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Wind power is the fastest growing renewable energy platform in the world. Ah, but just how do wind turbines work. Well, you have to understand the key components.

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Most vertical axis wind turbines are very silent, emitting only a slight humming sound near the equipment. Some of the more adventurous designs have the look of sculpture adding another dimension to your installation.

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When many people think of German, they think of a large oil based industrial nation. In truth, Germany is a leader in wind energy. Here is a guide to wind energy in Germany.

Wind Energy - Germany

When looking at countries that use wind energy, Germany tops them all. The worlds largest wind energy producing country, Germany has pioneered the use of wind to produce much of their electricity needs. While the countryside and area of Germany that can be used for wind energy production may seem small compared to the size of some other countries, such as the United States and Canada, Germany has managed to make the most of the area they have, incorporating wind farms into their rural areas as well as in off-shore locations.

With wind energy, Germany is able to produce 3.5 percent of their electricity needs for the country. While this may not seem like much, compared to other countries that only produce a fraction of a percent of their electricity with wind - Germany is definitely on the right track. The country also predicts that they will be producing more and more electricity through wind energy in the years to come. For instance, in the year 2001, Germany accounted for half of the worlds production of wind turbines.

Germany is also being heralded as a forefather of the wind energy revolution, because of their plan to add 5,000 wind turbines to a wind farm located off the north coast of the country. Some of the wind turbines would be located up to 45 miles out at sea, a feat never before tried by a wind energy consuming country. The wind at sea is more powerful as well, therefore Germany sees the potential to produce even more electricity by using off-shore wind farms.

The turbines being developed for use in this sea-based wind farm are much larger than conventional wind turbines, so that they will be able to fully use the wind energy that is found in the water. Germany expanded their wind powered electricity production by 44% in the time between 2001-2002, with more and more turbines being added constantly. Germany already has about 11,000 wind turbines in use. The cost of wind electricity can be as low as $.03 per KW hour, which is less than half that of the next cheapest electricity producing energy source.

While its first in wind energy, Germany has no plans to stop there. The country plans to continue expanding their wind farms and use of renewable energy sources, which will both benefit the environment and cost less for the consumer. Other countries in Europe are starting to take notice as well, with estimates that over 50 million consumers could be receiving wind powered electricity in the next 10 years.

Rick Chapo

Rick Chapo is with SolarCompanies.com - information on wind power.

Energy Tags: wind energy

When you want to have the most effective large - scale wind turbines possible there are details that those who design such wind turbines must seriously consider. These are the kinds of details such as Grid management, Predictability, and Energy Storage.

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What if I said you could cut your electric bill by 50 to 90 percent? Well, you can by installing a small, residential wind turbine on your property.

Improve Your Home With A Residential Wind Turbine

When you combine the cost of fossil fuels with the pollution and climate problems they create, it can all get a bit overwhelming. It is easy to find oneself wondering where to start when dealing with these problems. Given the state of fear attitude portrayed in most media, this is hardly a surprise. Surprisingly, the answers are fairly simple if you wade through the hype.

Wind power is a renewable energy source with a lot going for it. It produces electricity by converting the inherent energy in wind through a generator in a wind turbine. It produces no pollutants of any sort and will be available to us for as long as wind exists, to wit, a very long time. Given this fact, you are probably wondering if you are supposed to build a bunch of turbines in your yard. Nope!

As a conscientious person, you can do your part for the environment while saving some serious money on your utility bill. Residential wind turbines are the answer. Often given the nickname 'small wind', these turbines are designed to work on a per home basis. Given the right conditions, a residential turbine can produce all of the electricity you need and more. In fact, the generator will be hooked up to the utility grid and you can actually sell power to the utility if you produce more than you need.

Now, the word turbine can be a bit intimidating. When I think of a turbine, I picture something large and loud. In the case of small wind, this is not the case. The machinery makes a bit of noisy, but nothing substantial. Although sizes vary, your little power producer will be roughly three to five feet wide from the tip of one propeller to the other.

The one area where residential wind power may be a problem involves height. To make electricity, your turbine needs to get 10 miles an hour of wind. This may sound like a lot, but it often is not if you go 20 or 30 feet up in the air. To this end, you can do a search for small wind information to find out the statistics for your area.

Assuming wind power makes sense for your home, you should be able to greatly reduce or outright eliminate your electricity bill.

Rick Chapo is with SolarCompanies.com. Visit us to read more articles on wind power.

Energy Tags: Wind power