Wind Turbines - Hardvest the Wind
Wind is produced from the uneven heating of the atmosphere and
irregularities in the earth's surface. The air movement between
these areas is what we refer to as wind. Just as we can use
flowing water to turn turbines, we can harness the power of the
wind with wind turbines to create electricity.
Wind turbines have been in use since the 1920s. Their earliest
use was to provide electricity in remote areas that didn't have
access to a large utility company. Today there are fewer areas
that are "off the grid" but wind power can now be used to
supplement traditional power sources.
Wind turbines can be used individually to provide power for a
household, or they can be used in arrays to provide electricity
on a large scale. These arrays of industrial sized turbines are
called "wind farms" and are usually situated in areas that
receive consistent strong winds. Coastal areas, hilltops, and
mountain passes are common areas for wind farms.
Thanks to advances in wind turbine technology we are now able to
use the wind as an affordable alternative to fossil fuel for
producing power. New technologies make turbines more efficient
and modern production techniques bring the cost of
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turbines down.
When used as a supplement for residential electricity, wind
turbines are connected to the breaker box provided by the power
company. The power produced is available for immediate
consumption, and if the wind turbine produces more electricity
than is needed the excess is fed back into the utility grid for
a credit on the homeowners power bill.
For those interested in living "off the grid" wind power can be
used in conjunction with other alternative energy sources such
as solar power. These two methods of producing electricity
complement each other, when the sun is strong, the wind may be
low, and the wind may be stronger on cloudy days.
Also, since solar power is not produced at night, a wind turbine
can provide the electricity at this time.
Our site provides more in depth information wind energy and the
other sustainable energy sources, howto's and downloadable
building plans.
About the author:
Hans is author of
http://www.alternative-energy-guide.com/ find more
information at the our wind
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