Wind Turbines Now

Wind turbines are able to capture and convert to electricity the clean, green renewable energy that flows everyday at most places on Earth. While windmills may pump water or in some places still grind grain, wind turbines are used to create electricity and do so without the burning of fossil fuels.

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Known as an intermittent renewable energy resource, wind turbines are the fastest growing alternative energy segment in the United States, outpacing solar, hydropower and geothermal. Wind turbines can be classified generally as commercial or residential.

These two classes of wind turbines can also be divided into horizontal axis or vertical axis. The commercial or utility scale wind turbines typically tower above the ground at 60 to 200 feet where the air moves more freely.

The commercial wind generators commonly have three blades that help balance out the device and reduce wear and tear on the bearings. The large scale wind power generators also have a horizontal axis with a gearbox that drives an electrical generator on the backside. The tip speed on the wind turbine blades can be as much as six times the speed of the wind itself.

Some of the advantages of utility scale wind turbines are the variable blade pitch with an optimal angle of attack and the tower size it can be placed upon, which reaches stronger winds that are typical higher up from the ground.

Some of the disadvantages of large commercial horizontal wind turbines is that construction, transportation and installation can be quite expensive. Some local residents may object to a wind farm disrupting the appearance of the landscape. Environmentalists object to some horizontal wind turbines that disrupt migratory bird paths. Utility scale horizontal wind turbines are also prone to structural fatigue both from within the turbine and from being downwind from another turbine.

Residential wind turbines, on the other hand, offer homeowners a break from total dependency upon the utility companies. Home wind turbines may be either horizontal axis or vertical axis.

The vertical axis wind turbines can be installed lower to the ground and may offer more unique design than horizontal turbines with typical blades. The energy provided by residential wind turbines can offset part of one's monthly bill or in some instances will provide the homeowner the chance to sell power back to the utility company.

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Many states now have net metering programs where the electrical meter is rolled back with the surplus of alternative energy that is supplied to one's home. Home wind turbines, whether on the rooftop or in one's yard provide those with houses the opportunity for individual energy independence including lower bills.

Whether one talks about utility scale wind turbines such as outlined in the Pickens Plan or residential turbines, horizontal or vertical, matters not. What matters is to get started today in using clean, green renewable energy from the world's most abundant source: the wind. The zero emissions answer my friend is blowing in the wind.