It is interesting to discover how you can generate free electricity as you can save a whole lot on electrical expenses. Let us look into a couple of great environmentally friendly ways to make electricity with the use of a home wind turbine. You may prefer to have this system in your house or even one for your working office. According to statistics, the amount of harmful gases out there has been rising drastically. At the same time, we are using up more of our natural resources that we are unable replace every single day. The use of home wind turbines can help in putting an end to such negative activities.
Alternative energy solutions such as the use of home wind turbines are becoming increasingly popular in light of ever-escalating energy costs as they relate to fossil fuel, or else known as ‘non-renewable’, resources. With the cost of a barrel of oil, for instance, rising on consistent basis, it would seem wise indeed to start switching to alternatives energy sources.
Home wind turbine depends on the wind to operate. Wind energy is a natural resource that can never be depleted. As a result, it is known that home wind generators has the power to create free supplies of usable electricity from the natural wind energy. In addition, this amazing system is environmental friendly. Relating to that, it can also help to keep our planet a greener and healthier place to live in.
The key to generating free electricity is by installing a home wind turbine into your house, and that isn’t a difficult task. There are a lot of qualified professionals out there that will do an excellent work for you. Searching for a professional is as easy as going online. The professionals will always quote you an estimated price so that you can decide on making the investment. On the other hand, if you plan to save more money and consider that you can manage the installation on your own, a home wind turbine kit is what you need. This kit is not really a type of equipment you can order from a general hardware store. You’ll need to do some searching. The internet can be a very useful tool to help you work out where to get an ideal kit. In fact, you can build your very own home wind generators with just a few simple tools that can be easily found around your house.
The use of a wind power generator is very economical and efficient. The fact that it does not give out any harmful gasses into our environment is even more of a reason to really consider this implementation. Get to know the various attractive benefits you can take advantage of so that you can get it in place. You have so much to gain and nothing to lose when you implement a wind turbine in your house.
Alternative power solutions with home wind generators are made much more accessible these days than ever before. And with the stocks of non-renewable energy sources like oil and natural gas running out, it only makes sense to start converting to alternative sources of energy like the home wind turbine.
Filed under Wind Power by newenergy
April 21, 2011
New Wind Turbine Technology
Honeywell Wind Turbine by WindTronics Now Available for Purchase
Wind is Nature’s Energy-Savings Generator
Muskegon, Mich. – April 21, 2011 – WindTronics announced today the launch of its much-anticipated Honeywell Wind Turbine, which is now available through authorized dealers, retailers and partners. Best noted for always turning and generating power in as little as two miles per hour (mph), the Honeywell Wind Turbine’s small size, light weight and negligible noise, ensures everyone with wind has the ability to generate renewable wind energy for their home or business.
“Our vision is to make renewable wind power truly distributed and widely available,” said Reg Adams, president of WindTronics. “The ability to generate onsite power will help communities around the world convert the wind – bringing renewable energy technology into the mainstream.”
The Honeywell Wind Turbine is now available for purchase around the world through WindTronics’ authorized dealer network. For a complete list of dealers, please visit www.wheretobuyone.com. This ever-expanding network of distributors, partners and retailers, includes the following companies:
· WindTronics Full Sales, Service & Warranty Dealers
· Honeywell Resellers
· Ace Hardware
· True Value
· WESCO Distribution, Inc.
· Mid-States Distributing Co.
Weighing less than 185 pounds and measuring only six feet in diameter, the Honeywell Wind Turbine produces up to 1500kWh annually depending on height and location. This gearless wind turbine features an innovative Blade Tip Power System™ that utilizes a system of magnets and stators surrounding its outer ring to capture power at the blade tips where speed is greatest, practically eliminating mechanical resistance and drag. This enables the Honeywell Wind Turbine to start turning at 0.5 mph and generating energy in two mph of wind.
“The design of the Honeywell Wind Turbine is unlike anything I have seen before,” said Kyle Biedermann, CEO of WindBucks Energy, a distributor of Honeywell Wind Turbine in Texas. “This product, which lives harmoniously in almost any setting, is beneficial anywhere there is wind and is a viable option for sustainable energy.”
Designed to be flexible, the Honeywell Wind Turbine gives customers the choice to have the turbine mounted directly on a rooftop or use a pole. Additionally, customers can choose to connect the power directly to the building, to the grid, or to batteries using one of three connector options:
· Grid-tie – using the Power One Aurora® Grid Tie Inverter to feed renewable power to any utility worldwide
· Non-Grid Tie – using the WindTronics battery power management system called the SmartBox that converts wind power into electricity for the building
· Direct DC – an option which captures the power directly into 12, 24, or 48 volt batteries for storage in remote areas
Depending upon which connector option is chosen, the cost of the Honeywell Wind Turbine ranges starting at $5,795 (plus installation). Similar to installing an electric generator, the Honeywell Wind Turbine was designed to be installed by a licensed electrical contractor. WindTronics offers a list of authorized installers to help customers properly install the Honeywell Wind Turbine.
Filed under Press Releases, Wind Power by newenergy
April 11, 2011
Texas Football Stadium To Get Wind Power
Wind turbines to generate power for new UNT football stadium
DENTON (UNT), Texas , The University of North Texas has received a $2 million grant from the State Energy Conservation Office to install three wind turbines that will feed the electrical grid that provides power to UNT’s new football stadium and other buildings on the west side of Interstate 35E.
The stadium, which will open in September, is the first collegiate stadium designed to incorporate onsite renewable energy. The turbines are expected to be installed by the end of the year.
“The effort by the staff of the UNT System and the university to meet the requirements of the Department of Energy and the State Energy Conservation Office to win the grant for these new turbines underscores our commitment to creating a carbon-neutral campus,” said V. Lane Rawlins, president of UNT. “Our university has a 50-year legacy of environmental research and sustainability and we’re proud to be the first university in Texas to install wind turbines on campus. “
It is estimated that the three wind turbines will offset the energy consumption of Mean Green Village, the area of campus surrounding the new stadium, by about 6 percent and eliminate 323 metric tons of carbon dioxide being emitted annually. The turbines will be visible from I-35E and I-35W providing visual evidence of UNT’s commitment to sustainability.
A web-based monitoring system will provide details on energy production, carbon reduction statistics and empirical data that can be used for both educational and research purposes at UNT. Designed for low wind conditions, the community-scale 100kW wind turbines are well suited for the North Texas region, which has a wind speed average of approximately 12 mph.
Unlike the very large turbines generally found at wind farms, community-scale turbines are considerably smaller and ideal for municipalities, schools, neighborhoods, and universities. The approximate noise level of the turbines is 55 decibels at 40 meters (131 feet), which is equivalent to that of a normal conversation between two people.
“The construction of wind turbines at UNT will be an invaluable asset to the university and surrounding communities,” said Richard Escalante, vice chancellor for administrative services. “The reduction in carbon emissions from the use of fossil fuels will be a collective benefit for the entire North Texas region. Sustainable initiatives, such as the use of renewable energy technologies, ensure that future generations of the UNT and Denton communities are equipped with the necessary tools to continue economic expansion while simultaneously protecting the environment and human health.”
The wind turbines will be located southwest of the new stadium, and aligned approximately parallel to Bonnie Brae Street. The turbines will be on the east side of Bonnie Brae.
Design and construction of the turbines is expected to begin immediately. At its November meeting, the UNT System Board of Regents selected HKS DesignGreen for the design of the turbines and supporting structure. The construction manager will be selected shortly, according to Raynard Kearbey, UNT System associate vice chancellor for system facilities, whose team is overseeing design and construction of the stadium and wind turbines.
“These wind turbines will give UNT a trifecta of benefits,” noted Chris Mundell, sustainable design manager with HKS DesignGreen. “They will be an innovative educational tool for UNT students and faculty. The turbines also will be a symbol of sustainability for all the stadium’s spectators. Lastly, they help offset energy consumption of the new stadium, making it one of the most energy efficient in the country.”
The new stadium, which will replace 57-year-old Fouts Field, is designed by award-winning architects HKS Sports & Entertainment Group (www.hksinc.com), the firm that designed the new Dallas Cowboys stadium. The UNT System will be seeking LEED Gold or Platinum certification. If the project is awarded LEED Platinum, it will be the first of its type to achieve this rating in the country.
Filed under Wind Power by newenergy
March 18, 2011
Wind Turbine Cost – Installing Wind Power
Wind turbine cost will be a major factor when investigating if it is economical to install and use wind power. There are several different parts to a turbine and you will need everything installed in order to harness the power of wind. The cost is generally determined by the tower height, generator size and rotor diameters. Basically you are collecting the energy needed for the wind to turn the rotor blades.
There are several wind farms around the world that use wind turbines to create electricity. Over 3, 000 MW of wind power is produced in Denmark by several wind farms that they have in the country and offshore. This takes over 5, 500 wind turbines to collect this amount of energy. If you drive over the mounts in to San Francisco you will see them on the mountains. There are also some wind farms around Palm Springs that collects wind power. The more kW you are interested in collecting then in general the more expensive the wind turbine costs associated with it. A single wind turbine that produces 700 kW can cost around half a million dollars. Smaller wind turbines can cost between $150, 000 to $200, 000 dollars though many companies are looking to design smaller more economical wind turbines that can be used for residential homes. A smaller wind turbine can produce 100 to 200 kW of energy.
With the expense involved with purchasing a wind turbine it is more cost efficient to install a larger one as the cost needed to produce a larger turbine is not much more expensive then a smaller one. If you are interested in produce 600 kW of energy rather than 150 kW, so quadrupling the power, the cost only triples, it does not quadruple.
A slight guide for the cost of a wind turbine is that it will cost you $1, 000 per kW power. Collected wind power is measured by kW per hour and your cost will be based upon kW per hour. The most wind turbine competition is found at the 1, 000 kW per hour range as this size is built by many different companies.
Besides purchasing the wind turbine there are other costs that are involved with the wind turbine installation. All of these additional costs need to be take account of as they can dramatically increase the cost of your wind turbine. Some additional costs include cabling, connection to the electrical grid, transformer, road construction, and turbine foundations.
The soil where you want to install the turbine will dictate the type of foundation you will need to keep it upright and steady. If you are installing your turbine in a remote area then you may have to build roads in order to get all of the equipment and the wind turbine to the site. Actually getting your turbine to the site will accrue some steep transportation costs, particularly if you are installing many turbines or very large wind turbines.
With all of these costs it actually makes more sense to install several rather than one wind turbine. Ultimately this means you are doing everything in bulk. It is less expensive to install 12 in one area rather than building multiple roads to several different locations and then connecting each of those wind turbines to an electrical grid form several different areas.
Man wind turbines are being installed off shore as individuals in urban areas can also take advantage of the power created form wind turbines. Offshore wind turbines are perfect for those communities that do not have any land that can be used for wind farms. One of the largest wind farms is located of the shore of Denmark at Horns Rev.
Wind power has been used for years. The very first types of wind turbines were in the form of wind mills. Wind mills were used to grind grain into flour and much more. Wind power is the cleanest and most efficient form of energy as it does not produce pollution and wind will always be available.
Filed under Wind Power by newenergy
March 15, 2011
Funding Alternative Energy For The Future Through Bonds
NEW INITIATIVE TO BRING IN TRILLION DOLLAR BOND MARKETS TO FINANCE THE LOW CARBON ECONOMY
BRUSSELS, 15 March 2011 – The Climate Bonds Initiative announced the count down to the world’s first Climate Bond issuance – worth a quarter of a billion US dollars – with the release of the draft Compliance Standards today that will assure the environmental integrity of bonds issued to fund low carbon projects. The first version of the Standard will apply to wind energy.
The Climate Bond Initiative’s Standards break new ground by providing independently verified assurance to institutional investors that the proceeds of such bonds are being used to build the low carbon economy, and will not be diverted for other purposes.
The Climate Bonds Initiative also announced that the first wind energy Standard-compliant Climate Bond issuance of over a quarter of a billion dollars is being prepared for release and is expected to be launched in May this year.
The Climate Bond Standard was announced at the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA) Conference in Brussels today and the Climate Bonds Initiative is now seeking public and industry comment on the draft Standard for bonds used to finance wind energy projects with the objective of finalizing the standard by the end of April.
The Climate Bonds Initiative brings together some of the world’s largest financial institutions together with experts advising the development of the Standards from climate change and clean technology industries and respected environmental groups.
“The issuance of certified Climate Bonds that meet strict environmental standards will make it simpler to invest in the low carbon economy with confidence,” said Climate Bonds Initiative Chair Sean Kidney. “A certifiable Standard that applies across different types of low-carbon investments will increase investor confidence and deepen the pool of capital allocated to investments that address climate change.”
Institutional investors like pension funds manage some $70 trillion of the world’s wealth and yet renewable energy industries have largely been unable to tap directly into this source of finance due to their small scale and lack of supportive institutions to accredit their projects.
“The Climate Bonds Standard will give investors assurance about the environmental integrity being stated by bond issuers by verifying that their funds are being used to build the low carbon economy,” said the Climate Bond Initiative’s Director of Renewable Energy Development, Dr. Karl Mallon. “It will allow investors to buy clearly branded bonds issued to finance different types of low-carbon projects knowing that they really are comparing apples with apples when it comes to climate related environmental integrity.”
The Climate Bonds Initiative’s Standard will also provide a useful tool for project aggregators, as they will be able to acquire different clean energy investments using compliance with certified Standards as a filter. That will make it easier to hold investments with different underlying technologies, such as wind, solar or biomass, in a single portfolio that could then be securitised to attract large investors.
At the EWEA Conference, Secretary General of the Global Wind Energy Council said,“Wind is the fastest growing investment in the grid-connected energy sector and we need Standards like the Climate Bond Initiative’s to help secure new sources of large-scale finance to help the industry maintain its growth:”
“We look forward to a step-change expansion in the availability of clean energy finance as Climate Bonds hit the market,” Mr Kidney said in Brussels.
Filed under Press Releases, Wind Power by newenergy
February 25, 2011
Desire For Wind Power In Hawaii Faces Challenges
Does wind power development in Hawaii threaten species?
Found this great article in the NY Times today about the challenge of wind power in Hawaii as critics worry about threats to the birds and bats of the islands. It is a controversial subject, the birds that get killed by wind turbines have raised alarm in other areas around the world. The Hawaiian islands have famous trade winds that blow daily and which could provide power in a state that is heavily fossil fuel dependent.
Plans to harness Hawaii’s legendary ocean breezes to generate electricity for local utilities have produced a negative blowback from critics who say Hawaii’s status as a world-class wildlife sanctuary could be undermined by wind turbines that have been linked to bird and bat mortalities in other parts of the United States.
And while so far wind power development blueprints for Hawaii have been modest compared to some of the massive wind farms of California or Texas, there is little doubt that even small wind farms could have outsized impacts on wildlife in Hawaii, whose rarified climate and geography make it home to the world’s most prized bird species.
Yet Hawaii the bird paradise is also the bird extinction capital of the world. Of the 113 unique bird species that once lived only on Hawaii, 73 have gone extinct, and 33 of the islands’ 43 remaining bird species are endangered.
At the same time, Hawaii is the nation’s most fossil fuel-dependent state, a designation state leaders have worked hard to overcome by encouraging renewable energy development. Hawaii’s renewable portfolio standard, for example, requires that utilities produce or purchase 20 percent of their electricity from renewable sources by the end of 2020, and the state has set a non-binding goal of doubling its RPS to 40 percent by 2030.
Leave your comments below to give us your thoughts on wind power in Hawaii.
Filed under Wind Power by newenergy
February 16, 2011
Wind Power at Home
Wind power is one of the most efficient alternative energy sources to combine with solar, especially out in the middle of a total self-sustainability project. Because when there is sun; there isn’t always wind, but when there is wind, there isn’t always sun, so the two systems (solar/wind) seem to compliment each other. Wind supplied power is expected to dethrone natural gas as the top source of new electricity for our country. Wind supplied power is already a leader among renewable energy technologies, and its future is bright – that is not in question. The question instead is whether or not we, as a nation, will support it now and reap the economic and ecological benefits later, or delay it another year while our competition forges ahead.
Wind power is growing at the rate of 30 percent annually, with a worldwide installed capacity of over 100 GW, and is widely used in several European countries and the United States. The manufacturing output of the photovoltaic industry reached more than 2,000 MW in 2006, and photovoltaic (PV) power stations are particularly popular in Germany and Spain. This type of power is uncertain insofar as wind speeds can be forecast with only limited accuracy. These issues can be overcome to some extent by developing better wind forecasting methods and addressing electricity grid interconnection issues between regions.
Residential power systems can take a while to pay for themselves, but when they do the advantages of free power with a very low impact on the environment are huge. Residential wind fed power systems produce no pollution, and by using alternative power, instead of mass produced electricity, you will be offsetting 1.2 tons of air pollutants and 200 tons of greenhouse gases could have been created by your electric company. Most small turbines do not require any regular maintenance and last for up to twenty years. Residential wind power continues to grow at a significant rate as a primary source of alternative energy for homeowners. A quick way to reduce personal energy cost is an investment in residential wind power.
Filed under Wind Power by newenergy
February 10, 2011
How to Make a Wind Power Generator at Home
Wind power is the cheapest source of energy and you can make and install a wind power generator at your home and can start generating electricity for your own consumption. The electricity produced by wind generator is not only much cheaper than what you are getting today, but also the whole process is pollution free.
Wind is the renewable source of energy and we need a small kit, which is also called as wind power generator so that we can get additional electricity for our home. The kit is readily available in the market; however there are many varieties of it and some are very costly. We need to ensure that we get a good quality product at minimum price so that we can cut down huge electricity bill instantaneously.
A wind power generator converts the kinetic energy of wind to the electrical energy and which is then supplied to our house through the connecting wires and thus we start saving on electricity bills, once the unit starts generating electricity. A wind power generator has many parts and the major parts of it are the gearbox and large rotor blades. You might have seen large rotor blades at many places. Although these occupy some space, however you can install these in your backyards or garden.
There are many places where wind flow is heavy and thus there is a potential to generate good amount of electricity through wind power generators. Even in other places also, you can generate electricity and can reduce your electricity bill by 50 to 70 percent.
So, you can install a wind power generator at your home with an initial investment of around $200 and can start generating electricity. The advantage of the technique is that it is totally pollution free and the repair and maintenance cost of the wind power generator is negligible. So, try a suitable wind power generator today itself and start cutting down your huge electricity bill by as much as 70 percent.
Filed under Wind Power by newenergy
February 9, 2011
WINDMADE INTRODUCES WIND ENERGY MADE CONSUMER LABEL FOR PRODUCTS
Leading Businesses and Non-Profit Organizations Will Develop First Global Consumer Label for Companies Using Wind Energy
“I think it’s an incredible thing that we can now decide in the same way that we can decide whether we want to buy food that has, you know, certain things in it which we don’t necessarily think are healthy, now we can actually know whether something has been created by wind power which I think is important for the public because a lot of people want to make those choices but aren’t really able to do so.” – Tina Brown, Editor in Chief Newsweek and The Daily Beast
Wind power. It’s clean. It’s renewable.
And consumers will soon be able to know if wind energy was used to make the products they buy.
The Global Wind Energy Council, WWF, the LEGO Group, the UN Global Compact, Vestas Wind Systems, PricewaterhouseCoopers (the Official WindMade Verification Partner) and Bloomberg (the Official Data Provider to WindMade) recently announced their support and initiative for the development the first global consumer label identifying corporations and products made with wind energy during the World Economic Forum in Davos. Simply put, how a product is made is just as important as what is in it and consumers will now have a choice.
Windmade is an initiative leading to the first global consumer label identifying products and companies made with wind energy. The driving force behind this initiative is the simple idea that one of the most important ingredients in a product is the energy used to produce it. The case for wind power is strong. Research indicates many energy-conscious consumers would prefer products made using wind energy, even if they cost more.
While many companies have already made bold statements about their commitment to renewable energy, consumers have to date no way of verifying the source of the energy used. WindMade will offer them the transparency they require for making informed choices. The WindMade consortium hopes to attract leading consumer brands as members. To use the WindMade label for their communications or products, WindMade members will undergo a certification process to verify their wind energy procurement. The standard for certification is currently being developed by a technical expert group. The aim will be to drive the development of new wind power plants, over and above what would be developed anyway.
Windmade™ is dedicated to offering consumers the opportunity to choose products and services that utilize wind energy. The label will be appearing soon, so please keep an eye out, because your choice can power change.
TO LEARN MORE, VISIT: www.windmade.org
Filed under Press Releases, Wind Power by newenergy
Wind power is a renewable source of energy. Unlike other fossil fuels like petrol, diesel, kerosene it is unlimited in nature. DIY wind power is one such source which is healthy for the environment. It is light on your pocket as it saves your electricity bill. It is great for world’s economy too.
And yes to add to this, the fight amongst the nations on oil will come an end if this becomes the major source of power. Renewable sources are always to better for the future aspect of earth. And if you are someone who wants to make DIY wind power as your present this article will pave way to ease out your problem.
You can create your own wind generating power without opting for the expensive ones. It will just cost you a fraction of money from your pocket. DIY wind power can be build up easily by following easy methods and guidelines. Earth 4 energy power guide can help you track down the methods easily. Always keep in mind to construct it at a higher level so that no resistance is offered to it.
Many people speak about doing lots for the environment and do nothing. When you design your own power generator, it will definitely help you in overcoming the problems faced by Mother Nature to protect fuels. DIY wind power is a good way to work for it.
You can save money on your electricity bill and spend those dollars on your needs and requirement. You need not stand in queues to pay for bills and fill up your pockets with more wealth. Many people are designing such DIY wind power machines and selling it at good rates. It guarantees you of hundred percent satisfaction and happiness.
Filed under Wind Power by newenergy
Homemade solar and wind power for your home has never been a better investment into your home. Energy efficient homes have become more and more popular due to the cost saving effects of having a self sufficient home. Whether you choose solar or wind power or a combination of both plus a solar water heater, now is definitely the practical time to buy a green home or convert your own home to alternative energy.
Why not create a family project out of going green? It could be a great bonding experience where everyone contributes their research, knowledge and talents to energy savings. Bonuses could be awarded to those who save most money for the family. As time goes on, it will be harder and harder to sell a home that is not energy-efficient so converting your home with homemade solar and wind power is a wise decision.. A green home is increasingly stable, healthier, and more self sufficient. Overall the best quality about having homemade solar and wind power for your home is that it is cheaper to operate.
However, going green might not be a good idea for you and your family if you have a family members that are inflexible power hogs and won’t adapt well to a change in the power usage habits. Everyone will have to keep a close eye on their power usage and not overdo the amount of electricity they use each day. In order for your conversion to alternative energy to function smoothly, everyone in the family must cooperate. If you have teenagers that run the television, the Xbox, the internet, the computer, the blow dryer and the curling iron at the same time, something is going to have to give.
Yes you can buy more panels to increase the daily wattage of electricity you generate but if your family is not flexible and will not consider this transformation to self sufficient energy as a fun adventure, your freeing solar experience might feel very constrained and stressful. I’m thinking parents yelling at the teenager to shut off lights, television, etc… and the stress escalates.
If, on the other hand, you have a family that enjoys new adventures and discoveries and loves being Green, a conversion to homemade solar and wind power for your home can be a bonding experience that will be carried throughout all the years that your durable solar panels will give off free, natural energy for you and your family. The pride of this accomplishment and bonding experience can be good enough reason to go green together as a family.
Filed under Solar Power, Wind Power by newenergy
December 16, 2010
Can Wind Turbines Help Crops?
Researchers at the Ames Laboratory and the University of Colorado find that wind turbines help channel beneficial breezes over nearby plants
AMES, Iowa – Wind turbines in Midwestern farm fields may be doing more than churning out electricity. The giant turbine blades that generate renewable energy might also help corn and soybean crops stay cooler and dryer, help them fend off fungal infestations and improve their ability to extract growth-enhancing carbon dioxide [CO2] from the air and soil.Speaking at the annual meeting of the American Geophysical Union, a scientific society, in San Francisco today, a researcher at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Ames Laboratory and his co-researcher from the University of Colorado announced the preliminary findings of a months-long research program aimed at studying how wind turbines on farmlands interact with surrounding crops.
“We’ve finished the first phase of our research, and we’re confident that wind turbines do produce measureable effects on the microclimate near crops,” said Ames Laboratory associate and agricultural meteorology expert Gene Takle. According to Takle, who is also a professor of agricultural meteorology and director of the Climate Science Program at Iowa State University, the slow-moving turbine blades that have become a familiar sight along Midwestern highways, channel air downwards, in effect bathing the crops below via the increased airflow they create.
His colleague in the research is Julie Lundquist, assistant professor, Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, at the University of Colorado at Boulder, joint appointee at the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and Fellow of the Renewable and Sustainable Energy Institute. Lundquist’s team uses a specialized laser known as a lidar to measure winds and turbulence from near the Earth’s surface to well above the top tip of a turbine blade.
More on Can Wind Turbines Help Crops?
Filed under Press Releases, Wind Power by newenergy
September 23, 2010
Largest Wind Farm Powers Up Off England Coast
The world’s largest offshore windfarm, partially built by a Norfolk firm, was officially opened off the UK coast yesterday.
The Thanet offshore windfarm, off the south east coast of England, has 100 turbines which will produce enough green energy a year to power the equivalent of more than 200,000 homes.
The project was completed by energy company Vattenfall and the turbines were installed with the help of Great Yarmouth-based engineering firm CLS Offshore, an EDP Business Awards finalist.
The total capacity of the UK’s onshore and offshore wind turbines now exceeds 5 gigawatts, enough to power all the homes in Scotland.
CLS installed part of the turbines, helping slash installation times from 24 hours to five-and-a-half hours while delivering a perfect safety record.
Filed under Wind Power by newenergy
June 26, 2010
Advantages and Disadvantages of Wind Energy
Wind energy is the fastest growing renewable energy source in the world. The technology is now seen as having so many advantages that in Europe and the United States, wind-powered generating capacity increased by 18 percent and 27 percent, respectively, in 2005 alone.
Foremost of those advantages; it is a clean source of electricity produced when specially designed wind turbines capture the wind to generate electricity. In the same way as historical windmills, modern wind turbines generate power from the wind. The latest technology produces wind energy reliably and efficiently. Unlike other power plants, wind energy systems require minimal maintenance and have low operating expenses.
Wind energy is, in fact, a method by which solar energy is converted into electrical power. The sun’s radiation heats different parts of the earth at different rates – most notably during the day and night, but also when different surfaces (for example, water and land,) absorb or reflect at different rates. That creates the winds that wind turbines use to create electricity, and the electricity they produce is generated right up on the mast behind the turbine blades. A simple cable then conducts the power into the electrical power grid
Wind is a clean fuel; wind farms produce no air or water pollution because no fuel is burned. This means that wind energy is also a source of clean, green non-polluting, electricity. Unlike conventional power plants which burn carbonaceous fuels, wind plants emit no air pollutants or greenhouse gases.
Wind energy is one of the cheapest of the renewable energy technologies. It is competitive with new clean coal fired power stations and cheaper than new nuclear power. Small wonder then that wind energy is the leading renewable energy technology.
It can be developed much further and given the right support it could provide up to 28% of EU electricity by 2030. Wind energy is popular as well. Dozens of surveys have been conducted in the U.S. that have shown its popularity. One reason why it is popular, especially in remote windy areas, is partly due to the fact that wind energy creates 27 percent more jobs than advanced coal technology and twenty times more jobs than natural gas combined cycle.
Wind energy is plentiful in most parts of the world, renewable, widely distributed, clean, and reduces greenhouse gas emissions by displacing fossil-fuel-derived electricity. Therefore, it is considered by experts to be more environmentally friendly than most other energy sources. Wind energy is also a permanently available form of energy. The wind will exist for as long as the sun exists, which is roughly another four billion years!
Wind energy is clean energy. Unlike coal or natural gas, every kilowatt-hour of wind energy is free of the toxic emissions that pollute our air and water.
Wind energy is one of the fastest-growing forms of electricity generation in the world. The United States can currently generate more than 10,000 megawatts (MW) of electricity from the wind, which is enough to power 2.5 million average American homes. Wind energy is a pollution-free, infinitely sustainable form of energy. It doesn’t use fuel; it doesn’t produce greenhouse gases once built, and it doesn’t produce toxic or radioactive waste.
Wind energy tends to be available in winter when power is needed and is available overnight, when solar energy is unable to provide direct power.
However, wind energy is not immune from disadvantages.
This form of energy is intermittent at any one site, and can only be generated when wind velocities are within a certain range. During high winds which would possibly damage the turbine blades the turbine is stopped and automatically furled, and when wind velocities are too low they can obviously not provide power either.
This means that there will always need to be backup fossil fuel power stations which the generating company will need to hold in readiness for windless days, and providing these plants will be very expensive.
Some say that if the power grid extends across several nations there will always be somewhere that is windy enough to be generating power at any time. However, they tend to forget that there are energy losses in the power distribution lines which eventually, across large distances, render such large distribution distances uneconomic.
Therefore, as the proportion of wind energy supplying national grid systems increases, power engineers will face an ever increasing challenge to balance the power across the system and provide all their users with a dependable continuous supply on airless and calm days. It is not clear how that can be achieved once the proportion of wind energy rises above a certain threshold.
There are many other disadvantages of wind power, which are less important, but nevertheless of great concern to those which will need to accommodate wind turbines as their close neighbors.
Modern windmills are not devoid of environmental impacts upon their localities and the most important of these can be listed as:-
- turbine blade noise
- potential for disturbance to wildlife and a hazard to flying birds which may be hit by the blades
- visual intrusion, especially since the highest winds are usually found in some of the most remote, beautiful and most unspoilt places around the world.
Nevertheless, in more than 50 countries the locals are clearly being willing to reduce as far as possible these impacts by careful site selection and turbine design. Then they are coming to terms with those disadvantages which remain, to help their nations maintain power supplies against rising oil price rises, and do this in a renewable way, at low cost, and with very low greenhouse gas emissions.
For this reason we say that all of us must expect to see more and more wind farms being built right across the countryside and out at sea as well.
Filed under Wind Power by newenergy
To find out how wind energy work, one must be familiar first with what it is. It basically comes from the sun, and about one to two percent of this solar energy is converted to wind energy. When the sun’s reflected rays are absorbed by water or land, this causes the atmosphere to become warm. Because hot air is lighter than cold air, it will rise up. When hot air rises until it is approximately six miles in altitude and as the cool air replaces this in the atmosphere, wind energy is formed. Although it is more commonly known as a converted form of solar energy, it is also recognized for its property of converting kinetic energy into both electrical and mechanical energy.
The converted forms of energy, which are electrical and mechanical energy, are used by mankind for a multitude of purposes. On main element to consider in knowing how wind power work is its turbine. With the use of its propeller blades, wind turbines supply power to whatever mechanical generator there is that will convert wind energy to electricity. The power generated by one wind turbine is believed to be enough to run electricity in one house. A propeller blade is actually a mechanical rotor that is assembled in threes, with the blades connected at the center. The more wind there is, the more these blades are propelled by the wind, and the more electricity is produced. Most of the time, the electricity generated from the wind turbines are fed directly into power lines. This electricity is then combined with other forms of electricity coming from other sources and it becomes the utility electricity that is being delivered to households.
Another important factor is its environmental benefits. It is said to be more practical and eco-friendly because it does not pollute the environment with green house gases that are emitted by fossil fuels when they produce electricity. Also, it is abundant and renewable. Apart from being pollution-free, it is relatively very cheap. It is used by a lot of households in generating electricity. It has been studied that for every one megawatt of wind energy, about two hundred twenty five to three hundred households receive electricity from the said amount of wind power. It comes from solar energy. It is safe to say then, that the sun truly has so much power that if mankind only knew how to properly utilize these energies coming from the sun, there would be less and less dilemmas on where to get electricity.
Filed under Wind Power by newenergy
June 19, 2010
How Wind Energy Works
Have you ever considered using the resources that nature provides to power your home? People have relied on wind energy for decades. It is only recently that the renewable alternative to carbon style electricity has been thrust into the limelight. With the battle for the White House in full swing, “going green” is a huge topic and one that wind energy fits into nicely. Wind power is a clean, renewable energy that produces no by-products. It does not use water as a source and emits no carbon dioxide into the environment. Tidbits our presidential candidates would be quick to stand behind.
The power of wind has been used by people over the years to fly kites, wind surf and even to produce electricity. Many small farms in the midwest used old fashioned windmills to produce energy for grinding grain or pumping water from a well. The old fashioned windmill has advanced in recent years to a sleek designed wind turbine. You can find many wind turbine farms in some of the windier states of America. Montana, for instance, has several wind turbine farms in the area of the Chinook winds (strong winds that blow down from the north). These turbine farms generate electricity for the main power grids of their areas.
Let’s take a look at how wind energy works. A wind turbine is much like a fan except it operates backwards. A fan uses electricity to make wind. A wind turbine uses the wind to make electricity. Much like a hydroelectric dam that uses the power of the water to create energy, a wind turbine traps the kinetic energy produced by the wind and converts it into electricity. The electricity produced is DC power. A converter is needed to transform the DC power into AC power for use in private homes. It is important to consult a trained professional about installing a wind turbine into your home.
The idea that a homeowner can capture the wind to power his own home is phenominal. It is every homeowners desire to see the electric bill reduced. Several possibilities exist in aiding the homeowner in his quest for a lighter bill at the end of the month. Wind power is one of them. In some cases, the electric companies that supply carbon style power have been known to pay homeowners that can contribute to the collection of power. There are several possiblilities when purchasing a wind turbine. Many varieties of turbines ranging from very large to rooftop size exist and are available in today’s market. Make going green an economical decision that not only benefits the environment but also puts your money back into your pocket.
Filed under Wind Power by newenergy
June 17, 2010
Wind Energy – Using Wind Power For Your Home
Alternative energy sources are becoming more and more important as the failing reserves of fossil fuels drive prices up. No one really knows how long the current reserves of oil will last, but according to experts, they may be gone in as little as few decades. It is wise to start investigating solutions now, when there is still time left. Fortunately, the current developments in the field of renewable energy make it simple enough to build your own wind turbine or a solar power generator.
Why choose wind energy for your home? It has the following advantages:
- Environmentally clean. It produces much less greenhouse gases than conventional sources.
- Renewable (naturally replenished).
- Plentiful. The amount of wind power that can be potentially generated is at least five times as high as the total energy consumption of our entire planet. There will never be a shortage of it.
- Low maintenance costs. Wind turbines don’t require much maintenance, so the only costs associated with wind power are those of constructing and setting up the turbines. Afterward, the costs are negligible – if you ignore equipment costs, wind energy is almost free!
In some countries (such as Denmark), it is used very widely, accounting for up to 20% of total energy output. No wonder it is a great addition to your domestic power generation system. Wind power generally cannot be used as a sole source of electricity (because winds are variable and unstable) but this is usually not a problem, because you most likely have a power grid connection anyway.
Residential wind turbines are very feasible and are not very expensive (About one fifth of what it costed back in 1980). Overall, adding a wind generator to your home power system is an excellent way to decrease your energy bills and make a step on the way towards environmentally-conscious living.
Filed under Wind Power by newenergy
Wind power has historically played a big part in US culture. During the 1920s and 1930s, farms throughout the Midwest took advantage of wind power to generate electricity for their lights and electric motors. When our government started actively subsidizing the construction of fossil fuel based power plants and the associated utility lines, wind power fell into decline. Similar to energy efficiency, during the energy crisis in the 1970s, things that were old became new again. Now with growing environmental concerns being expressed globally many people are once reexamining wind power.
Wind Energy Basics
One form of energy, wind (a form of solar energy), is converted to another form of energy, electricity, using a wind turbine. As the turbine spins, electricity is generated. Similar to solar power, wind power is protected from inflation. How? Any power you generate using your own wind turbine goes against the current utility pricing. Wind power can effectively shield you from rising electricity costs.
Wind Energy in the Palm of My Hand?
As consumers show renewed interest in renewable energy sources like wind, product manufacturers are already rushing to respond. One of the most interesting consumer wind technologies is both amazingly inexpensive and amazingly small. How small? You can hold this particular wind turbine in your hand – while it’s generating electricity.
The HYmini
A product of MINIWIZ Sustainable Energy Dev. LTD, the HYmini is a revolutionary new green product. While I’ve frequently seen many small consumer versions of solar technologies, specifically designed to power your cell phone, PDAs and MP3 players, this is the first handheld wind turbine I’ve encountered.
The HYmini combines a small wind turbine designed to generate power in wind speeds between 9-30 miles per hour with an internal 1200mAh lithium ion polymer battery. The HYmini maxs out it’s ability to convert wind into electricity at 40 miles per hour. The battery is good for about 500 complete charge cycles. The HYmini is literally a green power station that you can hold in the palm of your hand.
The inventors of the HYmini pushed the envelope and added a few more impressive green features. To maximize the flexibility of their new device, they allowed for the HYmini battery to be externally recharged. That means in a pinch you can plug your HYmini into any USB port or conventional 100-240V wall plug and instantly start recharging.
miniSOLAR
If plugging your HYmini into your electrical outlet isn’t green enough for you then consider the miniSOLAR option. miniSOLAR is an inexpensive solar panel designed to work with the HYmini. Thanks to HYmini’s ability to externally recharge, you can easily add up to four miniSOLAR panels to recharge your HYmini using solar energy. Each miniSOLAR panel can add up to 140mA at 5V of recharging power. Staying with the eco-friendly theme, the MINIWIZ team houses each miniSOLAR panel in a recycled card board paper package.
HYmini Applications
HYmini is perfect for both runners and cyclists and to encourage it’s use in both those markets the MINIWIZ team offers both a bicycle mount and an armband. If the wind is a little slow on a particular day then why not add some human energy to the mix. The HYmini will literally be generating electricity while you are burning through calories.
Ignoring the wind turbine for a moment, the HYmini, is also the perfect rechargeable backup battery pack for all your mobile electronics. This expands possible uses for the HYmini exponentially.
Talk To Me About Power
Thanks to some useful testing completed by MINIWIZ we have some hard facts regarding power generation for the HYmini. According to MINIWIZ using the HYmini wind turbine or the miniSOLAR panels you can capture enough energy in 20 minutes to power:
A MP3 Player for 40 minutes A PDA for 40 minutes An iPod for 30 minutes A Cell Phone for 4 minutes A Digital Camera for 20 pictures
To capture that much wind energy you will however need constant 19 mile per hour wind speeds. The solar panels will need direct sunlight as well. You can learn more about the HYmini and the miniSOLAR panels at the following website:
http://www.hymini.com/
As technology advances, you can expect to see many more unique green technologies such as the HYmini. Wind power is a lost part of our culture, a part we have recently started to reconnect with and the HYmini offers consumers an inexpensive way to implement wind power in their lives today. Using devices like the HYmini can reduce disposable battery usage and waste. When batteries are improperly disposed of and end up in landfills or incinerators, they inevitably leak into our environment and eventually end up in our food chain. Take part in the new wind power revolution and reduce your battery usage, the environment will thank you for both.
Filed under Wind Power by newenergy
Although it is much less expensive to initially get hooked into the local electric company’s grid than it is to set up and hook into wind turbines, in the long run one saves money by utilizing the wind for one’s energy needs—while also becoming more independent. Not receiving an electric bill while enjoying the advantages of the modern electrically-driven lifestyle is a wondrous feeling.
Electric bills and fuel bills are rising steadily—but the cost of wind turbine energy is zero, and the cost of installing and hooking up a turbine is steadily coming down as demand rises and more commercial success is realized by various companies producing the turbines and researching technologies to make them ever more efficient. In addition, people are moving away from the traditional electric grids and the fossil fuels for personal reasons including desire for greater independence, the desire to live remotely or rurally without having to “go primitive”, political concerns such as fears of terrorist strikes on oil fields or power grids, or concerns about the environment. Again, this motivation to get away from the traditional energy sources is the same one that causes people to seek the power of the wind for their energy, giving more business opportunities to profit from wind turbine production and maintenance, which drives their costs down for the consumers. In nearly thirty states at the time of this writing, homeowners who remain on the grid but who still choose to use wind energy (or other alternative forms) are eligible for rebates or tax breaks from the state governments that end up paying for as much as 50% of their total “green” energy systems’ costs. In addition, there are 35 states at the time of this writing where these homeowners are allowed to sell their excess energy back to the power company under what are called “net metering laws”. The rates that they are being paid by the local power companies for this energy are standard retail rates—in other words, the homeowners are actually profiting from their own energy production.
Some federal lawmakers are pushing to get the federal government to mandate these tax breaks and other wind power incentives in all 50 states. Japan and Germany already have national incentive programs in place. However, “A lot of this is handled regionally by state law. There wouldn’t really be a role for the federal government,” the Energy Department’s Craig Stevens says. And as might be imagined, there are power companies who feel that it’s unfair that they should have to pay retail rates to private individuals. “We should [only have to] pay you the wholesale rate for … your electricity,” according to Bruce Bowen, Pacific Gas & Electric’s director of regulatory policy. However, the companies seem to be more worried about losing short term profits than about the benefits, especially in the long run, of the increased use of wind turbines or wind farms. Head of the Center for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Technologies of California V. John White points out, “It’s quality power that strengthens the grid.”
Filed under Wind Power by newenergy
Move over Boone Pickens. Wind energy information is finally bringing in some innovation. New products for Alternative Energy and it’s in Wind.
If you seem surprised at these changes, it probably because you just haven’t been used to seeing a lot of changes in the industry.
Seeing some good solid companies actually trying to tap wind energy in an unconventional way is almost breathtaking. I love it. More than that, I appreciate it.
Conventional wind farms are doing all they can just to organize their business efficiently and set up as many wind turbines as possible. The turbine business is dominated by a few giants turbine makers who can’t possibly keep up with demand. All they want to do is produce like crazy. Pump the machines out as soon as possible. The heck with original thinking.
If you are a wind developer, then you already know that you have to buy up anything that whines like a turbine, anything at all. With that situation, there’s little interest in the Vestas’s and the GE’s of the world to invest in the newest technologies in order to improve or even complement their existing business. They can’t even keep up with what they have.
Recently, Joshua Magee, who is an analyst with Emerging Energy Research, said that the focus in the wind industry right now is on implementation, not innovation.
Now having said that, we all know that the big companies tend to get a bit of big-company-itis, and they ignore coming innovation at their own peril. They may be the giants today, tomorrow they may need to move over and go sit in the shade.
Witness these three innovative companies who stepped up to the plate and hit a good one. Will they be home runs? I don’t know, but they are showing true grit for trying and God Bless,em, every one.
Greentechmedia ran a story this past week called “A Balloon in The Wind (Market).” It’s an interesting story by a pleasant chap named Tyler Hamilton. He talks about how Megenn Power hopes to prove its airship technology. It seems this Canadian upstart (remember when Microsoft was an upstart) wants dramatically to shift how wind energy is captured.
The system carries the acronym MARS, and it is a
“ground- tethered and oddly designed blimp that generates electricity by spinning on its horizontal axis in the wind. Rivard (company owner), during a cell-phone interview at the test site, described it as a floating white sausage mounted with riverboat blades.”
Greentechmedia, June 14, 2008.
This airship is designed to float on the wind between 600 and 1000 feet. The company explains that when fully commercialized, the airship will have power capacities ranging from 10 kilowatts to several megawatts.
Good job, folks. More power to ya.
And speaking of more power, look to Nevada-based Mariah Power for a propeller-free turbine. CEO Mike Hess uses a 30 foot tower that has a two foot radius. He claims that in a twenty year life span, the turbine will bring electricity cost down to 12.4 cents per kilowatt-hour compared with 22.6 per kilowatt-hour for propeller systems and 36 cents for solar powered systems.
The company reveals an electronic braking system to keep the turbine from spinning faster than 5,000 revolutions per minute, which is the maximum power generating point.
The company states that the “Windspire” will cost $3995. Installation will be another thousand.
Luck to you. They call the wind Mariah, indeed.
Another Greentechmedia article mentioned Southwest Windpower. The company has been around for 21 years, but until two years ago they focused on off-grid rural spots too isolated to be connected. They went after customers needing turbines for homes, sailboats, offshore oil platforms, and remote telecommunication sites.
They now have a new turbine, the Skystream, which is aimed at grid-connected buildings on at least 1/2 acre in areas rich in wind.
The company says that it specifically designed its Skystream in order to connect its 1.9 kilowatt system to the grid. It is now easier and cheaper to accomplish that. The company states that the turbine comes with the inverter, controls and all the other parts needed to join right into the grid.
“According to the data sheet, the turbine can pay for itself in as little as five years, depending on the tower and installation costs, wind speed average, rebates, and local electricity costs.” Greentechmedia, June 14, 2008.
The world keeps on movin on. It won’t stop for any of us. Get on or get out of the way.
Filed under Wind Power by newenergy























