subject: 50 Kw Wind Turbine: What Size Facility Will One Power? [print this page] The 50 kW wind turbine is a rather large wind turbine that is probably best suited for a small commercial operation and not a house. The average house uses only 2-3 kW and a wind turbine this large would be way more power than even a large home would every need.
The way large devices like the 50 kW wind turbine are placed for a commercial operation is quite interesting actually. The steps are not that different than what you would or should do at your own house, so we will go through them here
Understand the wind power you have to work with - This step is probably the most crucial. While it is easy to find out approximately what the wind will be at various altitudes around your property, the success of any wind turbine project - home or commercial - depends on your attention to detail here. A difference of just a few miles per hour of wind speed can make an order of magnitude difference in your power output and when looked at from the perspective of the lifespan of the wind turbine, that can make an enormous difference in project economics.
Understand any local permitting rules - Although many of these rules are changing to the benefit of potential wind turbine kit owners, many oppose the installation of wind turbines, especially 50 kW wind turbines and greater, even on private property. The reasons are primarily the noise they make, the height they can be installed, and a self-explanatory problem called "shadow flicker" which is very annoying to people having to walk by wind turbines or even to see them peripherally. So, you have got to check out the permitting process where you are to find out how these local rules will affect your project and how fully you will be allowed to take advantage of the wind.
Realize what you could reasonably power with the electricity you make - Before anyone even thinks any further about buying a wind turbine kit or other wind generating device, there needs to be thought put in to what the power collected will be used for. Charging batteries is a very safe, but expensive way to avoid having to lock yourself in to hooking the wind device up to a specific load source.
In summary, a 50 kW wind turbine is large enough to power a small manufacturing plant or commercial building and may be overkill for your house. The steps that you take to analyze one of these units is the same as for a smaller wind device though.
