Archive for July, 2009

Advantages of Wind Power for Your Home

Thursday, July 9th, 2009 at 3:03 pm  
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Alternative energy sources are becoming more and more important as the failing reserves of fossil fuels drive prices up. No one really knows how long the current reserves of oil will last, but according to experts, they may be gone in as little as few decades. It is wise to start investigating solutions now, when there is still time left. Fortunately, the current developments in the field of renewable energy make it simple enough to build your own wind turbine or a solar power generator.

Why choose wind energy for your home? It has the following advantages:

- Environmentally clean. It produces much less greenhouse gases than conventional sources.

- Renewable (naturally replenished).

- Plentiful. The amount of wind power that can be potentially generated is at least five times as high as the total energy consumption of our entire planet. There will never be a shortage of it.

- Low maintenance costs. Wind turbines don't require much maintenance, so the only costs associated with wind power are those of constructing and setting up the turbines. Afterward, the costs are negligible - if you ignore equipment costs, wind energy is almost free!


In some countries (such as Denmark), it is used very widely, accounting for up to 20% of total energy output. No wonder it is a great addition to your domestic power generation system. Wind power generally cannot be used as a sole source of electricity (because winds are variable and unstable) but this is usually not a problem, because you most likely have a power grid connection anyway.

Residential wind turbines are very feasible and are not very expensive (About one fifth of what it costed back in 1980). Overall, adding a wind generator to your home power system is an excellent way to decrease your energy bills and make a step on the way towards environmentally-conscious living.

Pre-made wind mills can be quite expensive, with the price tag of $1000 or more. But why pay for them, if you can have a DIY wind power system for less than $200? See our guide to making a low cost home wind power system using readily available components.

Wind Power for Irrigation and Pumping Water

Wednesday, July 8th, 2009 at 2:48 pm  
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Getting back to Basics with Wind Power!

Back in the day, you remember it also, when those wooden windmills littered the countryside everywhere you turned, water was delivered with wind power! One thing many don't realize is that those wind turbines were connected to water pumps, and when the breeze flew in, the pump moved water from the wells and into a storage tank for future use.


Wind power is used to power homes and now they are using it for irrigation. Scientists all around the world have been proposing many different options for harnessing wind power for irrigation.

Two of the different options that they have come up with are to take advantage of mechanical energy that is extracted from the wind and input it into a mechanical pump. They would also use a flywheel so that it would serve the purpose of being a buffer and as storage unit for low wind periods. The second option that they have will utilize the mechanical output from the windmill so that it can generate electricity.

The next step is that this electricity is then fed into an electrolysis cell so that it can produce hydrogen gas. The hydrogen gas that is produced is then burned in an internal combustion engine which drives the pump. Extra hydrogen is saved and put in depleted natural gas wells so that they can use it during low wind periods. They have a back up plan in both of the cases for if the wind is not blowing.

Using wind power for irrigation is a very good alternative to using diesel pumps and electricity pumps for irrigation. It can easily be adopted for rural areas in developing countries, just the initial start up costs maybe a little on the expensive side. However charitable donations from not for profit organizations can help with that.

DIY Wind Power – A Pro and Con!

Tuesday, July 7th, 2009 at 8:02 am  
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The PRO: Supply and Maintenance

The good thing about DIY wind power is that it has very marginal cost. The fuel consumption is tolerable and the maintenance cost is also ideal. According to scientists, the energy that we can harness from the atmosphere is a lot greater than what the world can consume. Accordingly, the wind power available is five times more than the world consumption. However, there has to be a practical limit as to the amount to be used. For now, studies are being done how it will impact the atmosphere if we harness it in global scale.

The CON: Battery Rewiring

Harnessing the energy does not mean it's all just good times since you have free electricity. A great deal of effort is needed in the maintenance of your tools. Many of the materials sold in the market now are mostly do-it-yourself or DIY. DIY wind power means you will install the wind turbines and you will also need to maintain the batteries and all that. The most common problem that users encounter is rewiring the batteries. This is a hassle if you are unsure what to do but it is just a breeze if you know the steps to take.


A battery that can produce 0-300 volts normally has 42 coils around the edge of the stator. There are two ends to this wiring system and DIY wind power enthusiasts like you will observe that at one end, there are three wires joined together whereas for the other end, the three wires are separate. Each wire is connected to 14 coils and these 14 coils send different current flows in different intervals. A majority of DIY wind power users prefer 23 or 24 volts. In this case, you will have 3 sets of 14 coils. Each coil will be able to produce about 212 volts of power. At full speed, you should be able to have 300 volts maximum with a 12 volt system.

Now Pay Close Attention Here - Are you seriously looking for a proven way to save money on your electricity bills? There is a Guide which will help you to Build wind power at home. You will be surprised to know that how easy it is to Build a Windmill at Home, that will not only save your money but you will help in cleaning the environment. Check the Guide

Wind Power or Solar, Which is Better?

Monday, July 6th, 2009 at 3:01 pm  
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Here's a good battle that needs to be fought. Let's allow the two most common forms of alternative energy to face off, hand to hand, technology to technology, and see which one is better for you. These are the types of  solar panels available to anyone, and small consumer wind turbines, not the big wind farm types. So folks, put on your gloves and let's get ready to rumble.

Placement - Solar panels will fit on any roof, but it has to be south facing. There are no local laws or ordinances that will not allow solar to be put up.  Wind turbines generally need to be mounted high off the ground for optimal efficiency. Many local laws prohibit towers or structures in cities or suburban neighborhoods. Solar wins hands down and is perfect for city dwellings.


Performance - Solar panels need sunlight to work efficiently, although the newer panels produce useable electricity on cloudy days as well.  Windmills need wind, so in theory, they could produce electricity 24/7, BUT that just doesn't happen. The reality is, both technologies are dependent on mother nature, so we have to call this one a draw, although in naturally sunnier climes, solar has an advantage.

Efficiency - When the sun shines, your solar panels are producing 100% of their rated power output. Wind power needs a minimum of 5 mile per hour wind just to get the blades spinning, and anywhere from 10 to 20 miles per hour wind for optimal electricity production. It is calculated that over the course of one 24 hour period, a consumer wind turbine will produce only 10% of it's rated power.  Winner to solar panels.

Cost - Right now, 600 watts of solar panel power will run about $6000 dollars. That comes complete with an inverter, hardware and everything. A 600 watt wind turbine will run about $1000 dollars, and that's just the turbine and nothing else. You'll need to add a tower-which can cost thousands-and an inverter etc etc. Remember, your 600 watt rated windmill will only, on an average, be putting out 60 watts per day. When the sun shines, your solar panels are putting out 600 watts, period. You would need 6 wind turbines to equal the performance of one 600 watt solar panel, on a daily basis, plus tower costs and all the other costs. Winner, once again, solar panels.

Overall - Solar wins, and it's not even close. Couple that with your 30% tax credit and other state incentives, and solar wins going away, no doubt, stick a fork in it, game over! Leave the windmills for the wind farms, but for consumers, there's only one way to go, and that's solar all the way!

Cooler Planet is a leading solar resource for connecting consumers and commercial entities with local solar Installers. Cooler Planet's solar energy resource page contains articles and tools such as our solar calculator to help with your solar project.