop high mountain ranges or in long valleys that are known to channel the wind makes them prime candidates for capturing wind energy. Rooftop wind speeds that average 12mph are necessary to provide the minimum speed needed to create dependable 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, a new generation residential wind generator and the Proven Energy 2.5kW Wind Energy System. Alternatively, larger sized wind turbines 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.

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.

Proven Energy 2.5kW Wind Energy System Proven Energy turbines are robust, reliable and elegant producing energy under the harshest of conditions. The patented Proven Flexible Blade System enables the wind turbine to generate power in light or strong winds. We produce a number of wind turbines, each designed to offer sustainable energy solutions across a wide range of industry sectors, from domestic to offshore...

Skystream 3.7 Grid Tie 1.8kW Wind Power System The Skystream 3.7™ is a new generation residential wind generator that hooks up to your your home to reduce or eliminate your monthly electrical bill. It’s the first all-inclusive wind generator (with controls and inverter built in) designed to provide quiet, clean electricity in very low winds. This makes Skystream ideal for residential homes and small businesses...

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