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By: Suzlon Savonius on Thu May 15, 2008

Wind is a clean, renewable, and abundant energy source and there are estimates that it could supply around 20% of the energy requirements of our country. For those of us who would like to reduce dependency on other energy sources or reduce electricity bills, a great option that’s getting cheaper is that of the small wind turbine for home use. Residential wind turbines are small, effective, and wind turbine installation can be less complex than you would imagine.

Small wind turbines produce no more than 100KW of electricity can be used in homes and small businesses as back-up electricity and to supplement other energy sources in your home, and thus off-set the high price of utility bills. At the lower end, there are small turbines (micro wind turbines) that produce 20-500 Watts that are generally used to charge batteries in boats, or small camping appliances.

Necessary Conditions
You’ll need to have a good wind resource, at least an acre of space, and you’ll be able to keep a turbine away from 800 to 1000 feet. Check with your municipal government to ensure that your property is zoned in such a way that allows wind turbines, too.

Measuring Wind Energy Potential
You’ll have to find out whether or not you have enough wind to create wind energy and make it worthwhile. An average wind speed of between 9 to 10 mph is required, and in order to find this out, you’ll need to use one of three different methods of gauging wind speed.

The first way is to get access to a wind resource potential map. Wind resource potential maps are available from most state governments.

Another way of gauging the average wind speed in your area is to get some wind speed measurements from local weather stations, bearing in mind that their conditions will not be exactly like the wind conditions around your property.

And the final and most accurate way to gauge wind speed and to determine if you have adequate enough speed to justify building a wind turbine on your site is to buy a wind resource evaluation system, which are generally comprised of an anemometers, an odometer, and a tower or tripod to mount the anemometer. Generally, wind resource evaluation systems retail for around $500 per system.

The Best Locations for a Wind Turbine
If the wind is obstructed by nearby buildings, trees, or other impediments, you won’t be able to generate as much wind energy, so it’s crucial

Windier spots with higher wind speeds include hill-tops, shorelines, and areas generally clear of trees or buildings. If you’re living in the Prairies, you’re ideally suited to use wind power to generate energy for your home. Because wind speed varies considerably at different times of the day, and in different types of weather, your wind energy production will vary.

Types of Wind Turbines
There are two types of wind turbines – horizontal axis and vertical axis wind turbines. Horizontal axis wind turbines must be aimed directly at the wind in order to produce wind energy, and thus have a tail-vane affixed to them that ensures they’re always pointing in the appropriate direction. Vertical axis turbines lack the tail-vane and don’t have to be aimed, but they do require a larger ground space.

Wind Turbine Costs
A small wind turbine will cost anywhere in the area of $2000 to $8,000 per kilowatt, but there are other costs as well, such as buying batteries, inverters, paying for installation and labor of the wind turbine system. This initial investment is off-set by the realization that after the initial price, there are no other costs associated with the energy production other than standard maintenance.

It’s generally estimated that small wind turbine energy costs over their lifetime are between $0.07/kwh (under optimal conditions – an inexpensive turbine in a windy area) to $0.96/kwh (for an expensive turbine in a less windy area).

Appropriate Size
It appears to get a little more complicated when you think about what size of a wind turbine you have to buy, but it’s not too difficult. First, look at your monthly electricity consumption in kilowatt-hours – take last year’s electricity bills and divide your total annual electricity consumption in kilowatt hours by 12, and compare this amount to the monthly power production estimates that any wind turbine manufacturer or wind turbine retailer will be able to provide you with.

And Finally…
There are many other wind energy resources available for the home owner curious about residential wind energy, whether it be rooftop wind turbines in more urban areas, or even homemade wind turbines on family farms in rural areas. To begin with, I’d recommend the American Wind Energy Association and the Canadian Wind Energy Association, if you’re interested in wind energy production and wind energy turbines in Canada.