subject: Wind Turbine Facts [print this page] There are a number of wind turbine facts that you should know in order to get the most out of one these devices at your home.Wind turbine facts aren't all dry and boring and some are downright exitingwell, sort of
Cube Rule - For every 1 mile per hour of additional wind, you get 3 times that much out in terms of power created. This means that it will be likely be worth your while to mount your wind turbine 20 feet higher in the air, even if that move only gets you another 1 mile per hour of average wind.Your roof can be a great source of power, but it is not the best place - The roof is the area where there is the most power available, no question about it. That is because there is so much volume up there and so many roofs around the world that could serve as platforms for wind turbines.
One of the more practical of the wind turbine facts, is that the cost of the device has little to do with the amount of power you can get out of it - There are very expensive wind turbines that produce 1 kW of power and there are very inexpensive wind turbines that produce 1 kW of power. The differences are largely in terms of aesthetics and in marketing. Since home wind turbine power has become so popular of late, there are a number of new players who have gotten into manufacturing these units. So, you can pay $1,000 or $15,000 for virtually the same power production - therefore, watch out and make sure you know what you are buying.
Horizontal axis wind turbines are much more efficient than vertical axis wind turbines - Horizontal axis wind turbines can produce efficiencies in the 40-45% range. Vertical units however can only produce efficiencies in the 30-35% range. While horizontal units are more efficient though, they are difficult to have on your roof because many communities ban them because of issues like shadow flicker.
You can sell the power you make back to your power company - If you don't need all the power you make, you can sell the overage back to the power company you presently use. They are required to buy it from you at the price they have to pay to make the next unit of power in their plants.
You can do repairs to a wind turbine yourself - Wind energy is very simple which means you can usually do the work and replacement of common parts yourself without the aid of a professional repair person.
The sooner you act on these wind turbine facts and buy your turbine kit, the sooner you will start living the dream of free power at home.
