Wind Turbines up Close

Wind Turbines: an Overview

What exactly are wind turbines? What are they for and how do they work? Many people are unsure of the benefits of these ingenious inventions but quite simply they hold so much potential for home owners and business’ alike that if you don’t already have some understanding of their powers, it’s time to get in the know. The turbine is considered to be the most important part; turbines are part of many mechanical devices from jet engines to basic paper windmills; in the case of wind turbines, the turbine part is the propellers or blades on the front of the device which catches the wind and converts it into energy. The blades are designed to maximise the amount of energy (wind) which gets caught and this is achieved through using curved blades.  The more the wind blows, the more electricity is generated; any surplus which is not needed immediately can be stored within a battery for later use and even for re-sale.

There are other important parts within a wind turbine, the blades are only the beginning of an ingenious process which is further continued by a gearbox within the structure; the gearbox speeds up the movement of the blades by a process of conversion in order that a drive shaft can power the generator which is what creates the electricity. There are many variations within the design of turbines and new innovations are being made regularly as engineers strive for models which can create maximum power within the smallest and lightest turbines possible.

How Can Wind Turbines Benefit the Individual?

Many people think of wind turbines and immediately picture the enormous models which populate so-called “wind farms”. These models have vast blades of around 70 metres across and which are mounted on towers of around 280 feet high. They are deliberately huge in order that they are able capture the maximum wind and create as much electricity as possible. If there are obstructions such as trees or buildings in the landscape, then the great height of the wind turbines will counter that and standing head and shoulders above everything else, they are able to capture as much wind as possible. These are the turbines which are used to power entire communities but as an individual home owner it is possible to install a “Micro turbine” which is a much smaller, domestic version of one of the giants of the wind farms. If you are fortunate enough to live in an area where there is plenty of uninterrupted wind, then your home could certainly benefit from the installation of one of the new generation of domestic turbines. Roof-mounted and of course scaled down, domestic turbines are potentially a great way to power an average home. The output of an average domestic turbine is enough to power a household’s light bulbs and reduce the average electricity bill.

Are Micro Wind Turbines a Realistic Option?

For many people, the assumption is that it will cost too much to install a turbine in their home, or that they are unattractive to look at and loud. These beliefs are not strictly true, as developments are made in the engineering of wind turbines, quieter models are being produced which can generate more power with less vibration. Most micro turbines are not at all cumbersome and will go unnoticed in their perch upon the roof or gable of an average suburban home. The fact that government grants are also available in some cases is of course a real incentive to people who want to be environmentally responsible and save cash at the same time.