Small wind-electric systems can provide electricity to many differnt areas. Although wind systems require more maintenance and need more attention than solar-electric, if you invest up front in good equipment, design, and installation, wind-electric systems can make economic and environmental sense.
They also bring a great deal of satisfaction—there´s nothing quite like watching your wind generator convert a summer breeze or a winter storm into electrical energy.
How It Works
Boiled down to its simplest principles, a wind generator´s rotating blades convert the wind´s kinetic energy into rotational momentum in a shaft. The rotating shaft turns an alternator, which makes electricity. This electricity is transmitted through wiring down the tower to its end use.
The blades must turn to face the wind, so a yaw bearing is needed, allowing the wind turbine to track the winds as they shift direction. The tail directs the rotor into the wind. Some sort of governing system limits the rotor rpm as well as generator output to protect the turbine from high winds. A shutdown mechanism is also useful to stop the machine when necessary, such as during an extreme storm, when you do not need the energy, or when you want to service the system.
How To Choose A Wind Turbine
Trying to keep an inexpensive wind generator running can be an uphill battle that you´ll soon tire of. But expect to pay more for a better machine—it´s a tough job to design and manufacture a long-lasting, small-scale wind generator.
The bottom line: Buy a turbine that has a very good track record and a good warranty—five years is preferable but not always available in the small wind industry.
Batteryless Grid-Tied Wind-Electric System
Connecting to the grid without batteries is the most cost-effective and environmentally friendly way to go. You eliminate batteries, which are costly, require maintenance, and carry a significant efficiency penalty. The only drawback of batteryless systems is that when the grid is down, your system shuts down. But in most grid-serviced areas, utility outages are only a few hours a year—a small inconvenience to endure for the efficiency, environmental friendliness, and thriftiness of these systems.
Grid-Tied Wind-Electric System with Battery Backup
Connecting a wind-electric system to the utility grid with battery backup gives you the best of both worlds. You have the unlimited capacity of the grid at your disposal, and you can send your surplus wind energy to the grid. When the grid is down, you can still use your system, within the limitations of the battery bank and turbine.
Off-Grid Wind-Electric Systems
Off-grid wind-electric systems are battery based. People generally choose these systems because their home or other energy use is not connected to the grid, and connection would be expensive. Others prefer the independence of off-grid systems, or live where utilities and governments make it difficult to tie a renewable energy system to the grid.
Tags: alternator, electric generating, wind electric system, wind enegry, wind turbine
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
