Fossil fuels have been our source of fuel in the past, but it is now time to look forward helping to preserve a sustainable environment, planning for future generations using alternative power sources. One of those power sources is wind power electricity. We have been taking advantage of wind energy for many generations and now we have a modern-day wind turbine which can be used on our homes.
Alternative energy solutions are about finding a balance between concerns for our planet and our unpredictable economy. A healthy environment is of utmost importance and we need to take steps so that we will still have it in the future. The flip side to that is watching our electricity bills continually increasing and it’s not always easy to pay each quarter. Somewhere in there we need to do more than we are to keep our electricity bills down and looking after the environment at the same time.
Which leads us to the idea of installing our own wind turbine.
If you are serious about wanting to have a positive impact on our environment and using alternative power sources to harness the power of the wind, you can do so either purchasing or building own wind turbine.
Benefits of Wind Energy
Wind turbines have the capability of lowering electricity bills while preserving the environment. Having someone install one for you or even installing a ready-made one, will also be helping the environment.
Building your own wind turbine is another way of keeping the set-up costs down. Find a DIY book with clear instructions, give yourself a few days and you can have your own wind turbine proudly displayed on the roof of your home, for a fraction of the price of a ready built one.
Consider your power needs, most likely one turbine won’t be enough to replace your power supply, but it will help reduce your overall bill.
Setting up a wind turbine will take investment of time and money. Work out how long you plan to stay in the home you are living in. Keep in mind, having a wind turbine attached to your home adds to market value.
Check where you might put a wind turbine on your home or property, making sure it is in a spot that has enough consistent wind to make it workable and profitable.
Advantages of Wind Energy
In the current financial climate people are even more interested in regaining their independence from the huge corporations who seem to have nothing better to do than keep putting up the price of electricity and gas. Utility companies seem to be pretty close to the top of the list. If you’ve ever wondered what the advantages of wind energy are and if you can get off grid by using alternative energy sources, then read on.
Everyone has probably heard about solar power and wind power, but the question is are they enough to generate all the electricity your home needs? Well, that depends…
It depends on which you choose: solar, wind, or a combination of both. For most people a few solar panels or one wind turbine won’t be enough to generate all the electricity you will need for your home use.
You could use a combination of solar and wind. If you don’t want to do that your best bet would probably be focusing on wind power. A small wind turbine will usually generate about 5 times what one solar panel will generate. Of course, you have to take into consideration where you live among other factors.
The drawback for solar panels is that they can only work during the day, but they have proven to be very good at heating water. A turbine, on the other hand, can work whenever there is wind, day or night which can then be utilized in a wide range of applications.
Solar hot water services have proved to be very dependable but are expensive to buy. However, you can build your own turbine in a week for a few hundred dollars with materials you can buy at the local hardware store. These modern turbines can be mounted on your roof or in your yard depending on the best place to catch the wind.
If you really want to completely free yourself from your utility company your best bet would be to combine both solar and wind power and/or build several turbines if you have the space.
Thanks to advances in technology many people have been able to get off grid with this approach. You can too. Just keep in mind that one solar panel or one wind turbine won’t do it on its own, but it’s a good start.
Wind Turbines using Energy from Alternative Power Sources
Yet for all this development and growth in this sector of the power industry, wind power still accounts for less than 1% of power production. Obviously, we have a long way to go! The political spin doctors may be making grand plans to increase this to 25% by 2020 using a range of renewable energy technologies but I have my doubts as to how committed they are. The coal industry still holds too much power.
However, the current push for ordinary home owners like me to invest in solar panels for my roof, with the power being fed into the state grid is an indication that this state government is at least trying to get with the program and seeking some alternative energy solutions. Quite frankly it seems to me that it is only as ordinary citizens and home owners take some initiatives that governments will be shamed into doing more. Industry is becoming more aware of these issues, yet the demand to increase profit margins means many are only giving lip service to adopting cleaner, greener more energy efficient practices.
Together we must make a stand by doing what we can, starting in small ways such as investing in solar panels, purchasing more energy efficient appliances and adopting better usage practices. Only then will we have the credibility to influence governments and industry.
