I would like to convert our home to use wind energy instead of electric, we get lots of wind so thats not a problem. How do I find one that is suitable for our 1400 sqft home we have 1/2 acre so space is not a problem. However when looking on the internet the prices are so varied and its very confusing. Please help if you hav e the knowledge. Thankyou
Who am I ?
Hi, I’m Erik Astrand and the man behind this site.
My story? I am about to be 50 and all my life I have been interested in technical things. Not sure if the special interest for the wind, and how to use the wind, started when I as a 5 year old boy and got my first sail dinghy.
Anyway, wind power and to build my own wind generator was a dream for several years. I studied many websites and also bought many courses before I finally built my own windmill. This site is about that journey and you will also find some more general articles about wind power.
Enjoy! and check out the about me page to read more.
There is off-grid wind systems that stores the energy in a battery bank.
Get your 2007 electric utility bill KWH (Kilo Watts Per Hour) for all twelve months. You can do this by calling up you electric company and requesting the KWH used for the year of 2007 for all twelve months.
Once you got this their is a formula you use to determine what kilowatt system you will need.
Once you gather that information get it to a solar/wind powered expert and they will tell you what type of wind system you will need.
If you want additional help on how to do this I would be glad to help you determine the size of your wind powered system for free.
Email Curtis @ SolarPower@intelinforce.org
Wind would not be a problem for you but you have some other problems…
One problem is how to store wind energy because you need electric energy when it’s necessary…
Unfortunately there are no system for sale that stores wind energy.
Some systems have been studied (via a little home ammonia production… from wind is an example)…
Another problem is the tax (on energy) we wouldn’t pay, practically consider we are a problem for the State… even if we produce energy…
It sounds like Curtis is up for the job if you’re serious about getting a plan in motion. If you’re still at the research stage, I’ve been working on a couple of resources that may be able to help you out. I think your options boil down to buying a commercial system and having it installed or building your own wind turbine.
A commercial product like the Skystream 3.7 (the most popular residential wind turbine in the United States from what I can tell) will cost approximately $12,000-$15,000 after installation is factored in. There are many less traditional turbines coming available as well with a wide range of costs and estimated payback periods.
A cheaper alternative is to find a good guide and try to build your own windmill. A new set of plans was just released this month that promises fully-illustrated, step-by-step instructions on how to make your own wind generator and solar panels for less than $200 each. The product is called Earth4Energy.
Here are some resources to help you learn more:
http://www.squidoo.com/residentialwindpower
http://www.squidoo.com/residentialwindturbine
http://www.squidoo.com/buyearth4energy
Good luck!
My personally recommended plans are from http://www.monofuel.com This guy actually made all this stuff himself, and hasn’t paid an electric bill for years. Check it out.