Homemade Wind Power

DIY Wind Power- Some Answers to Common Questions.

Homemade wind power is like homemade food. Making chicken soup from scratch is very satisfying and tasty but requires a lot of time and energy. You can also purchase soup in a can and heat it up and that can be tasty too, but it will be more expensive. If you are wondering what it it is like to cook up a wind power system from scratch, there is an excellent story told by a very bright cook on our DIY Wind Power page.

The alternative to cooking up something from scratch is to buy a kit. Like a boxed cake kit, a home wind power kit has everything you need to create something wonderful. Usually, a few extra ingredients are needed, and in the case of a wind generator kit those ingredients would be sweat and power tools.

Below are a few questions and answers.

Homemade wind power- What steps are required?

First, you need to analyze how you can make your home energy efficient. By "tightening up" your home, you optimize the cost effectiveness of installing a wind generator system.(Or a solar power system for that matter.) Second, you need to determine what you want the wind power to do.  You need to decide if the system you want to install is for a special purpose. Do you want to charge up batteries for back-up use? Do you want to power a small portion of your needs or do you plan to sell excess power back to your utility company and be "off the grid"?  These are just a few of the things needed to analyze to determine the capacity, location and size of the system you will require. Thirdly, your budget will also determine what you need for your project. And then, fourthly, you need a good plan.

Homemade wind power- How big should the system be? 

This depends on your answer to the first question.  Generally, you need a site with wind speeds of 12 miles per hour.  Excess energy can be stored, but with winds less than 12 mph, there may not be sufficient power.  You will need to determine your power needs to figure out how big or how many wind turbines you will need to provide enough wind power. Some of the new home wind generators available, (not DIY) require lower wind speeds but usually require a proffessional install. 

Homemade wind power- What kinds can I build?

Basically, there are two kinds of wind turbines, the most common type right now is similar to a windmill and called a horizontal axis wind turbine.These usually, but not always require a tower. Towers elevate the turbine to where the wind is stronger, making the generator produce electrictymore effectively. The second kind of wind turbine is the vertical axis wind turbine which still usually needs a tower. Both require strong enough winds to perform properly, although some believe that  vertical axis wind turbines are more efficient. The jury is still out on that.

Homemade wind power- What does it cost?

That depends on the size of wind power system, and whether you are going to assemble your own tower, blades, generator, battery storage and other parts.  Many are able to put together a wind power system from salvage parts, like old television antennas, PVC fan blades, batteries, and the main cost is the generator, unless you already have one.  Depending on the type of system you build, some DIY wind power systems can be built for a few hundred dollars. There is more about he cost of wind power here and there is important info on government grants and incentives available here. 

Homemade wind power- Where can I get good plans?

There are numerous sources for wind turbine plans on the Internet, some that are free and give general schematics and some that are a minimal cost, but are proven plans for assembling your own homemade wind power system.  Depending on the size of your location and needed power output, by having a wind resource test done, and site location analyzed, you may be a good candidate for one of the wind power kits on the market.  There are plenty of sources for plans and components, if you are mechanically inclined, as this is a rapidly growing market

Homemade wind power- What about wind power kits?

Wind power kits are available on the Internet, and some micro-turbine kits are a few hundred dollars and have the components you need for a small system.  Other kits can range over $10,000, depending on the size of wind power system you need.  The main thing with pre-assembled kits is that they are easy to install, and have a life span up to 20 years.  They have also been tested and output and expense is easy to predetermine.  With a kilowatt cost of 9 cents, you can recoup your investment quickly in utility savings and tax credits.

Homemade wind power is a way to save thousands on your utility bill, become independent for energy and there is plenty of information, parts, and kits to help you convert your energy needs into clean and environmentally safe wind power that will allow you to recoup your initial investment quickly through savings and tax credits.

Even an amateur can take advantage of  the kits, plans and components to easily harness the wind for your power needs, with the help of the Internet.  If farmers have been using it since 1870, then you can rest assured that the technology advances in the past century have made wind power an affordable alternative energy option.

Return from the Homemade Wind Power page to the DIY Wind Power page or to the Home page.