subject: Suggested Strategies To Acquire Wind Powered Generator Products [print this page] If you are looking to buy wind turbine technology at home you know by now it can be kind of confusing. Not only are there different types of turbines but also, the prices of those turbines can vary so greatly that it's hard to know where to start.
I want to talk about briefly how to size up what kind of turbine you need for your house.
You need to know what kind of wind resources you have available from the beginning. That is the only way to make sense out of all the choices out there.
This won't cost much but you do need to take some data and do a little research on your property. Once you have looked at either the government's wind resource map online, the easiest way to do that is to invest in a small anemometer.
An anemometer is a tiny windmill that you can put in different places around your property and measure the wind for a period of time - like a week. The data will be recorded and most come with their own software so you can download the data you get into a spreadsheet to sort it out.
Mainly, you want 9 mph of average wind to make the wind turbine a no-brainer. While there are wind turbines that create power with a lot less wind, they are very expensive.
Now, let's discuss the options of how to buy wind turbine technology.
There are 2 basic types of wind turbines out there now - horizontal-axis and vertical-axis.
1. Horizontal-axis turbines look like the classic Dutch windmill.
2. Verticals turn like a milk churn.
They accomplish the same thing but the horizontal variety is an order of magnitude more efficient than the vertical. However, the vertical type does have the advantage of not being "directionally challenged." That means that it doesn't have a tail to turn it to face the prevailing wind.
Vertically oriented windmills operate best on roofs because there is more chaotic. The fact that the vertical turbine doesn't orient itself into the prevailing wind makes it much better in turbulence. A horizontal turbine will destroy itself in strong, turbulent wind conditions.
In conclusion, it makes the most sense to check out your local situation and options before you buy wind turbine devices. Knowing your local wind will drive you to your best options and will make the choices of turbine products much simpler.
