A wind turbine is a fan-like device installed on top of a tall tower to collect kinetic energy from the wind and convert it into electricity that is compatible with the electrical system of a home.
Generally,residential applications include both wind turbines as well as local electrical utilities, since wind turbines function only at a certain speed of wind being present. These on-grid or off-grid options are region specific depending on the cost of electricity as well as the expenses involved in adding a storage device to the wind turbine, whereby energy produced during high wind times is stored to be used later at times when the force of wind is inadequate.
Wind turbines are becoming increasingly popular as sources of energy as they are a cheaper, more eco-friendly alternative, due to their low maintenance costs, zero fuel expenses, using a free, abundantly available gift of nature. There are no emissions of carbon dioxide, sulphurdioxide or any other harmful substances that threaten the environment. However, often they are not suitable for urban homes as they require a substantial amount of space and are not entirely noise free. Users normally install wind turbines ranging from 3 ft to 6 ft in diameter. The turbine or blades convert the wind’s energy into rotational shaft energy and are fixed on top of a tower, then wired down to a control box that regulates the charging of a large deep cycle battery bank, and attached to an inverter that draws electricity from the battery bank and converts it into AC current needed at home.
Wind turbines for homes are more popular in rural areas and also remote areas where connectivity is an issue. They have been in use for over 9 decades even though the wind turbine industry is only a couple of decades old. Wind turbines used in homes can be single phase or three phase, and the two-blade rotor is also becoming popular as compared to the traditional three-blade rotor.
These are installed on both horizontal and vertical-axis. While today a small section of home users use wind turbines for homes, the concept is becoming increasingly popular as is evident from the spiraling sales of wind turbine kits as well as the manifold increase in the global output of power generated from wind turbines. The world is also aware of harmful emissions in the environment and its threat to life itself, therefore this renewable source of energy might be the best alternative available.
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