How Wind Energy and Wind Turbines Work

Posted by admin

One may wonder how in the world one simple generator can simply convert that gust of wind into electricity.  Basically, the turbine takes the kinetic energy and converts it into electricity. Kinetic energy is the energy of movement, or in this case is the energy of the wind itself.

Take a look below to see the different very basic parts of a wind turbine, and how each one is involved in the process of converting the wind to energy, or electricity.

Rotor –  and the blades, are the 3 or 4 edges of the wind turbine that spin due to the wind’s force.

Nacelle – The nacelle holds the generator and gearbox. It is located right behind the blades. The inside of the nacelle is where the entire wind to energy conversion takes place.

Controller – The controller is a very important part of the turbine because it keeps it under control. Basically, the controller will start the generator when the wind speed reaches about 10 mph, and will shut off the generator or feather the blades when the wind speed is over 65 mph.

Generator – The generator is housed inside of the nacelle, along with the gearbox, and converts the kinetic energy of the wind into electricity.

Gearbox – The gearbox, which is also housed in the nacelle along with the generator, nearly doubles the speed of the shaft.

Tower – The tower is simply what the entire assembly mounts upon, and what gives the turbine its height.

Base – The base is what holds this entire turbine steadily on the ground. The tower is usually mounted on a base consisting of reinforced concrete.

Those parts are the very basic parts of a wind turbine itself. Of course there are other components that you will need to convert the power generated by the wind turbine into usable energy for your application.

Watch this animation to get a very basic understanding of how wind energy works.

Alternative Energy is an Easy Solution

Posted by admin

One thing I have noticed when speaking to people about using alternative energy is they think it is too difficult to implement.

Truth be told, it has never been easier to build a simple wind powered generator, or solar panel.  With the available guides on the market, anyone with a basic DIY ability can build one of these units with materials from the local hardware store.

You really do not need any specialized knowledge to implement an alternative energy solution for your home or business. The future of alternative energy is here now, and you will be doing the environment a huge favor by starting today.