Wind Power Home Energy Generators—Re-Inventing the Windmill

The latest wind power home energy generators are called turbines. The idea is not a new one. You might say they have re-invented the windmill.

It is safe to say that wind power was the first form of renewable energy to be discovered. People have been using the winds to power machinery and vehicles (primarily boats) for thousands of years.

Windmills dotted the landscape in many European and Asian countries. The technology was brought to the Americas by early settlers.

Windmills were primarily used to grind grain into flour. As the winds turned the sails outside, the stone grinding wheels turned inside. It was the most efficient way to grind the grain at the time.

Windmills were also used to pump water and to irrigate fields. There were several different designs. One of the European designs called the post-mill could turn as the winds changed direction.

Before utility companies began providing service to rural areas of the US, windmills generated electricity for farm-use. Manufacturers produced approximately 100,000 farm windmills per year during the 1920s and the 1930s.

The very first electricity-generating windmill was built in 1887 in Scotland. The first in the US was built in Cleveland, Ohio in 1888. By 1908, there were over 70 wind-driven electricity generators producing as much as 25kW.

You might wonder what happened to wind power home electricity generators. They never completely disappeared. The forerunners of today’s turbines, capable of generating 100kW, were available in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s.

Some produced renewable energy for utility grids. The turbines simply fell out of favor, because they were expensive, easily damaged, noisy and difficult to transport.

The new designs for individual homeowners are small, quiet and efficient. They are durable, easy to transport and relatively simple to install.

They work in tandem with your current electrical provider, so that you will still have electricity on non-windy days. Depending on where you live, your turbine may generate enough renewable energy on windy days to cause your meter to run backwards.

By hooking the wind power home electricity generators into the current power grid, none of the renewable energy is wasted. When more than you need is produced, it is stored in the grid.

The turbines can be used in conjunction with or as an alternative to photovoltaic panels. The costs of installing the turbines are lower than those of installing the panels. Less wiring is needed.

In some locations, wind power home electricity generators are a better choice than the panels, simply because they are able to produce more. The average cost per watt may be as little as $1.50. For most homeowners, that’s affordable.