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Over the past years, wind energy has gained popularity as a renewable source of energy. Wind energy is a resultant of solar intervention to Earth’s atmosphere. As sunlight strikes the Earth, it causes heat to spread in the atmosphere. But the extent of heating at the poles and at the equators is not the same. The uneven heating on the Earth’s surface then causes a motion starts in air. This movement is known as the wind.
Wind energy can produce electricity that is pollution-free, environmental friendly and are highly sustainable. The best way to collect wind’s kinetic energy is the use of wind turbine systems. They come in different sizes and designs. Large wind turbines can produce large amount of energy and are commonly use in clusters. These can generate electricity in hundreds of megawatts that can power hundreds of households.
Small wind turbines on the other hand, are designed for home and small business purposes. These homemade wind turbines can only produce electricity about 100 kilowatts or less. Smaller wind turbines generating only 20 to 500 watts of electricity can be used in charging batteries like those employed in sailboats.
There are two main types of wind turbine designs – horizontal axis wind turbine (HAWT) and vertical axis wind turbines (VAWT). To understand these two types, it is better to know something about the components of a wind energy system.
A wind energy system usually consists of five basic parts: the blades, the tail, the wind generator tower, the batteries and charge controllers. The blades convert wind to rotational energy used by alternators to produce electricity. The tail helps the turbine blades align with the wind direction. The wind tower aids in harnessing enough amount of wind energy. Lastly, the batteries and the controllers are important in storing all the power that has been generated.
Between the two, horizontal axis wind turbines are the most widely used. These types of turbines have at least three blades rotating in horizontal axis. They need to be aimed directly at the wind direction. This type of turbine is considered to be more efficient in converting wind to electricity. The design of its blades facing into the wind, create the least possible resistance to wind forces.
These turbines come in different sizes from very small to commercial scale generators. They are usually installed on top of the towers to get the strongest and consistent airflow. Most of the homemade wind turbines are of these types.
The design of vertical axis wind turbines on the other hand can generate wind energy from any direction. Though they are known to be less efficient than HAWTs, they do offer some benefits especially in low wind conditions. And because they can operate using multiple wind directions, they are still considered to be suitable designs for homemade wind turbines.
Whatever design will be adapted, proper and planned installation will still be the main factors that will dictate its efficiency. The proper selection of the location where to install, the size, the type of blades, and the materials used will all matter and should be considered.