Renewable Wind Power—Always Available

Renewable wind power has always been available. Man began using it to power his machines thousands of years ago. We began using it for electricity production in the late 1800s.

Today’s electricity generators are called turbines, wind-power units, wind-energy converters or aero-generators. They are manufactured by numerous companies.

The models available range from the tiny 50-watt generators to the large capacity megawatt turbines created for use by electric companies. The 50-watt generators are popular for boats and caravans. They convert the winds into DC power.

Larger turbines for home and industrial use create AC power, which means they can be plugged directly into the utility grid without conversion. This is in contrast to solar photovoltaic cells, which can only produce DC.

The power produced by photovoltaic cells must either be stored in batteries or inverted to AC power, unless the items they are being used to operate run on batteries. The electricity created by turbines could be used for any standard appliance. It is compatible with the wiring in most homes and businesses.

There are two types of turbines, just as there were two types of windmills used for renewable energy in past centuries. They are different because of the type of axis around which they rotate. The axis may be vertical or horizontal. The horizontal axis is older and more common.

The design issues that caused problems in past years have largely been corrected. Blades, axels and bearings could fail due to stress and vibration.

Teetering hubs have greatly reduced the stress on the bearings. The use of an odd, rather than an even number of blades, has reduced stress on the entire unit. Because of these and other advances, today’s turbines are more durable than those used in the past.

Other types of renewable energy include hydropower, solar, geothermal and biomass. Hydropower makes use of running water to turn generators and produce electricity.

Marine current power is a sub-type of hydropower. The wave devices being tested and used in some areas generate electricity by capturing the kinetic energy created by the waves.

Solar is well known and is widely used for small devices such as outdoor lighting and calculators. The new photovoltaic panels are used to create electricity for individual homes and large towns.

Geothermal energy is created by capturing heat from the ground and using it to make steam, which powers the electric generators. Biomass is a type of non-fossil fuel.

Of these types, only renewable wind power and solar can be used for the average home or business. They offer individuals and business owners the option of becoming more self-sufficient while protecting the environment.

You can also check my other related site about home solar power systems