Expectations of Residential Wind Power Systems - By: Brent Crouch

Energy is a magical thing. It provides the light for our homes and streets, refrigeration for our food, hot water for our showers and washing, and a host of other essential tasks. Our energy use in the U.S. is high, and we depend on standard, non-renewable sources for much of our fuel and electricity. As Americans and their government focus more on renewable energy, entrepreneurs and companies pop up to meet our needs.

The many companies providing wind power technology and set-up around the U.S. have claims of efficiency, ratings for noise, and other guidelines which make their product superior in some way to others. The technology for wind power systems has been rapidly advancing, so it may seem to the consumer that an axial turbine blade could be much more efficient than a vertical blade, for instance.

The truth is that most wind power technology is similar in efficiency at the household level, so no singular type of turbine, tower, or battery outpaces others. If you carved your wind turbine blades from an online guide, or you bought the most expensive fiberglass blades on the market, either way you're purchasing blades that spin. Much more important to the efficiency of the wind turbine is the speed of the wind and the diameter of the blade.

There are no set guidelines for wind plant ratings as of yet. The manufacturers may set their own ratings and peak power ratings based on the wind speeds of their choice. This means that a wind plant boasting high efficiency and return could be rated based on 20 MPH average wind velocity. If your location has 12 MPH average wind velocity, the efficiency of the plant for you will be much less.

The numbers to use for deciding on a wind power system all lie on the power production curve. The graph consists of a steeply sloping curve which shows the amount of energy produced by small increases in wind velocity. Find the average wind speed for your property on the curve, and this will give you the amount of energy you can expect to generate from that particular wind plant.

Wind Powering America and the American Wind Energy Association are both websites which provide a lot of consumer information for individuals interested in installing a wind turbine on their property. The websites include manufacturer's guides and a some advice on what to ask them. Since most, if not all, potential wind plant buyers are first time customers, the terms and ratings for available products may seem overwhelming, and these sites strive to bring knowledge to the consumer so the wind plant can be efficient and successful.

It's a good idea to form expectations for wind power systems before beginning the process of purchasing one. You can expect that most systems have the same efficiency, and that manufacturer's guidelines are set to high wind speeds that may not be achievable in your location. Also, wind power systems are investments that will take years to return on your investment. Any system claiming to return on investment faster, or to produce very high amounts of energy in a short period of time, are probably scams. If such a technology were developed, it'd be big news.

About the Author

Residential Wind Turbines & The Growth of Home Wind Power
Save up to 90% on your electric bill with a home wind turbine.
http://www.howtosaveelectricity.net/

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