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There are a
number of companies that offer small windpower
systems. They usually offer system design help
to determine your windpower potential. As I get
the time, I'll list some of them on this site.
If you have recommendations I'd like to hear
them.
You are best
advised to store excess windpower in batteries.
Building an inexpensive battery bank is easy for
those people who take the time to learn a little
about ordinary vehicle batteries. Many batteries
are thrown away that are not bad, or have
several perfectly good cells and only one bad
one (which can be bypassed). Getting the
'Capacitive Battery Charger' book will help you
find out about this bonanza of potential
electrical storage. See 'Order' button
above.
'Reverse your
Electric Meter' Book shows a way to store excess
windpower without having a battery bank. This
simple and interesting technique can even be
used to MAKE money by selling your excess
windpower to your local utility.
Wind powered
ships, mills, pumps and many other applications
around the world long before electricity and
thermodynamics were invented. Elsewhere in this
site I talk about other energies, but I admire
the universal simplicity of
windpower.
An important
thing to know about wind is that the power
potential of the wind increases by a factor of
three every time the wind speed doubles. So it
is vital to take advantage of the highest wind
speeds available. This generally means putting
your wind tower as high as possible (wind speed
increases with height) and making sure there are
as few obstructions to the wind as
possible.
New wind
generators are more efficient, so make
previously marginal winds practical.
High towers are
dangerous to climb to maintain your wind
generator. A good idea I've seen lately are
towers that lower the wind generator to the
ground, allowing safe generator installation and
maintenance.
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