Monday, May 2, 2011

Are Wind Power Generators Your Best Choice for Renewable Energy?

Wind power generators are one of many ways you can lower your energy bills and stay environmentally friendly at the same time. With the recently booming renewable energy market, there are now several alternative ways to supply your house, farm or commercial building with light and electrical power, without fainting whenever electricity bill comes!

Wind power generators can help cut your energy bills, and provide you with pollution free energy. You might be also getting a tax-break for investing in ecological solutions as well. Wind energy has some significant benefits, but it also has some disadvantages.

Is Wind Power Available in Your Area?

Before you make up your mind about installing a generator, there is some research you will need to do in order to decide whether it is the best option for your renewable energy needs.

First, you'll need to know whether using wind energy is the best choice for your location. Depending on which country you live in, look for your governments department of energy and see what kind of information you can learn about your location. If you are in the United States, look at the US Department of Energy's Wind Map and check weather you are living in a good place to use wind energy.

As you know, wind is a force of nature, and it differs in every area. If there is very little or no wind where you live, you can drop the whole idea from the very beginning!

If that is the case, don't give up, as there are likely other types of renewable energy that may be better suited to your location.

Wind Energy Requires a Backup Power Source

Even if you live in a very windy place, you will need to secure yourself with another energy source that is not environmentally dependent like solar energy.

Wind comes and goes, just like sunny days and cloudy days, and there is nothing anybody can do about it! With the new renewable energy technologies available today, if your wind turbine is not hooked up to your local electric grid, then unused electricity can be saved in a battery for use when the wind is gone.

If you are connected to your local electric grid, then you will be able to draw upon their electrical power when the wind is not blowing, and you can get credits for excess power that is generated on windy days when the wind produces more energy than you need.

Disadvantages of Wind Power Generators

One problem that very few people talk about is that wind generators can be noisy and can influence television reception. Some research has even indicated some kinds of physical effects from living close to wind generators.

Some people who live near wind farms have complained about sleep disorders, headaches, panic attacks and other illnesses that were caused by vibration and low-frequency noise. The sound frequencies appear to affect the inner ear and over a long period time.

The appearance "wind turbine syndrome" suggests that wind farms should be located at a distance from where people are living so they are not affected by the long term effects of the low frequency noise and vibration.

Residential Wind Power?

Wind technology is not just for big farm owners. Depending on your local zoning laws, you may be able to install small-scale wind turbine on the top of your house. It's like a large fan on the roof! You need to live in an area with an average wind speed of no less than 5 meters per second for the device to be effective, and your building needs to be rather exposed, rather than connected to other structures.

Once you install a wind turbine make sure you use it the most efficient way possible. For example, you can do your laundry on windy days and charge the batteries whenever it's possible.

Getting a wind powered generator might appear pricey, but you will eventually recoup your investment from the energy savings you enjoy. If the cost is the only thing that is keeping you away from trying wind power, look around for government grants.

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