Wind Basics
We have been harnessing the wind's energy for the last 80 years or so for the production of electricity. Some of the machines that were built in the 30’s and 40’s such as Jacobs and Winchargers are still producing electricity today.
Wind turbines come in all sizes, from those with rotors measuring a few feet across to those with rotors hundreds of feet in diameter.
Household wind systems have rotors up to perhaps 25 feet in diameter, and can be an attractive choice if you live in a windy area or have high electricity prices The economics of a home system can be substantially improved if:
Your state has a net metering (link to net metering) law that requires your utility to credit any excess electricity you generate and feed to the utility system against any electricity you use during times when winds are low.
You have a farm, an all-electric home, or some other situation that makes your electricity consumption higher than normal, so that most or all of the wind turbine's output can be used on site.
Household wind systems have rotors up to perhaps 25 feet in diameter, and can be an attractive choice if you live in a windy area or have high electricity prices The economics of a home system can be substantially improved if:
Your state has a net metering (link to net metering) law that requires your utility to credit any excess electricity you generate and feed to the utility system against any electricity you use during times when winds are low.
You have a farm, an all-electric home, or some other situation that makes your electricity consumption higher than normal, so that most or all of the wind turbine's output can be used on site.
Wind Generator Facts
The wind generator is what actually generates electricity in the system.
- Most modern wind generators are upwind designs (blades are on the side of the tower that faces into the wind), and couple permanent magnet alternators directly to the rotor (blades).
- Three-bladed wind generators are most common, providing a good compromise between efficiency and rotor balance.
- Small wind turbines protect themselves from high winds (governing) by tilting the rotor up or to the side, or by changing the pitch of the blades.
- Electricity is transmitted down the tower on wires, most often as three-phase wild alternating current (AC).
- Electricity is called “wild” because the voltage and frequency vary with the rotational speed of the wind turbine. The output is then rectified to direct current (DC) to charge batteries or to be inverted for grid connection.
Applications
Wind turbines can be used:
· As stand alone systems
· Connected to utility grid with or without a battery back-up system
· In combination with photovoltaics (solar panels) to form a hybrid system
· As distributed power generators
· As stand alone systems
· Connected to utility grid with or without a battery back-up system
· In combination with photovoltaics (solar panels) to form a hybrid system
· As distributed power generators
