It may seem mysterious, but wind generators convert wind into energy in a fairy simple manner. Here are some basics you should be familiar with before undertaking a wind project at home.
Residential wind power is created when a wind turbine is installed on a tower; it collects kinetic energy from the wind then is converted to electricity by an alternator in the unit. The electricity is converted for home use. In residential applications it can be tied into the local utility company.
In this way the home owner does not need to maintain a battery bank for their energy needs. Moreover, any additional energy that is not used by you would be credited back to you by the utility company. (If you had a battery bank instead, the energy would first go to the battery and then to your home.)
A small home wind system can save you between 30 and 90 percent on your utility bills in many situations.
What size turbine you would need depends on your average usage of energy. There now many companies who will educate you on the size perfect for your home electrical needs. In areas of the country where electrical costs are high it may be well worth the expense for a system.
The rule of thumb on the economics of considering residential wind power are sensitive to the wind speed of your area, the cost of electricity; the average wind speed should be 10 mph and electrical cost over 10 cents per KWh.
Many dealers offer turn key ready to operate systems with the option to install your self for the do it your self type. Of course the first option offers you the best support from the manufactures. There are also do-it-yourself systems that will cost significantly less but require more research and labor on your part.
