WindEnergy - Large Scale - "How It's Made" - Same Principle for "Home Made"

Energy 101: Wind Turbines Basics

This video explains the basics of how wind turbines operate to produce clean power from an abundant, renewable resource—the wind.

Wind Turbines

Although all wind turbines operate on similar principles, several varieties are in use today. These include horizontal axis turbines and vertical axis turbines.

Horizontal Axis Turbines

Horizontal axis turbines are the most common turbine configuration used today. They consist of a tall tower, atop which sits a fan-like rotor that faces into or away from the wind, a generator, a controller, and other components. Most horizontal axis turbines built today are two- or three-bladed.

Horizontal axis turbines sit high atop towers to take advantage of the stronger and less turbulent wind at 100 feet (30 meters) or more aboveground. Each blade acts like an airplane wing, so when wind blows, a pocket of low-pressure air forms on the downwind side of the blade. The low-pressure air pocket then pulls the blade toward it, which causes the rotor to turn. This is called lift. The force of the lift is actually much stronger than the wind's force against the front side of the blade, which is called drag. The combination of lift and drag causes the rotor to spin like a propeller, and the turning shaft spins a generator to make windenergy  electricity.

Learn more about horizontal axis turbines on the WindEnergy Power Animation page.

Vertical Axis Turbines

Vertical axis turbines are of two types: Savonius and Darrieus. Neither type is in wide use.

The Darrieus turbine was invented in France in the 1920s. Often described as looking like an eggbeater, it has vertical blades that rotate into and out of the wind. Using aerodynamic lift, it can capture more energy than drag devices. The Giromill and cycloturbine are variants on the Darrieus turbine.

The Savonius turbine is S-shaped if viewed from above. This drag-type turbine turns relatively slowly but yields a high torque. It is useful for grinding grain, pumping water, and many other tasks, but its slow rotational speeds are not good for generating windenergy  electricity.

In addition, windmills are still used for a variety of purposes. Windmills have been used by humans since at least 200 B.C. for grinding grain and pumping water. By the 1900s, windmills were used on farms and ranches in the United States to pump water and, later, to produce electricity. Windmills have more blades than modern wind turbines, and they rely on drag to rotate the blades.

You can produce your own windenergy at home to power your current energy needs. You can also offset the windenergy with a solarenergy system as well. You need to check out the links provide below to see which or both systems are workable for your family.

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SolarEnergy - "Photovoltaic Cell" System

Many PV "Photovoltaic cell"s, connected in series, form a PV module; several modules attached to a frame form a solarenergy electric panel. A panel can power a stand-alone system, simply and cost-effectively generating electricity away from the power lines, or it can be connected to the power grid, allowing the owner to sell the electricity generated.

Components of Solarenergy Electricity Generation

The basic components of a PV "Photovoltaic cell" system (Figure 7) include:

• PV modules which are a group of cells that generate an electric field by absorbing sunlight, resulting in direct current (DC) electricity.
• An inverter which converts the DC electricity from the PV modules into the alternating current (AC) electricity is used in the power grid and is required by most electrical appliances.

Most PV "Photovoltaic Cell" systems in operation use one centralized inverter to convert electricity from multiple panels. These large inverters involve power loss and can be noisy.

Figure 7. Photovoltaic power diagram. Courtesy of Go Solar.

Microinverters, a new technology, attach directly to each solar module in the power system.

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SolarEnergy - "Photovoltaic Cell" Systems Explained.

"Photovoltaic Cell"  Systems

A "photovoltaic cell"  (PV), or solarenergy electric system, is made up of several photovoltaic solar cells. An individual "photovoltaic cell" (PV cell) is usually small, typically producing about 1 or 2 watts of power. To boost the power output of  a"Photovolaic cell", they are connected together to form larger units called modules. Modules, in turn, can be connected to form even larger units called arrays, which can be interconnected to produce more power, and so on. In this way, PV systems can be built to meet almost any electric power need, small or large.

The basic PV or solar cell produces only a small amount of power. To produce more power, cells can be interconnected to form modules, which can in turn be connected into arrays to produce yet more power. Because of this modularity, PV systems can be designed to meet any electrical requirement, no matter how large or how small.

By themselves, modules or arrays do not represent an entire PV system. Systems also include structures that point them toward the sun and components that take the direct-current electricity produced by modules and "condition" that electricity, usually by converting it to alternate-current electricity. "Photovoltaic Cell", PV systems may also include batteries. These items are referred to as the balance of system (BOS) components.

Combining modules with BOS components creates an entire PV system. This system is usually everything needed to meet a particular energy demand, such as powering a water pump, the appliances and lights in a home.

You can build your own "Photovoltaic Cell" PV System at home with the aid of the information contained in the attached links below. They also provide instruction on building your own windenergy turbine, to supplement the solarenergy system.

Check it out today and start building for a greener globe today -   GlobalGreen

Global Green - WindEnergy - SolarEnergy - Location

Picking the Best Location for a Wind Turbine

Where you choose to build your wind turbine is important. Remember that if nearby houses, tree lines and silos obstruct the full force of the wind from your wind turbine, you will not be able to generate as much power.

Also keep the following in mind:

• Wind speeds are always higher at the top of a hill, on a shoreline, and in places clear of trees and other structures.
• Remember that trees grow over the years; wind turbine towers do not.
• Inform neighbours of your plans to avoid conflict later on.
• Be courteous. Keep the turbine as far away from neighbours as possible. 250-300 m away is typical.
• Check with the local government for any other bylaws and regulations about zoning.

Wind speeds tend to be higher on the top of a ridge or hill, and for that reason it is a good idea to locate wind turbines at hilly locations. Just remember to keep your turbine away from high turbulence. Neighbours must also be taken into consideration when picking a spot to build your turbine. The farther your wind turbine site is from neighbouring houses, the better.

Do not expect your wind turbine to generate the same amount of power all the time. The wind speed at a single location may vary considerably, and this can have a significant impact on the power production from a wind turbine (Figure 3). Even if the wind speed varies by only 10%, the power production from a wind turbine can vary by up to 25%!

Figure 3. Example of wind speed distribution by hour of the day. Values shown are monthly averages of measurements made by anemometers. (Source: US Department of Energy)

If you think this may be something you would like to discover further, check the links below for more information and start making your own windenergy electricity today. Also, included in the information are the details on how to build your own solar energy "photovoltaic cell" PV System.

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SolarPower - SolarEnergy - build your own "Photovoltaic Cell" PV System

Siting Your Small Solar Electric System

Both the orientation and tilt of your solarenergy panels or "photovoltaic cell" (PV) modules will affect the output of your solarenergy electric system. You should consider both factors while evaluating your site's solar resource and sizing your system.

Orientation

"Photovoltaic Cell" PV modules should be oriented geographically to maximize the amount of daily and seasonal solarenergy that they receive. In general, the optimum orientation for a "Photovoltaic Cell" PV module in the northern hemisphere is true south. However, your modules can face up to 45º east or west of true south without significantly decreasing its performance.

If you plan to mount the modules on your roof, you'll also want to consider these factors:

• Roof orientation and condition
• Local landscape features that shade the collector daily or seasonally
• Local weather conditions (foggy mornings or cloudy afternoons) that may affect the optimal orientation and subsequent electricity production of the "Photovoltaic Cell" PV modules.

To be eligible for some rebates, your system must be unshaded between certain hours during certain times of the year. Some areas also have laws that establish your right to protect your solar access through the creation of a solar easement.

If a rooftop can't be used, your solarenergy modules can also be placed on the ground, either on a fixed mount or a "tracking" mount that follows the sun to orient the "Photovoltaic Cell"  PV modules.

Tilt

Most "Photovoltaic Cell" PV modules are mounted flat on the roof, and so have the same tilt as the roof. Although the optimal tilt angle for your modules is an angle equal to your latitude, fixing the "Photovoltaic Cell" PV modules flat on an angled roof is generally not a problem. However, because most roofs are pitched at an angle less than the latitude, you will need to factor your roof angle into the performance calculations when sizing your system.


Once you've done all the homework needed regarding the above, it's time to build. You can now build your own "Photovoltaic Cell" PV System with the the help one or both of the links below. Check the information on each of the sites and see which is best suited for your needs or possibly combine the two reference's material. 

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Windpower Turbine links through Envirogreen Technologies and WindEnergy

                              Windpower Turbine Noise

Your neighbours' concerns relating to wind turbine noise are important. No matter the size of the windpower turbine, the potential for turbine noise to bother other people always exists. Even if a windpower turbine does not emit enough sound to violate any noise regulations, the noise it produces may still be objectionable to other people. Before building a windpower turbine, familiarize yourself with the types of noise your windpower turbine could make:

• Aerodynamic noises may be made by the flow of air over and past the blades of the turbine. Such noises tend to increase with the speed of the rotor. For blade noise, lower blade tip speed results in lower noise levels. Of particular concern is the interaction of windpower turbine blades with atmospheric turbulence, which results in a characteristic "whooshing" sound.
  
• Mechanical noises may also be produced by components of a windpower turbine. Normal wear and tear, poor component designs or lack of preventative maintenance may all be factors affecting the amount of mechanical noise produced. 
  

How Loud Might a Windpower Turbine Be?

At a distance of 250 m, a typical windpower turbine produces a sound pressure level of about 45 dB(A) (decibels). As Figure 12 shows, this sound level is below the background noise level produced in a home or office. Most small windpower turbines, in fact, make less noise than a residential air conditioner.

Small Windpower Turbines

The blades rotate at an average range of 175-500 revolutions per minute with some as high as 1150 rpm. Large Windpower turbines turbine blades rotate in the range of at 50-15 rpm at constant speed, although an increasing number of machines operate at a variable speed.

Figure 12. Comparison of decibel levels from a hypothetical wind turbine (from 250 m away) with other sources of noise. (Source: American Wind Energy Association)

Please take a moment to click on the links below and see how easy it is to make your own Windpowered Generator. Also, you can supplement the windpower turbine with your own home made solarpower "photovoltaic cell" PV system. Make it a family project and save money while having some fun.

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WindEnergy SolarEnergy providing links to a Green Future

What are the benefits to homeowners from using a windpower turbine?

Windenergy systems provide a cushion against electricity price increases. Windenergy systems reduce U.S. dependence on fossil fuels, and they don't emit greenhouse gases. If you are building a home in a remote location, a small windenergy system can help you avoid the high costs of extending utility power lines to your site.

Although windenergy systems involve a significant initial investment, they can be competitive with conventional energy sources when you account for a lifetime of reduced or altogether avoided utility costs. They length of the payback period — the time before the savings resulting from your system equal the system cost — depends on the system you choose, the wind resource in your site, electric utility rates in you're area, and how you use your wind system.

Take a few moments and check the links below as there are affordable and easy alternatives available to you. You can make your own solarenergy via "photovoltaic Cell" PV System as well as well as an residential windpower turbine, without major mechanical skills or specialized tools. You or maybe with the help of the family, can work towards making a smaller footprint by doing a small part in combating the high carbon fuel use  in power generation, having fun in the process. If you wish, you can expand the project to a size where your windenergy and solarenergy system is actually selling power back to the grid and your home is power bill free. 

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