wind turbine
Your Questions About Wind Turbine Generators For Home
Jenny asks…
How hard is it to build a wind turbine for home?
For a 5 month project at school I have to build a wind turbine for my home. How many hours will it take, will I get an efficent gadget, and how much will it cost? I’m thinking of getting help from a small wind turbine manufacturer. And I would just like to say my motor skills are very poor and I am not used to building things. Can I do it?
admin answers:
You can get kits.
However you need permission of your zoning board before you can do this, if it is any size at all.
But you can get small 1-2 ft kits. First reference is a 12″ one, but a toy, for $40. Second one is a 46″ 400 watt one that looks real and has a generator. You still need a battery and inverter. $630.
Search for “wind turbine kit” for more.
.
Ruth asks…
How are different AC generators linked in a power grid?
I’ve often wondered this. When you have two or more AC generators (say two different power plants) produce power, it seems like it would be impossible to be sure the two are in phase with each other. So how can the two be linked into a power grid? Is the same technique used when hooking up a home generator (from a wind turbine, for example) to supply the grid?
admin answers:
No. It’s actually rather simple to keep them running synchronously on the power grid. All it takes is a simple phase comparator and a feedback control system to regulate the generator.
Doug
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Your Questions About Wind Turbines Oklahoma
Nancy asks…
where on the web can i find reasonably priced windchargers?
i live in windy oklahoma, i know wind power would b a great option for power here, but the equipment is so dang expensive, ne 1 know of a cheap place to buy equip.?
admin answers:
You don’t mention what would be reasonable to you so ebay would be my first choice, but you wouldn’t get the warranties and such for a used unit. Your best bet would be to check out this site that has lots of information about wind turbines including cost factors.
Http://www.awea.org/faq/rsdntqa.html
Sharon asks…
Where can I find an app. for a federal grant?
I’m part of my school’s Key Club. in Northeast Oklahoma. I’m looking for an application to receive a federal grant to help pay, mostly, for a wind turbine we want to purchase for the school. If you know of where to get an app. for solar panels, hot water heaters, wind turbines, or recycling bins, please let me know! Just in case, the grant needs to be for a school.
admin answers:
Good luck with that. Be sure you ask for enough to cover the EPA studies you will require. A lot of alternative energy projects have been sunk because they can’t afford to do the studies on the impact on fish, fowl or other wildlife, even when they are trying to work on existing sites. Here in SC we have hundreds of old Mill Dams. They already exist, nothing new is being built. But nothing can be done with them because the costs of the studies are so ridiculously high.
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Your Questions About Wind Turbine Manufacturers
Charles asks…
Does any one have any information about wind turbine manufacturers dresses in New Zealand?
I have a plan to live in New Zealand, as I work in a wind turbines I prefer to continue my work in this branch, so it would be most appreciative if you could give me email or address of main wind turbine manufacturer in New Zealand
admin answers:
I did a google search on: wind turbine manufacturer in New Zealand
A few hits
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wind_power_in_New_Zealand
http://www.windenergy.org.nz/
http://www.windflow.co.nz/
The wikipedia article has lots of links.
Richard asks…
Why not sell wind turbines by having an agreement to buy if certain amount of people sign-up to buy at price?
I’m thinking start a website for people to sign up saying they will buy a wind turbine at a set price if so many other people agree as well. That way the manufacturers can know how much they will be making, and the prices will come way down. Do it.
admin answers:
Better yet why not just build one! You can build a wind turbine for a 5th of a commercial one and you get better efficiencies.
Check out this blog. There is a ton of information on this. Plus some cool vid’s of homemade turbines.
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Your Questions About Wind Turbine Generators For Home Use
Sandy asks…
How can wind turbines tackle pollution problems?
Can you give me three points of how can wind turbines tackle pollution problems in the modern days?
admin answers:
They can’t and never will.
Since wind is unreliable and unpredictable, conventional generator plants have to be on constant standby for when the wind is calm. While on low efficient standby, they actually produce more CO2 than when in full high efficient operation.
Electricity can not be stored and has to be produced on demand. When the wind is calm, the coal and gas genertodrs have to be poised to power up in a minutes notice. Low power in the grid burns out motors and burns up equipment. Wind farms are being paid to shut down in Scottland and Germany, as well as other countries because wind urbines are unpredictable and are causing undervoltage and overvoltage problems since the wind is variable and unpredictable.
It only costs about $0.02 per KWH to generate (not including transmission and maintenance costs) for coal, and about $0.03 per KWH for gas. Wind turbines cost about $2.40 per KWH to generate power. We are already paying about 10% more for electricity to pay for the expensive wind turbines, and if more are used, electric rates will go even higher, like gasoline prices. We should only be paying about $1.80 per gallon for gasoline.
Since CO2 is now classified as a pollutant, we all need to stop breathing, and eliminate all animals on the planet, according to what the the ideologists are telling us.
Wind turbines have other flaws, as well as solar electric panels. I am a contractor and have turbines large enough to power 4500 homes or more, so I know all the problems with them that the government and ideologists are not telling us. It is all about eco-guilt and not much to do with real problems and solutions.
Sandra asks…
Would a wind generator trickle charge a couple of car batteries in 14 hours?
I’m just trying to get an idea of how long it takes a wind turbine to charge batteries with regular win, could you just provide some examples?
admin answers:
Hey Joesh, wind turbines come in all different sizes, but your biggest variable here is the rate at which those batteries will accept a charge. Typical car batteries will have a capacity of around 60 amp hours. If you had a 60 amp charger, or turbine, in theory you can completely charge that battery in one hour, but you can never get power into a battery that fast without damaging it. A good rule of thumb is not to charge your battery in less than 5 hours if it is completely discharged. A couple car batteries might hold 120 amp hours, which means anything that puts out more than 30 amps is oversized. You can take a larger than needed turbine and use a charge controller to keep from charging the batteries too fast, but that is like using an indy 500 race car to haul a camping trailer, most of the capability of your turbine would be wasted. The best thing is to get a turbine that is just big enough, or maybe a little undersized, to do the job. For 100 to 150 amp hours of 12 volt batteries, I would suggest something in the 200 to 300 watt range, like a Southwest Windpower Air 303. They cost just a few hundred dollars, are designed to work on a sailboat to keep the boat batteries charged, and they have their own internal charge controller. So you just mount one on top of a 1 and 1/2 inch diameter conduit pipe, then connect the two wires from the turbine straight to the batteries. We used one for a couple years here at our remote cabin, but later upgraded to a larger World Power Technologies 900 watt unit. There are lots of other turbines on the market that can do that job for you, just remember that even the best turbine will not pan out if you do not have good wind, or a tall enough tower to get to the wind above the tree tops.
There are some great places to learn more about this if you’re interested, but I’m curious, have you considered solar? Solar panels are so much easier to use, install and wire up, and they never need maintenance, you can take my word on this, I’ve had both for over 11 years now. A solar panel is basically a battery charger, they deliver their rated amperage when the sun shines, no more, so in a sense they are self regulating. If you really want to get up to speed on this stuff, get a sub to Home Power Magazine, we did 12 years ago, now our home is completely powered by the wind and sun.
If you get frustrated by all the numbers thrown around, remember that watts is voltage times amps. So a 300 watt wind turbine that runs at 12 volts will put out 25 amps at full power, 25 X 12 = 300. Solar panels are basically the same animal, but they are all usuallly set for 18 volts to charge a 12 volt battery, so a 36 watt panel will actually put out 2 amps in full sun, 36 divided by 18 volts is 2 amps. Hope this helps, take care, Rudydoo
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How Wind Power Works
As the price of energy increases, many people are turning to more economical and environmentally friendly energy alternatives. The wind energy market has seen an increase of about forty-five percent last year. The estimates for 2008 are about the same. Wind power production in the United States spans over thirty-five states, with the Midwest holding quite a portion of the nations wind turbines. Many residences and small businesses are turning to wind power to meet their small scale energy needs. In fact, a lot of homeowners are building the wind power systems themselves. It is relatively simple to understand how wind power works.
Basically, the kinetic energy from the quickly moving wind particles is captured by the wind turbine. The blades of these turbines are designed in such a way that it is possible to do so. This is how wind power works the generator. The blades rotate and spin the shaft of the turbine. The shaft leads to the generator and the generator converts the rotational energy into electricity. Understanding how wind power works can be even easier when it is simplified. The generator is converting energy in one form to another.
Wind turbines basically have three parts: the rotator blades, the shaft, and the generator. The blades work to catch the wind, much like sails. The wind forces the blades into motion. The shaft is connected to the center of the blades. As the center spins, the shaft spins and transfers the energy from the wind blowing to the generator. The generator uses electromagnetic induction to convert the rotational energy into electric voltage. This is the most complicated process of how wind power works.
Some wind turbines generate more energy than others. Wind turbines in prime locations can turn a hefty profit for investors. Because of the nature of how wind power works, some locations are deemed better for wind power production than others. Wind turbines in open fields or near the ocean can generate significantly more energy than wind turbines in urban areas or places that are commonly obstructed.
Modern wind technology can be a bit more complicated when looking at it from a detailed perspective. Over the last few decades, the United States government has offered tax credits and incentives for research and development in the wind energy market. While most tax incentive programs are set to expire by the end of the year, it is predicted that the government will renew the current incentives or develop a new system to help promote wind technology. Wind energy is a growing market that is helping to solve the energy crisis today.
Your Questions About Wind Turbines Oklahoma
Paul asks…
do you think wind energy is viable if the government decides to stop extending subsidies?
. Energy from wind power is becoming an increasingly significant source of energy, considering that the price of oil is getting dearer. This is especially so for oil-deficient developing nations like India which meet their energy needs by importing oil. Providing facts and figures, analyze the opportunities and challenges that wind energy companies face in setting up wind farms in India.
admin answers:
Hi there, I work for one of the world’s leading renewable energy consultancies. While my background is more technical in nature (I’m an engineer), I’ll take a shot at answering your question.
Wind energy certainly is viable in many parts of the world without subsidy. We came dangerously close to finding out exactly how viable it would be this year in the U.S., when an extension of the Production Tax Credit (PTC) was extended into 2009 at the last minute as one of the “sweeteners” that got the $700 billion Wall St bailout passed.
Http://www.nicholas.duke.edu/nicholas/insider/thegreengrok/the-700-billion-bailout-bill-goes-green-not-quite
The current subsidy for wind energy in the U.S. Is PTC, which is a tax credit currently equal to 2 cents per kWh. The price for electricity varies significantly by region, so some regions are more closely tied to the PTC than others to make the economics of a wind project work out. For example, the price for electricity is only about 4.5 cents per kWh in the Midwest (e.g. Oklahoma, Kansas, North Dakota), so that extra 2 cent per kWh makes a huge difference. In other parts of the country (California, Hawaii, New England), the price of electricity is over 10 cents per kWh, so the 2 cent tax credit is relatively less valuable there.
The bottom line is that there are several places under development now in the U.S. That are good enough to justify being built without the 2 cents per kWh tax credit – these select locations are very windy, close to a transmission line, and/or in areas with high electricity prices. Without the subsidy, the growth of wind energy in the United States (same goes for the rest of the world, to my knowledge) would be severely affected. Thousands of people would be laid off, a significant portion of projects would be canceled, and we’d all go back to burning lots of cheap and dirty coal, nuclear, hydro, and finally natural gas to fill off the balance of our energy needs.
Regarding your question about oil imports in countries like India, I think you might be slightly misguided. Wind energy does not provide fuel for transportation, just electricity. Until we have a way to develop the hydrogen economy (http://auto.howstuffworks.com/hydrogen-economy.htm, convert electricity to hydrogen fuel, distribute it through a nationwide infrastructure we don’t have, and put it in cars that are currently cost-prohibitive), we will remain addicted to oil. The alternative to oil (for now) is ethanol. Especially in places like Brazil, which have plenty of land and a great climate for growing sugar cane ethanol rather than the subsidized corn ethanol we produce here in the U.S.
Wind energy is the cheapest form of renewable energy currently available, and it will get cheaper in the coming years as the credit crisis corrects what has been a massive seller’s market for wind turbines in the last few years. Competition in wind turbine manufacturing is up, and the cost of steel (the 80 m towers) and cement (the massive foundations) is down. These factors will lead to wind energy becoming cheaper in the next few years. Wind energy can be cost-competitive with natural gas, offsetting our need for this finite resource and (hopefully) lowering prices for consumers. That’s the long-term benefit of the subsidy – get the industry built up now so we will be well set for a future of increasingly scarce oil and natural gas, which will be imported from unstable regions of the world.
Ken asks…
how many wind turbines would it take to power the united states?
not quite sure how to figure it out myself, i’ve never really been good at math! anyone who can explain how to do it and what i need to find out, or just tell me the answer, please help!
admin answers:
Hey Sunshine, here’s a better way to word your question: How much real estate would it take to install the wind turbines necessary to power the United States? There is no real answer to how many turbines because they vary in size and output depending on the wind variations where they are installed. A turbine in Oklahoma might have different blade configurations than one in North Dakota because in one state, the winds blow really hard in the fall and winter, in the other, they blow fairly steady all year. But here is something you can bite into: “There is enough wind in North and South Dakota to power the entire country.” That was made about 15 years ago after the American Wind Energy Association did some research on the subject. It would be stupid to install all the wind turbines there, because we would waste lots of it running it through millions of miles of transmission lines, but you get the idea.
The real beauty of wind power is that it is spread fairly evenly over the middle third of our globe, which is where most of the people live. So we can put turbines near population centers and reduce how much we ship around, taking the load off our grid, and reducing air pollution from coal fired plants and other traditional sources. There are some great places to look into this subject, I will list some below. Take care, Rudydoo
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Your Questions About Wind Turbine Jobs
Nancy asks…
What employment opportunities can we get from wind energy industries?
What are some jobs or careers offered by wind turbine manufacturing companies and industries of wind turbines technology?
admin answers:
Aerodynamic engineering and a turbo charger.
William asks…
I would like to relocate myself and my family to Europe, where do I start?
My husband would like to find a job that will relocate us. My dad also would like to find a job. They both do electrical work. We first thought about wind turbine companies. We don’t know which ones will relocate.
admin answers:
Bechtel National is a good company to look into. Their employees are often known as “Bechtel Families” because they encourage the families to re-locate for different jobs, thus resembling a situation similar to the military. It’s also a good choice, because they have everything from office work to heavy manual labor, so there’s a wide range of jobs.
As for choosing a country, I’d honestly start at Wikipedia, researching religions, monetary exchange, school systems (if applicable to you), weather, average cost of living and so on. It would certainly be horrible to wind up in a nation where you aren’t catching onto the language (if different from what you speak) or the cost of living was so drastically different that you didn’t realize your job wasn’t going to be as good as you thought! Keeping that in mind, it might be wise to go on a vacation to a handful of countries to see if they’re as good a fit in person as they appeared to be in a traveler’s guide.
Good luck
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Home Wind Power Generator
The rising cost of energy and the increased public awareness of the environment have led many families, businesses, and nations to significantly increase the utilization of this renewable energy source. With a little bit of determination and know-how, individuals are building a personal home wind power generator to supplement their home energy supplies and greatly reduce the cost of their electricity bills.
The concept of a home wind power generator is easy to understand. Basically, strategically located wind turbines collect and convert wind energy into electricity. These wind turbines are connected to electrical grids. Individual turbines can convert energy in small localities, and large scale wind farms can convert energy into larger scale electric grids.
Builders should look into several factories and manufacturers in order to purchase the correct home wind power generator to fulfill their specific needs. A home wind power generator can come in a variety of sizes and styles. If the goal is to generate an electricity supply for the household, one particular kit may be needed. If the primary goal is to generate a surplus of electricity to sell back to the energy market, an entirely different kit may be needed. Picking the appropriate home wind power generator is highly dependent on the wind conditions in a particular area. A larger or smaller turbine may be necessary depending on these factors.
Basically, a home wind power generator is installed, and a wind turbine is situated on top of a tall tower. The tower collects energy from the wind and converts it into a useable energy source that is compatible with the home system. In typical cases, residences are powered by a combination of wind energy and purchased electricity from a local utility company. As long as the wind speeds are conducive to electricity generation, the residence remains powered by the home wind power generator. When the wind speeds decline and electricity is not produced, the residence is powered by purchased energy. For residences in particularly windy areas, energy production may be significantly higher than the energy produced in less windy regions.
A homebuilt wind power generator has many advantages. The two main reasons for home wind energy production are economical and environmental. Typically, a homeowner can save between fifty and ninety percent on their overall utility bills with the integration of homebuilt wind power to their electric grid. In some cases, the generation of wind energy can exceed the local energy use. In these cases, the utility company will purchase the excess energy from the homeowner. Wind energy is also a zero emissions energy source. The amount of environmental damage that wind energy offsets is astounding. Wind power is globally recognized as one of the cleanest energy sources, even more so when comparing it to fossil fuel derived energy sources.
Many factors contribute to the ultimate decision to invest in a home wind power generator. However, the benefits are economical and practical. Builders interested in a long term investment that is predicted to yield profits and savings, should seriously consider a home wind power generator.
Advantages of Wind Power
The wind power industry is a growing market that is set to expand exponentially in the next few years. As the energy crisis develops and fossil fuels are depleted, more people are turning to alternative energy sources to solve their personal energy needs. All across the world residences, businesses, and even nations are turning to wind power to help bridge the supply and demand gap. The advantages of wind power are absolutely numerous and varied.
Many of the most convincing advantages of wind power are more directed toward residential wind turbine owners. For example, one of the major advantages of wind power is that it is highly economical. Owners of wind turbines can expect to see a savings between fifty and ninety percent on their utility bills. In some cases, owners and builders of wind turbines will even see a profit. Wind turbines built in prime locations can actually generate more energy than is needed to fuel a particular home. In these cases, the local utility company will automatically purchase the excess energy.
Homeowners interested in wind turbines will find it particularly advantageous to learn that a wind turbine system occupies very little land. Since the turbine is constructed on a tall tower and the generation system is within the tower, the land below can continue to be use. This is especially important for farming and agricultural areas. The builder can continue to use and profit from the land below. Another one of the advantages of wind power is that it can power residences that are remote, and are not connected to the electric power grids. These areas can install their own wind turbine systems and use the local wind energy to generate the energy needed for the area.
There are also many advantages of wind power that affect the world at large. For example, wind energy is completely renewable. Unlike fossil fuel based energy sources, the people of the world will not have to worry about whether or not this energy source will run dry. By nature, it will not. Wind energy is also a zero emissions energy source. Wind turbines produce no greenhouse gases or other pollutants. In fact, wind turbines can offset emissions. Over the typical lifetime of a residential wind turbine, the turbine will have displaced several tons of greenhouse gases. Another advantage is that wind turbines have the potential to help developing countries. Countries with areas without modern connectivity may greatly benefit from the highly renewable and extremely cost efficient energy system.
With the rise of wind power, many people are starting to investigate and inquire about this energy source. The advantages of wind power are numerous and varied. From appeals to residential owners to great advantages for nations and the world, the use of wind power should appeal to everyone.
Your Questions About Wind Turbine Generators Types
Sharon asks…
What is the dollar cost of a megawatt wind turbine?
The megawatt size wind turbine seems to be a standard so why not have the cost of these machines available to compare with other type of electric generators?
admin answers:
In terms of the initial cost, just to purchase a commercial scale turbine, the usual price is roughly $1 million per megawatt of capacity. So, a GE 1.5 MW would cost around $1.5 million. Installation and development of the site would be additional costs.
Robert asks…
What type of bearings to use in a savonius wind turbine?
Hi all
I am currently building a savonius wind turbine that will be around half a meter tall. I have the general plan drawn up but just need some answers on what type of bearing to use – I really have no idea about different bearings/lubricants/size restraints etc. Would really appreciate any help that could be provided.
Thanks!
admin answers:
Basically you need a thrust bearing somewhere in the process to take the weight and another one or two bearings to take the wind force and keep it upright. If you are mounting above a generator, there might be a thrust bearing in the generator.
In your design, you have to provide for mounting the bearings. Lets suppose you were putting the unit on a shaft with a pulley on the bottom to drive a pump or generator off to the side via a belt. You would go to www.grainger com or local bearing firm and tell them you wanted a flat mount ball bearing for your shaft diameter – this would be the top support – and you wanted a flat mount thrust bearing for the bottom, as well as a shaft collar all to match the shaft. For your project these might total $15-20.
The simplest possible mount would be a stiff frame rectangle to which you mount the ball bearing in the middle of the top and the thrust bearing at the bottom. What the shaft collar does is screw to the shaft and rest against the bearing, transferring the weight. Since I have proposed a pulley, the shaft would have to be long enough to go through the frame to put the pulley below, so you didn’t have to take the unit apart to change the belt.
To be honest, most ball bearings even if not thrust, will take much more weight than your turbine and you could probably get the shaft collar and two bearings at your hardware store or home center where they are sold as replacements for wheel barrow and cart wheels
for another view
http://www.macarthurmusic.com/johnkwilson/MakingasimpleSavoniuswindturbine.htm
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