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small wind Small Wind Energy Systems General Small Wind Questions How do residential wind turbines work? A wind turbine, which is installed on top of a tall tower, collects kinetic (motion) energy from the wind and converts it to electricity that is compatible with a home's electrical system. In a normal residential application, a home is served simultaneously by the wind turbine and a local utility. If the wind speeds are below cut-in speed (7-10 mph) More reading: Frequently Asked Questions about Net Metering Small wind turbines are better because they are more sustainable and offer a number of other socioeconomic benefits. Wind systems come in smaller sizes than diesel generators and have a shorter construction lead time than extending the utility lines ("grid"). For grid extension distances as short as one kilometer, a wind system can be a lower cost alternative for small loads. While wind turbines cost more initially than diesels, they are often much better from the user's point of view because of typical foreign aid practices. Donor agencies, for example, typically supply diesels at no cost, but leave operational costs (fuel, maintenance and replacement) to be supplied by local residents. These expenses (in particular, fuel and parts) require scare hard currency. This usually leads to limited utilization and a shortened diesel lifetime due to inadequate maintenance. Many countries must also import their fossil fuels, further magnifying the burden imposed by diesels. How do small wind turbines compare with other renewable energy technologies suitable for decentralized rural electrification? Wind power is very competitive with solar photovoltaics (PV), biomass, and diesel generators, but is usually more expensive than micro-hydro. Wind is also very attractive for the ease with which the technology can be transferred to developing countries. Generally speaking, wind power complements these other power sources by providing a least cost approach under certain conditions. This expands the range of potential projects, pointing to the day when decentralized electrification projects will be implemented on the same scale as current utility line extension projects. In many situations, the lowest-cost centralized system will be a hybrid system that combines wind, photovoltaics, and diesel. No. Many inventors have developed turbines that run at low wind speeds. But because the energy available in the wind is a function of the cube of its speed, there is very little energy available to be harvested at wind speeds less than 4 meters per second (m/s) (9 mph). If you are considering the purchase of a small wind turbine, the ability to run at low wind speeds should not be an important factor in selecting a machine. Aren't wind turbines too "high-tech" for regular people? The high technology of a wind turbine is in just a few manufactured components such as the blades. A wind turbine can actually be much simpler than a diesel engine, and also require substantially less attention and maintenance. Some types of small turbines can operate for extended periods, five years or more, without any attention. With training and spare parts, local users can support the wind turbine equipment they use. Will it help the environment if I install a wind turbine at my home? Yes. Wind turbines produce no air, water, or thermal pollution and emit no greenhouse or smog-causing gases. By using wind power you will also be offsetting pollution that would have been generated by your utility company. Over its life, a small residential wind turbine can offset approximately 1.2 tons of air pollutants and 200 tons of greenhouse gas pollutants (carbon dioxide and other gases which cause global warming). More reading: Do wind turbines make noise or interfere with TV reception? Small wind turbines do make some noise, but not enough to be found objectionable by most people. A typical residential wind system makes less noise than the average washing machine. Small wind turbines do not interfere with TV reception. More reading: Do small wind turbines kill birds? While no such studies have been performed specifically for small wind turbines, anecdotal evidence indicates that birds occasionally collide with small wind turbines as they do with any other type of structure. However, such events are rare and very unlikely to have any impact on bird populations. Large, utility-scale wind turbines account for less than 0. 0 03% of all human-caused bird deaths, and small wind turbines have even less of an impact. House cats in the U.S., by contrast, are estimated to kill roughly one billion birds each year. Statistically, a single house cat, a window pane, or an automobile is a much greater threat to birds than a wind turbine of any size. More reading: Yes. However, neighbors who are uneasy about a nearby homeowner installing a small wind turbine may raise all sorts of questions about safety. Brief answers to some of these concerns: Falling tower: Thousands of wind turbines are installed in the U.S., and their safety track record is excellent. Trees are much more likely to fall than a properly installed wind turbine, but no setbacks or minimum property sizes are required for trees. Safety of utility repair personnel during a power outage: Small wind systems shut down automatically in the event of a power outage to protect utility workers, and will not energize a dead power line. Ice throw from rotor blades: Ice buildup makes wind turbine blades heavier and less aerodynamic, and therefore they turn more slowly. Typically, ice will drop to the base of the turbine tower instead of being thrown. Children climbing the tower and falling: Possible, but wind turbines should be treated no differently than other climbable structures such as water towers or amateur radio antennas. More reading:
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