Go Greener Tips

Rooftop wind turbines offer a comparatively inexpensive technique to participate in the rush to renewable energy. The principle attract is low set up cost. Typically, tower installations for bigger turbines add 50-80% to the cost of the system. With a rooftop turbine, an $800 tower is changed by a $39 roof mounted tripod, or a length of pipe connected to the facet of the house.

According to Ron Stimmel of the American Wind Energy Association, “…rooftop turbines nonetheless account for just one percent or so of the 10,000 small wind turbines that are sold each year in the country.” For this reason, few performance statistics can be found from precise owners.

It’s possible, however, to get an concept of the estimated energy output of a rooftop turbine from the manufacturer’s website. For example, the Energy Performance chart for Southwest Wind power’s 200W Air Breeze predicts 20-30 kWh (kilowatt hours) per month from 10-12 mph winds occurring 6 hours per day.

To put this in perspective, 30 kWh is lower than 5% of the facility consumed each month by the typical household. Overall, the payback from a single, roof mounted turbine in tangible monetary terms leaves a lot to be desired; especially in gentle of the truth that unlike solar, there isn’t any Federal tax credit score for residential wind power.

But anyone serious about installing a rooftop turbine(s) is probably aware of this already. The rooftop wind enthusiast will not be motivated by monetary relief, but relatively the intangible rewards of satisfaction of ownership, walking the walk, or simple satisfaction as a hobbyist.

Motivation aside, it would not make sense on any degree to proceed with a wind powered project until the three following requirements are met:

1. Higher than average value per kWh. The more you pay per kWh for electricity, the more economical wind power becomes. A rule of thumb within the wind turbine business states a residential wind powered system should not be considered until you pay $0.10 or more per kWh for electricity.

The easiest method to determine your cost per kWh is divide the current monthly balance on your electric bill by kWh usage (also plainly stated on your bill).

2. Building codes. Visit your building department to seek out out if there are any zoning restrictions for roof prime turbines. Don’t construct your rooftop system first and ask questions later – only to be told it violates zoning laws and should come down.

3. Minimum wind speed. Wind speed of seven mph, or three m/s (meters per second) is the start up speed for just about every wind turbine. However, to be able to get any “juice” out of the turbine, minimal wind speeds of 10-12 mph for six hours per day are necessary.

Although wind speed charts for the United States and Canada are available to assist site larger turbines, they’re of little use for rooftop techniques because the info is collected at a minimum altitude of 30 meters (98.4 feet).

However, you may get a good idea of the wind velocity at proposed turbine places by purchasing an anemometer (wind pace meter) for around $150. The package comes with a rooftop sensor, 60′ of cable and mounting hardware for the learn out display. These should not data logging meters, so you’ll must keep notes on your observations.

If you’re actually serious about wind speed knowledge collection, you can purchase a information logging anemometer equipment with tracking software for $400.

Depending on the place you live, wind speeds generally fluctuate with the seasons. Readings taken in the course of the hot summer time months of July and August, when you’re begging for a breeze, are not usually a dependable indicator of average yearly wind speed.

Also, rooftop turbines located at the sting of an extended flat roof experience rather more wind than those positioned on roof peaks.

If, after a month or two of collecting knowledge you decide there just isn’t enough wind for a rooftop wind turbine, you can always resell the anemometer and turn your consideration towards solar.

With modern technology, now you can save tremendous electricity. magnets 4 energy review will show you how you can do that. Save energy as well as produce your own home energy using magnets 4 energy. Learn more to use it here: magnets 4 energy. Start your new life today…