Back in the day if you thought about a home wind turbine, what would have come to mind is a large tower with enormous white blades spinning rather slowly. But, with the development in technology and the need for more and more people to become energy efficient, small residential wind turbines can now be erected at home. Even better news for green enthusiasts is the ability to make their home wind turbine, without spending thousands of dollars on contractors.

So, how does a home wind turbine make power?

A home wind turbine makes power by spinning a generator. The generator is attached to the rotor, made up of three aerodynamic blades, that is then attached to a tower. To keep the turbine facing the wind, the rotor has a tail, that acts as a weather vain.

If you do not know what a turbine/motor is or how it works, let me explain. Copper coils spin past magnets, and create an electromagnetic charge. This charge is then sent through wires to the batteries where it is stored. To use that charge in your home it needs to be passed through an inverter that changes the current from direct to alternating current. The reason wind power has become more popular on a small scale, is because of the improvement and efficiency in the design of the turbine.

Depending on your area’s wind conditions, the tower can vary in length. If you live near the sea where it is windy, the tower can be shorter, but in low-wind areas the tower needs to be taller to catch as much wind possible.

The advancement of the blades has also come a long way. They are now, stronger, lighter, and more aerodynamic, helping them to turn in even the softest of winds. Before the improvements, most small turbines had five blades, but now they mainly have only three. And like the tower, the blades come in a variety of sizes, depending on the wind conditions and power needs.

Up until now I have been talking about your average horizontal axis home wind turbine. But there is also another design taking off. It is a wind turbine that spins on the vertical axis. Also know as a VAWT (vertical axis wind turbine), this generator’s blades resemble some type of water-wheel on its side. The problem with the VAWT is that it spins rather close to the ground, making it unable to catch the stronger, higher up winds, so it is not a good option for residential home-owners. Also when erected in open areas, the blades are large and spin so fast birds do not see them and fly straight into them – which is not very eco-friendly.

What you need to know before you buy a home wind turbine:

How big is the property?

Home wind turbines tend to work better in open areas expanding over an acre, where few nearby buildings can deflect the wind.

How windy is it where you live?

The recommended wind speed should be at least eleven miles per hour, but if that isn’t the case then you may have to use a taller tower and larger blades to catch higher altitude winds.

What else can I use the wind turbine for?

The more uses you can think of for your wind power, the more attractive it will be to get one. Windmills have been used for centuries to pump water through irrigation systems, and farmers still use them today.

Do you rely on an uninterrupted power supply?

If you are tired of the unreliable electricity company cutting off your power without warning, then a home wind turbine can really help. Though a small wind turbine is not capable of power your entire property for a long time, the energy can be stored and used during a blackout or whenever it is needed.

Those are the keys to figuring out how much energy you need it to make, how tall the tower needs to be, and ideal sized blades, and the potential costs and benefits of buying a home wind turbine.

The great thing about technology is that it is always improving. So much so that motors have become smaller, efficient and cheap enough for us to attach a few small turbines right on the roof, and produce the same power as a larger turbine on a tall tower.

Though expert installations can be anything up to $100,000, it is possible to learn how to make your own home wind turbine for a small fraction of the cost. What’s more is America and other countries offer tax rebates to energy efficient homeowners, so not only will you save on utility bills, but also pay less tax.

Forget about using the home made energy guide to make your own power at home! Try the Earth4Energy Instructions for free, and see how you can cut your power costs by up to 80% with your own home wind turbine and solar power.

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