Mar
22
Posted by admin
A few years ago having a home off the grid and using renewable energy sources such as solar power and wind power was impossible to imagine for many homeowners. Why? Because if you are going with a commercially installed system it was, and still is, very expensive to convert your home to use renewable energy sources from solar panels or wind turbines. And the fact was it would usually take years to recoup your investment. But recently all of that has changed.
Both solar power and wind power have become viable renewable energy sources sources in the last few years for the average homeowner. And the best thing is, you can easily build a wind turbine or solar panel for very little cost. This means you will be saving thousands of dollars by constructing them yourself, and then thousands more in energy savings after they are up and running.
Has there ever been a better time to go green? Not only is electricity still very expensive, but our planet is also in the worst shape it has ever been from an environmental standpoint. What do these two things mean to you? It means you should build a small renewable energy system and start generating at least some of your own electricity (even if it’s only 10-20% of your needs). It is not difficult to acquire the materials, and as long as you have a good guide to follow you should easily be able to implement your own system into your homes energy grid and start saving money on your electric bills.
Solar power is ideal for just about any home in America (and everywhere else). Wind power is also ideal for areas which receive a good deal of wind. You can even install both types of systems to compliment each other. On top of saving a lot of money on your energy bills, you will find that this is a very worthwhile family project which you will take a great deal of pride in.
Get started today and start saving money on your energy costs, and help our fragile environment at the same time.
Mar
05
Posted by admin
With energy costs again on the rise and the effects of global warming being so prevalent today, many people are wondering if there is any truth to the concept of using renewable energy technology on a small scale for their home. There also appears to be some confusion about the differences between alternative energy and renewable energy.
In a nutshell, alternative energy encompasses all renewable energy sources, but includes things like nuclear power and energy developed from municipal waste. These are carbonaceous examples.
Renewable energy is energy derived from natural sources that is replaced as it is being used, such as solar energy and wind energy. With that clear, are there truly benefits for the average homeowner or business owner to implement renewable energy technology? Absolutely. Truthfully, by using renewable energy on a home level you can easily save yourself thousands of dollars each year, and if it is a system you have constructed yourself, you will easily recoup your investment in a very short time.
Renewable energy technology has gained popularity in recent years for obvious reasons, and it has become increasingly easy to meet your home’s energy needs with just a little DIY know how and some free time. With the information that is readily available about renewable energy technology, it is possible to build a renewable energy solution such as a windmill or solar array for your home or business, entirely on your own. Do-it-yourselfers are finding out that they can save huge amounts of cash by building and installing these systems themselves. If you have the money to invest in a commercial professionally installed system, in general these are more efficient, however, with a homemade system you will still see a significant reduction in overall energy costs, and as mentioned above, you will recoup your investment in a matter of a few months rather than years.
Renewable energy technology is advancing every day. Solar electrical systems have seen advancements from the huge roof panels to thinner solar arrays that are twice as conductive and work with less sunlight. Thereby being much more efficient.
There are now solar powered chargers for cell phones, batteries and other smaller household items. Windmills have also become more efficient with better aerodynamics resulting in greater action and electricity generation. Renewable energy technology can even be seen along the side of the road as small solar/wind operations powering signs, lights and switches.
Many homeowners today are looking into integrating renewable energy sources for a more energy efficient home or business. The other benefit that renewable energy offers is their near zero contribution to the global warming epidemic.
The most popular of renewable energy sources is the sun. Of the renewable sources, solar energy is by far the most popular because it offers more options for use. Electrical energy is produced from the sun using solar panels which consist of a photovoltaic cell array that converts energy from the sun into usable electricity for your home or business. There are also solar hot water heaters that use the power of the sun to produce hot water. These solar energy sources are readily available and are increasing in popularity as of late, mainly because more and more homeowners are realizing they don’t have to spend thousands of dollars to have a workable solar system to take advantage of lowered utility costs.
The most efficient of renewable energy sources is wind energy. Wind has been used to pump water from the ground for centuries, but has grown in popularity as a way to supplement our electricity needs. Wind is the safest and cleanest of the renewable energy sources because it produces no pollutants and does not contribute in any way to global warming. Wind energy is harnessed by placing a generator on a tower that is powered by the wind, thus producing electricity. Unlike the sun, which is available everywhere, in order to utilize wind as a renewable energy source, you should live in an area where the wind more or less constantly blows.
In summary, becoming energy independent by using renewable energy sources is a real possibility and a very viable and practical solution to meet at least part of the energy needs of the average home or business owner.
Jan
28
Posted by admin
Due to the rapid depletion of the supply of petroleum products that is used to provide electricity to the millions of homes in the United States, efforts are now being undertaken to look for alternative sources of energy. One of the alternative sources of electricity currently being considered is the use of wind turbines.
Growing Popularity of Wind Turbines
Compared to other alternative sources of energy now being promoted, wind turbines are a lot more cost efficient to construct and maintain. Wind turbines tap into the power of the wind, which is then converted into usable electricity that is distributed to the different households and business establishments. Another benefit seen in using wind power as an alternative source of energy is that, unlike solar power that would only be able to collect solar energy during the daytime, wind turbines can convert wind power into electricity 24 hours a day. This further ensures that the establishments being supplied with alternative energy are given sufficient supplies of electricity.
Choosing the right location to construct a wind turbine is the most crucial part of the construction process. The location must meet a few requirements in order for households and local communities to utilize wind as an alternative source of electricity. Here are a few things to look into when deciding whether a particular location is ideal to construct wind turbines.
Wind Speed
The first thing to consider is the average wind speed that passes through your area. Wind turbines are only effective at converting wind power into usable energy if the average wind speed is at least 10 miles per hour. The best place to get this information is to contact your local weather bureau or news center. These organizations will provide you a list of areas within the community that experience this average wind speed on a daily basis.
High Altitude Areas
Select an area in your community that has the highest altitude to build the wind turbines. Wind speeds are a lot faster in high altitude areas as opposed to those that are located near sea level. This is because the drag brought about by the wind traveling through land or sea is greatly reduced the higher you go.
Flat, Open Fields
Another ideal location for constructing wind turbines is an area that is flat, open and spacious. The wind speed in a particular area can be greatly reduced by natural barriers and man-made structures such as hills, mountains and buildings. This, in turn, minimizes the ability of the wind turbine to convert wind power into usable forms of energy that ultimately powers homes and business establishments.
Les and Jane over at Windplans have put together a kind of introductory guide on DIY wind energy. Take a look at it here.
Jan
25
Posted by admin
The use of wind power as a source of energy is not something new. In fact, compared to all the other forms of alternative sources of electricity being promoted today, wind power is one of the oldest sources of natural energy that man has used. In Holland, windmills were used to power flourmills in order to increase production. But there is much more to tapping into wind power than simply milling flour. Communities throughout the country will be able to benefit from the use of wind turbines that use wind power as an alternative source of electricity. Here are just some of the benefits of using wind energy.
Constant Supply of Energy
Unlike conventional electricity being supplied by electric companies to homes and business establishments that use petroleum products, wind energy is a renewable source of energy that can be converted into electricity for human use. By using wind energy as an alternative or secondary source of electricity, communities do not have to worry about the steady increase of their monthly electric bills which is brought about by the dwindling supply of petroleum in the earth.
Wind energy can be easily tapped into at any time of the day or evening. This is particularly beneficial for residential communities. That is because most the homeowners would use the most amount of electricity in their homes during the evening. Tapping into wind energy will ensure that your community would be constantly supplied to the homes within your community when they need it the most.
Environmentally Friendly
Wind energy is a type of energy that is generated by Mother Nature. This being the case, using wind energy as an electrical source will not cause any pollutants to be emitted into the earth’s atmosphere. It is common knowledge now that these pollutants further contribute to the global warming epidemic faced all over the world. Although this may be viewed by a number of members in the community as having a minimal effect on the current condition of the earth’s environment; it will nevertheless become a small step in helping your community become a greener and a more sustainable place to stay.
Savings for Homeowners
The depletion of the petroleum supply used by electrical companies to supply electricity to homes, along with the state of the current financial crisis, has caused many homeowners to tighten their budget as their monthly electrical bills continue to increase. By tapping into wind energy as an alternative source of electricity supplied to households within your community, homeowners are able to cut back on the amount that they need to spend each month on their electrical consumption.
Minimal Investment
Having windmills constructed around your house and within your local community requires minimal investment. For the most part, the majority of the investment will go to the generators that convert the mechanical energy generated by the wind turbines into electrical energy. Other than that, the parts used to construct a wind turbine are considerably lower than what you would be spending to tap into other alternative sources of energy.
Jan
23
Posted by admin
As the amount of fossil fuels and mineral deposits used by electric companies dwindles, efforts are now being made to look for alternative sources of energy. The need for alternative energy sources is also high due to the growing amount of electricity that is needed to power up modern homes and business establishments. The quest for alternative sources of energy is not necessarily a difficult one. Mother Nature has a bountiful supply of energy sources that are renewable and are capable of providing the same amount of electricity that fossil fuels do in order to power homes and business establishments. Alternative sources of energy can perform with the same, if not better, efficiency that fossil fuels and mineral deposits do. One source of renewable energy currently being used to provide an alternative source of electricity to power homes in the United States today is wind energy.
Wind energy, as the term implies, is energy harvested from the wind. When wind passes through, it releases kinetic energy, which through the use of wind turbines can be harvested and converted into electrical energy. Wind energy is one renewable energy source that has been used in many countries for centuries. In Holland, wind energy was harvested through the use of windmills to help increase the production of flour in the olden days. Today, the same concept behind the windmill is being used in the many wind turbines that are seen being constructed throughout the country.
If your community has not provided an alternative source of electricity for your daily consumption, you can generate your own electricity by constructing a wind turbine in your back yard. Construction of a homemade wind turbine requires only minimal cash output on your part, which does not go beyond a few hundred dollars.
How does this work?
The blades on the rotor shaft turn as the wind passes through it, generating mechanical energy. This mechanical energy is then absorbed by a generator that converts it into electrical energy. This electrical energy can then be used to power your home. The electricity generated by tapping into the power of the wind steadily provides electricity in your home even if you are not using any electrical appliances. So that no amount of kinetic energy goes to waste, wind turbines are often equipped with storage batteries.
The turbine’s batteries are charged with the electricity generated by the wind turbine when the electricity is not currently being utilized. It is charged in the same manner as the conventional rechargeable battery you use for your video camera or cell phone. When you are going to use your electric appliances at home, the electricity stored in these batteries is the first to be used until it is drained out. Only after the stored energy has been depleted will the wind turbine directly provide electricity in your home. When you go to sleep in the evening, the batteries are charged again with the electricity generated by the wind energy. This means you will wake up with a full storage of energy that can be utilized by the appliances in your household.
Dec
20
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.
Nov
15
Posted by admin
Alternative energy has become a hot topic for good reason. We are expending and wasting energy at an alarming rate. This is particularly sad because it is wholly unnecessary. What if you could power your home through nothing more than the use of naturally occurring resources?
Alternative Energy is not science fiction. Wind power and Solar energy have been around for a long time, and harnessing this energy is now available to everyone without having to pay an arm and a leg.
The obvious advantage to using these alternative energy sources is saving money. If you are generating at least some of your own power, then you will see a significant savings on your energy costs over time. Using the free power of the wind and sun to generate electricity is one day going to be the norm, but for now, you can be on the cutting edge.
Another fantastic advantage to utilizing alternative energy sources is to eliminate the huge drain on our energy sources. This idea of generating our own power is a great way to contribute to our economy, and empowering our Country through the savings it creates.
You certainly have heard the term “going green” before, and it gets no greener than the sun and wind. This is a great way to reduce pollution that is generated through other “dirty” energy sources. The wind and the sun are natural resources that are free to each and every one of us. The opportunity to do so is right in front of us, so why not take it?
Wind turbines are a wonderful example of how to use alternative energy. Building your own wind turbine is fairly easy and it can save you a fortune in energy bills. Some people even have a large wind turbine installed on their land to generate all the electricity they need.
Solar energy, or the harnessing of the sun is one of the most popular ways to generate energy. The installation of solar energy panels can truly be a life changing experience. It will help you to learn to conserve energy, while saving you money as well. The panels are available in various wattages individually, or in kits.
If you want to be the envy of your neighbors, save some money, and even help our planet in the process, then browse through this site to learn more about renewable energy sources. The cost is minimal for the incredible returns on your energy costs.
Nov
11
Posted by admin
In today’s energy dependent America, alternative energy sources have become very important. The focus on alternative energy during the recent Presidential election speaks to the importance of our developing new ideas to save energy, and in turn, to help save our Planet. One source of alternative energy that is available to us right now is wind. Wind is a perfect resource to generate power, and building your own wind generator is a reality right now.
Why would I want to build a wind generator?
Wind is a naturally occurring resource that is available to us free of charge every single minute of the day. The advantages of using wind and wind generators are all about energy savings and concern for our pollution levels.
Can you imagine never having to pay an electricity bill again? If you have a wind turbine in an optimized location, and are willing to take some basic steps to reduce your energy usage, then this can be a reality for you through wind generators. The savings to your energy bill can be quite dramatic, and in some cases profitable.
Since wind is an energy source that is natural and freely found on Earth, the power that is generated is completely pollution free. You can feel good knowing that you are doing your part to make our Earth a better place.
How Much Does it Cost?
Before a lot of the DIY technology became available anyone who wanted to implement this energy solution for their home or business would be looking at a fairly substantial investment. This was generally not within the budget of many people.
Now, there are companies that offer a complete Do it Yourself Guide that gives you step by step instructions on how to build your own wind generator. Building your own wind generator is actually a very easy, inexpensive process for most DIY capable individuals. The steps are quite clear and easy to understand.
Information on a couple of the more popular guides can be found HERE.
If you live in an area that gets a fair amount of wind, then be sure to consider wind turbines. This abundant natural energy source is sure to save you money, and provide you with a steady and reliable energy source.
Nov
05
Posted by admin
Is it possible to get free power solely from the wind without spending thousands of dollars. Many people are truly interested in harnessing the energy of the wind as a source of powering their home, but think it is too complicated.. Nothing could be farther from the truth.
Simply put, wind power translates into FREE energy for anyone with a few tools and a little time and some DIY know how. There really is no better time that now to start your own personal wind farm. Whether it be one wind generator, or a whole array. You can easily live off the grid and recoup your investment in a very short time.
If you are ready to get your alternative energy project off the ground right now, then here are a few easy to assemble kits that are ready to go right out of the box.
500W 24V WindMax Wind Generator - Wind Turbine System - Off grid Wind Power
Windmax Wind Turbine 1kw/48V with side furling - wind generator
Windmax Wind Turbine 2kw/48V with side furling - wind generator with wind/solar hybrid controller
