Friday, August 14, 2009

DIY Wind Power Made Easy

By Wendy Hamilton

As energy costs rise and our natural resources of coal and oil diminish, solar and wind power has gained a place of prominence in the world of renewable resources. Residential wind turbines grow in popularity day by day and over the past decade have had a serious impact on the DIY wind power market. If you are one of those people who are considering this form of energy to supplement your home energy needs you will be able to harness the natures energy to not only produce energy but to save you money in the process.

Wind power and solar panels are becoming a more and more popular option among home owners. People are becoming aware of the beneficial nature of this type of energy. Not only is it a continuously renewable resource but it does not harm the environment and leaves no carbon footprint. Natural energy generation is the responsible energy option and as technology advances it becomes more feasible for the average person.

The Workings of DIY Wind Power

Wind power is captured by windmills or turbines, creating energy that is stored in batteries. The turning of the blade harnesses the energy of the wind and that then creates electricity. Some people refer to this equipment as windmills, some as turbines, but it is the same thing.

The spinning of the blades is what is known as kinetic energy. Kinetic is simply another way of saying physical. The kinetic energy then spins the blades and the energy is collected by the motion generated from the wind. Simply put, the faster the blades spin, the more energy is generated. In the case of a home wind generator, that energy is collected and stored in a battery and can be tapped at any time when an electrical power source is needed.

Save Money on Energy Costs with DIY Wind Power

The short answer is yes, absolutely! How much money you\'re going to save the plans on quite a few variables including how large your wind power generator is, how much wind you get and how efficiently you capture it. It is absolutely possible to save a substantial amount of money on your electric bill.

Fortunately, it is not very expensive at all to build your own wind power system. Using parts purchased at a local home improvement store, you can build your own home made wind powered generator for less than $200 in materials. Furthermore, you dont need a lot of construction or building skills to build it. Almost anyone can take on this do-it-yourself project with success.

Power Needs of the Average Home

One average sized wind turbine built for home use can generate between 5 and 15W which is sufficient for most homes. An average home uses, in the neighborhood of, 100,000 KWH of electricity each year. If you want more you can build a larger turbine. If you create more wind power than you can use, you can sell the excess electricity back to the power company and actually earn some income from your investment.

The only down side of homemade wind turbines is that they can be noisy. If properly maintained they are not exceptionally noisy. When the wind blows, the movement over the blades creates a whistling sound. Improperly cared for parts will make extra noise as does any moving machinery. Keeping the properly maintained and oiled is extremely important for minimizing sound. It is also a better option to build your turbine out of PVC rather than wood as wood will not hold up nearly as long.

DIY wind power is an excellent choice for a home owner who is committed to the idea of creating their own power to supply their electricity needs. The fact that it is an inexpensive energy option as well as a project that is easy to undertake makes it a perfect option for anyone who is seriously interested in creating their own energy. Its an excellent way to save money and save the environment in the process.

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