Wind Power GeneratorsThe A-to-Z of Wind Power GeneratorsWind power generators are not a new concept for modern man. Wind power has been used for over a hundred years with waxing and waning success. Since wind is a free resource and is considered a source of solar power, it is becoming common once again to use wind power to generate electricity at a competitive cost with other methods of generating electricity. Simply put, wind is used to produce kinetic energy that is then transformed into electricity that can be used to power homes in small instances and entire cities on a larger scale.
As the wind blows on the blades that spin around a rotor, which is attached to a shaft that also spins and this is what creates the electricity. Most wind power generators are located some distance above ground so that they can take advantage of the most winds possible. There is more wind the higher in altitude that they are placed. A good rule of thumb and the industry standard is around one hundred feet above ground. In more mountainous areas, they must be located in areas that will garner the most wind year round. That is for small wind turbines, larger turbines with sturdier towers can withstand a much higher altitude and will produce more electricity. 
Wind power generators, or wind power turbines, come in a wide variety of types, designs and power outputs. Before getting into the types of wind power generators, and the sizes of them, it is important to know the inner workings of any wind generator. There are some basic aspects of wind power turbines that will be found in every model that is on the market. The anemometer will gauge and send out the rate of the wind to the internal controller. The blades are actually the outer working of the turbine that is attached to the inner workings and are connected to the rotors. The blades are made in a shape that will effectively raise them and spin them at a great rate of speed when they are faced with winds. 
Typically, there will be two or three blades, with three being the more common amount. The blades are not allowed to spin in winds that are blowing faster than fifty five miles per hour as this can cause damage to the unit, this is in most cases, there are larger towers and turbines that can withstand much higher rates of wind speed. A brake and controller are used in conjunction with the anemometer to keep the turbine safe by reducing the speed of the blades if the winds get too high. The brake can also be used to stop the turbine for maintenance or urgent situations. The most expensive part of the turbine can be the gear box. The gear box insures that enough rotations are achieved by the shafts in order to produce electricity. This is usually around 1000 to 1800 rotations per minute. The generator produces the electricity from the wind power. The yaw motors powers the yaw drive which finds the winds direction and sets the blades in the best possible placement for being hit directly with wind. There are many ways that wind can be harnessed to produce electricity. These are commonly known as wind power generators and are produced as vertical axis or horizontal axis wind turbines. They are also manufactured in many sizes to fit many common electrical needs. The vertical axis wind turbine was used more in past periods in history, but new solar-wind hybrid designs by wind power companies like Bluenergy, incorporate flexible solar cells and require only 4 mph wind speeds. They can also be used in urban and residential settings without towers.
Image above: Bluenergy's Solar and Wind turbine combo. Electric companies pay farmers to use their land and erect turbines that are commonly known as wind farms. These turbines are very large and have the capabilities of conducting many megawatts of electricity. Wind farms can produce enough electricity to power entire towns or small cities. On the smaller scale are the wind power turbines that produce smaller amounts of electricity. These typically run 100 kilowatts and lower and are used to power homes. They can also be used to power cell phone towers which make cell phone towers self sustaining. Some people that live in areas where there is no access to a power grid use hybrid systems, wind combined with solar to provide their electricity needs. There are things to consider before deciding on using a wind power generator for your electricity needs. You need to be in an area that consistently has winds at or over nine miles per hour. The turbines will not work in areas with less wind averages that the set standard. For those who have homes or who are planning homes in areas that the local electric company has not yet routed, you may want to consider this as an alternative. You do not necessarily need to have a tower as described above; you can actually put a turbine directly on top of your house or go with a verticle axis generator on the ground(which requires less wind speed) if there is enough wind at those levels. You will also need to have a back up plan for times when the winds are low and no electricity is produced by your wind power turbine. Solar is a great compliment to wind power.
Before you purchase a hybrid wind power turbine, make sure the manufacturer is following the guidelines set down by the American Wind Energy Association. A wind power turbine is not recommended for those who are already on a local electric company’s access. Another factor to consider is your local zoning laws. You do not want to go the expense of this type of electricity if you are not zoned to use it.  Skystream 3.7 Grid Tie 1.8kW Wind Power System From: GoGreenSolar.com  Air Breeze Marine Wind Turbine From: GoGreenSolar.com
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At
left:
Photo of the Northern Power Direct Drive 1.5MW
generator developed
under the NREL Wind PACT project and taken in Dynamometer building at
the National Wind Technology Center (NWTC). Credit: NREL/Lee Fingersh.
Vertical axis turbines are not as common, though
they are available for use. Instead of blades, cups are used to catch
the air and rotate the shaft. Other verticle turbines like the ones
manufactured by Bluenergy, mentioned above, use a helical blade design
and are proving to be very efficient. The most typical type of wind
power turbine is the horizontal axis turbine. This
turbine stands atop a tower which is why they are called
horizontal. The towers can come in many heights dependent upon the use
of the turbine and the wind that is available. 
