Good tips before buying a Wind Turbine
First, work on getting your home’s energy usage low before considering purchasing a wind turbine for wind power. Once this is done, consider how much wind is necessary for a wind turbine to work effectively . You’ll need to know your wind speed around your home. A wind turbine needs consistent wind and most systems require speeds that are up to 7 to 10 miles per hour before they even start producing power. They perform the best at 12 to 20 miles per hour and as the wind speed increases, then the power output increases exponentially.
Make sure your building codes, local zoning and home-owner’s association covenants have no restrictions to height. If so, you might be able to obtain a variance, but just know that this will take time and will be costly. Plus, even though wind turbines don’t require much space, approximately a half an acre, you might run into conflicts with your neighbors. So, even before purchasing a wind turbine, talk with all your neighbors, let them know your plans and give them room to ask questions. Let them know that your wind turbine will make less noise than an air-conditioner or a washing machine.
Consider the right size wind turbine for your residential property. A typical 10 kilowatt turbine will have a 20 to 25 foot blade diameter, but there are smaller systems with smaller blades available. The height can range for 40 feet to 100 feet. The bottom of the turbine’s blades should be 10 feet or more above the tops of trees and buildings within 300 feet of the turbine to avoid turbulence. The towers themselves are usually made from steel and are self-supporting and are heftier and costlier. Some are guyed and have guy wires anchored at a distance from the tower’s base, these require more space.
Lastly, the wind turbines installed in residential areas are still grid-connected, so when the wind isn’t blowing, you’ll still be able to get power from your utility grid. If you want to go off-the-grid, you’ll need banks of batteries for storage of electricity when the wind dies down. Even though wind turbines have a lot of upfront costs, they will reduce your electricity costs and serve as a hedge against rising energy costs in the future.
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