Will A Wind Turbine Help Me Get Off Grid?

If you are like me, you want to have the freedom to be able to choose to disconnect yourself from the strangle hold of the big energy companies. Then I have some good news and bad news.

The good news is that a range of technologies are now available to domestic users which utilise alternative sources of energy therefore it is now possible for you to get off the grid.

The bad news is that one wind turbine or one solar panel isn't going to be enough to do it, and the set-up costs may be prohibitive.

However, if you can combine the benefits of wind power and solar power then maybe you have a chance. These two green sources of energy compliment each other very well. Sunlight is only available during the day but if its cloudy the chances are better that there will be sufficient wind, which can operate 24 hours a day.

The engineers have done the math, and typically one small wind turbine (on a windy day) will generate about the same electricity as 5 solar panels (on a sunny day) so in ideal conditions you would need fewer turbines than solar panels.

If you wanted to buy a turbine off the shelf, the cost would be prohibitive for most people, but the internet now provides all the instructions for how to build your own for a fraction of the cost. Some sources suggest you an do it for a mere $200-$300. The parts are becoming standard items that you can find most in your electrical hardware store or in other places like Ebay. The whole project requires only basic skills and shouldn't take more than a few days to a week max to assemble.

As long as you have the right conditions even just one wind turbine can generate enough power to supply your home with about 60% of it's electricity needs and though that's not enough to free you from your utility bills it is enough to make a pretty big dent in that bill.

If you are serious about getting off the grid, you will have to determine what works best in your area. Start small and expand. You may decide you will need multiple wind turbines or you will need to combine them with other sources of alternative energy such as solar power. This could be simple solar panels or a more elaborate solar hot water system, depending on your needs.

The fact is you CAN save a heap of money by generating your own electricity, and many companies are now prepared to pay you for any excess that you produce! It may not get you off the grid, but it surely is good news if you do something about it.

DIY Wind Power - What You Need To Know

Most of us are looking for ways to save money and if you have been around for a while you know that the DIY route is often the best. The key is getting the right information, before you start. If you have heard about wind power, then this article might be for you. I will briefly explain what wind power is and what a wind turbine can and cannot do.

It might seem obvious but a wind turbine is a simple devise that converts energy from wind into electricity which can then be used immediately or stored for later use.

This technology has developed in recent years and most suggest that this will continue to advance and make this process even more efficient in the years to come. However, even now the process is efficient enough to allow this form of energy to be used for households, and the excess fed back into the power grid.

This new technology is beginning to catch on and a few people who have installed their own wind turbines have seen significant savings on their utility bills. These savings will continue to grow!

Commercial sales and installation are now available, but the prices tend to be prohibitive. However, if you have a few basic DIY skills, you can build and install a small turbine at your home very cost effectively, with most of that cost being recovered in the first year.

There are now a range of manuals available on the internet that you can buy that will walk you through the process of building your own turbine and you don't need any special skills or knowledge.

The parts you need to build your own turbine can be purchased at any hardware store for less than $300. The whole assembly process will take anywhere from a few days to a week depending on how much time you can devote to the project everyday.

All in all DIY wind power is a great way for you to save money on your utility bills as well as have the feeling of pride and independence that comes from doing something yourself and saving the environment as a bonus.

Going Green With a Wind Turbine

No matter what part of the world you are from, whether you are trying to enjoy the beauty of the changing leaves and bracing yourself for winter or delighting in the blossoms of spring and dreading a long hot summer, your electricity bills will continue to grow unless you do something different this year. Going green has never been easier, and it can help you save some money all year long. So, where do you start?

There are literally dozens of things you can do to save some money on your electric bills, some of them are big and will save you thousands, others are smaller and will save you hundreds. Either way make as many changes as you can now and you'll save money for years to come.

Here are some of the easier, less expensive changes you can make:

1. Unplug unused electronics. You may not realize it but even if they're not turned on they are still in stand-by mode and they are still drawing electricity, so you are still paying for using them. Just unplug them.

2. Replace your old style light bulbs with energy saving light bulbs. You can buy a bunch now and go through your house, or you can just wait until a bulb burns out to replace it.

3. Did you know that your fridges and freezers use more power nearly empty than full? Therefore if you have two half filled ones turn one off and you will save a heap.

4. Choose to have your heaters a couple of degrees cooler and coolers a couple of degrees warmer and you might be surprised by the difference. When you are not using a room turn off the heating or cooling, it is simple good sense.

All of these things will save you a few hundred dollars over the course of the year. If you want more savings then it might cost you a little but you should consider these things:

1. Install energy efficient windows and doors which will cut down on leakage from your house and increase the efficiency of both your heating and cooling..

2. Increase the amount of insulation you have in your home, both in the walls and ceiling.

3. Build your own wind turbine. Some of these wind energy kits can reduce your electricity bill by more than half with the investment of a mere couple of hundred dollars.

4. Consider getting a solar hot water service, and heat your water for free, because in a normal house about a third of your electricity goes to heating hot water.

As you can see, you do have options when it comes to saving money on your utility bills and going green. You can start as big, or as small, as you want. The important thing is that you start today.

Wind Energy And Your Electronic Devices Can Save You Money

I guess we really are the land of plenty, the lucky country, because everybody has a range of electronic devises in their home. TV's, cell phones, DVD players, VCR's, computers etc. The list goes on and on. Most of these devices did not even exist a generation ago. Most families who have all these things would never consider themselves rich but in world terms we are! The trouble is that all these electronic devices use electricity which seems to continually get more expensive. In order to stay "rich" we need to look at ways to reduce our energy usage without getting rid of our toys.

What if you could power all of these devices with your personal electricity; instead of having to buy it from the local power companies? Well you can and you can do it and fairly inexpensively. The most renewable energy source that can be harvested by you is to install your own home wind turbine kit. There are many designs available that will allow you to build your own for just a couple of hundred dollars.

If that seems a bit of a stretch for you, here are a few other things you can do.

Most people don't realize that even though their electronic item is turned off it is still in 'stand-by' mode, which means that it is still using electricity...and costing you money.

If you're not going to be using that TV in the basement for a long time then unplug it. I know it can be a bit of a hassle since you may need to re-set the channels, but if you unplug it when you don't need it, you can save yourself quite a bit of money over the course of a year!

Your computer is another energy hog. Many of us leave our computers on virtually around the clock all year long. I've heard conflicting opinions of whether or not it is good to turn your computer off daily, some say it's best while others say it's not good for it. The least you can do is to set your computer to an energy saving stand-by mode when not in use. It's sometimes referred to as sleep mode. That way you will be saving electricity without having to reboot your computer every morning before you use it.

None of these changes are going to make you the next millionaire. But all of them, with wind power, can combine to make quite a dent on your energy bills. These are simple energy savings techniques that don't take much time and you don't need any money or very little money. With such little effort and the potential savings, why wouldn't you do it?

Wind Is A Cheap Energy Source

Fear on its own is not a good motivation for change. Yet as I talk to people who are struggling to cover their everyday living expenses and the fear of another interest rate hike, they are looking for any advantage. Electricity is one of those things that we just can't do without, so it is one of the first things that we must cover. But what if you could take some steps today that could lower your bill? Don't live in fear any longer, take control of your life and change a few minor things.

Here are some things you can do to cut your energy bills:

• add insulation in walls and ceilings,
  
• get a programmable thermostat to control the temperature of your home,
  
• replace or repair leaky windows and doors to reduce heat loss (in winter) and keep heat out in summer
• replace normal incandescent globes with compact fluorescent globes, and make sure you turn the lights off when you are not in the room
• Turn off computer, TV's and DVDs, because they use power even they are on standby.
• While these things are helpful and WILL lower your bill, none of them will make a huge impact.
  

However, if you follow the above advice and add to these a wind turbine, you can produce your own electricity, and that will give you even greater savings. Some people have decided not to go down this route because of the cost of turbines, but recent changes have meant that people can now build their own wind turbine. With a few basic skills it's described as "easy" and fairly inexpensive yet it can produce up to 60% of the energy your home needs daily.

The sites I have been looking at suggest that to build a small home wind turbine you will need some supplies, which will cost around $200, and a couple of days to put it all together. For a relatively small investment you will save a significant amount on your electricity bill.

Of course there are always pessimists who will tell you that it's a waste of time and you won't be able to generate enough electricity with your own turbine to make a difference. I guess that's true, to a point.

If your goal is to generate all the electricity your home needs with just one small turbine then you will be disappointed. But I am an optimist, and I live in the hope of generating enough electricity to make a fairly big dent in my utility bill even with just one turbine!

The important thing to remember is that whatever savings you get from your turbine isn't just good for one season or one year, it will add up for years to come and that is significant.

So use a wind turbine to take advantage of a cheap energy source and save the environment as well as save yourself some of your hard earned money.

Free Wind Energy

Saving Your Money and The Planet At The Same Time

With so many of us feeling a financial pinch, implementing energy savings techniques around our homes just makes sense.

Let's face it, few of us are in a position to increase our incomes, or if we can usually not by very much, therefore we need to find a way to save money. The good news is that you can start today and you can start at home.

There are dozens of simple, cheap, and even free, things you can do right now that can make your home more energy efficient and reduce your carbon footprint.

A few of the things that you can do to save energy around your home are: replace old style light bulbs with energy efficient bulbs, cook foods at the lowest temperature possible, turn off all lights and appliances when you leave a room, keep your computer on energy saving mode when not in use, consider getting rid of your drink fridge in the garage, and get a fan instead of using an air conditioning unit.

Many governments are also getting into the act by giving financial assistance for adding insulation to your ceiling or installing a solar water heater, which will reduce your water heating energy consumption by about 70%.

This very simple list isn't going to save you thousands of dollars a year, but each one of these things is easy to do and will save you money so what have you got to lose?

If you want to make a bigger dent on your utility bill there are other things that may cost some money and/or take some effort but they can pay off big by reducing your electric bill even more significantly.

One of the most powerful ways to save your money and even possibly increase your income is installing a home wind turbine for your home. You can get these kits for under $300.00. You can even store the excess electricity you create with your wind power generator and sell it back to your electric company.

It may take a while to recoup your investment, and to learn new habits but together they will pay off, and keep your utility bill lower for years to come.

The bottom line is that you can save money by using one of more of these energy savings strategies right now. Some are cheaper and easier than others, but they will all work to cut back on your expenses.

Keeping The Electricity Bill Low

Here in Australia we are now getting into the summer months, yet those on the other side of the world are battening down the hatches for winter. Trying to survive in the current economic climate is a universal challenge, whether it is wondering if you will be able to afford to heat your home this winter and still be able to eat or dreading the electricity bill when the air conditioner has been on all week. The good news is that there are ways to cut energy bills, and you might even get paid to do it.

Around the world many governments, as part of their stimulus plans, are trying to help homeowners cope by encouraging them to make their homes more energy efficient. Some are offering sizable tax credits when you replace your doors and window with more energy efficient models or add insulation to your walls or ceiling. Other governments are offering incentives for commercial businesses and residents to make their own electricity with wind power or solar panels. This of course involves the installation of a Wind Turbine Kits and/or solar panels on your property. Don't worry! We aren't talking about a 60' turbine or hundreds of panels. What we are talking about is a home wind power kit that, tied in with the other points below, can save you a bunch of money.

Much of the heat loss in a home comes from leaky, poorly sealed, and old windows and doors. Technology has made significant advancements in the energy efficiency of windows and doors, so if yours are more than 10 years old it's probably time for an upgrade. Obviously if the warm air (or cool air) continually leaks out you will use a lot more energy trying to keep your home the temperature you want.

I know that, with the economy in the shape it's in, not everyone can afford the expense of buying new windows and doors, tax credit or no tax credit. Many companies now make window kits, which are essentially a plastic sheet you can put over your existing windows to add another layer and prevent heat loss. They are inexpensive to buy and easy to fit.

So if you want to take advantage of the tax credit and buy new windows, that would be great, or you can pay about the same amount to make your own wind turbine and use cheap (free) energy to assist in heating your house. The fact is, if you can do both, you will definitely cut your energy bills whether you are facing summer or winter.

How Does Wind Power Work?

Over the last couple of years wind power has come into its own and is getting a lot of press. It seems like everyone is jumping on the bandwagon promoting this clean, renewable energy source. But what is it and how can we use it?

First of all, you have to keep in mind that, in the strictest sense of the word, wind energy actually comes from the sun, since it's the heat of the sun that creates the wind. The sun heats the Earth but different surfaces will absorb the heat at different rates. When the hot air rises it draws cooler air in to replace it; this is the movement that we refer to as wind.

Using the wind to generate electricity is clean and renewable but not without it's problems. For example, using huge sections of land for a wind farm will prevent that land from being used to grow crops, though the sheep don't seem to mind. More often it is the cost of the initial installation of wind turbines that turns many people off.

However, the newest trend is for private households to make their own turbine which will dramatically cut down the cost of the initial outlay. The downside is that one turbine isn't going to be enough to supply your home with all the electricity it needs on a day to day basis. When you add to that the fact that it is not going to be windy everyday, there will continue to be shortfalls which you may still need the electricity company to supply.

As with most things, technology is making huge advances in the methods and efficiency of converting the wind into electricity as well as the storage capabilities of that electricity. So, as advances continue to be made, wind energy will become more and more feasible for wide scale commercial and residential use.

Now that you know more about wind power and how best to use it for your own personal use you might want to dig a little deeper and find out how to get a wind turbine that will help you save money on your electric bill, now and well into the future.

Wind Energy - Turbines for Home Use

When driving out west recently I could not help noticing a couple of new wind farms, with dozens of gigantic wind turbines, making energy while the sheep continued to graze underneath. In Australia, when people suggest wind turbines this is the picture they imagine, but the reality is that small turbines are now available that can be set up in your own backyard which can enable you to generate your own electricity.

In my local context it is rare to see these small turbines which can be attached to your rooftop but the few that are appearing almost look like some sort of sculpture. They're small, compact, and even attractive which is why they are beginning to catch on, even some businesses have converted to wind power to subsidise their electricity needs.

You can use the same principles for your home and you might be surprised to learn that a small, home sized, turbine can be purchased for between $600-$12,000, or you can build your own for a few hundred dollars. Most suppliers suggest that it will only take a day or two to build and you can even make it into a family project.

The good news is that one small turbine can cut your electric bill by up to 80%. That is significant especially when you remember that the savings will go on as long as you keep your turbine running. However, you must remember that one turbine won't supply your home with all the power it needs. You will probably still need to buy some electricity.

Even better still, if you install several turbines and put more energy into the grid when it is windy, on the calm days you will still be in front financially. Alternatively you could combine your wind power with solar power by installing solar panels too, which will continue to supply energy on still days. Between these two sources of renewable energy you'll be able to be even more self sufficient!

No matter what you choose to do: buy a turbine, build your own turbine, have multiple turbines, or combine wind energy with solar energy, you still have a viable option when it comes to going green and saving money. Don't put it off any longer, pick the option that is right for you and start today.

How You Can Slash Your Electric Bill With Wind Power and Common Sense

No matter where you live the extreme temperatures of summer and winter increase the use of electricity, and the associated worry of how to pay those particular bills. During summer you can turn off the air conditioner to save some money. For many winter is harder because you can't just turn off the heat. So how do you effectively cut energy bills? There are many options available to us, it is just that we procrastinate and fail to do anything! The key is to start in a small way and then build up to bigger things.

The first step may be to make sure your home is as energy efficient as possible. Some governments even offer tax credits to those homeowners who buy energy efficient windows and doors. Simply being energy conscious and turning off lights and unused appliances will save power, the key is changing your own attitude, which will cost you nothing.

One of the other ways to cut your power bill is to take a look at the possibility of supplying your own electricity with a free and renewable energy source. That's right! The technology to build a wind powered generator is now readily available, making it possible to have your very own Wind Turbine, which some claim to cut their energy bills in half or more, for the investment of a couple of hundred dollars.

If that type of expenditure isn't in the cards for you right now you can always start by adding insulation in your attic, and filling gaps around windows and doors. Other simple steps like cleaning your furnace filters, installing insulated curtains and blinds can also make significant savings to your energy bill. Another obvious saving is to add a programmable thermostat to your heating system to keep the temperature turned down when no one is home or at night.

In winter if you try to keep curtains open during the day to allow the sunlight to come in you have heated your room for nothing. The trick is to then remember to close the curtains at night to keep the heat locked in. These simple steps can save hundreds of dollars a season. It may even be more fun to stay warm by just cuddling up under a blanket rather than turning up the heat.

Another option is to raise the moisture level, which will not only help prevent dry skin and minimise static electricity it will also make you feel warmer, because moist air feels warmer than dry air. Thus adding a humidifier to your home will allow you to lower the temperature without it feeling any colder.

These are all simple things we can all do to cut energy bills. These things are not hard, they just require us to learn new habits and new attitudes which will also save you money and in the big picture be kinder to the planet too.

Should I Install A Wind Turbine At Home

It doesn't really matter what subject you talk about there are always going to be a wide range of opinions. The pros and cons of alternative energy sources are one of those subjects. Over the last couple of years many people have taken the plunge and built their own wind turbines and solar panels, and swear that it was worth it while others think it's just a waste of time.

I am still trying to work out the technical aspects but the principle is simple, the energy of the wind or the sun is converted to electricity which is then used or stored in a battery for later use.

Wind turbines come in a range of sizes, some small enough for you to use in your own backyard. They also utilise a diversity of shapes, though the most common is the wind mill style. My research tells me that you can build your own turbine in a couple of days for a few hundred dollars, with the majority of the parts you need purchased from your local hardware store. The home owners who have gone down this track claim to have had savings of up to 80% off of their electric bills.

The downside of building your own turbine is the upfront expense, the time and the perceived lack of expertise to pull it off. It's also important to note that while one turbine can help you save money on your utility bill, it won't supply enough electricity for all of your household needs. You will still probably need to pay for some electricity from your utility company.

The other requirement for this to work is wind, and some places have more than others. Even in notoriously windy places there will still be days when you won't generate any electricity. In this case you could supplement the electricity from your turbine with solar panels, or other forms of renewable energy, or just buy it from your utility company.

However, for most people the relatively small investment required to build a wind turbine should turn out to be a good investment. While it may not make you self sufficient, it should give you some control over your ongoing electricity costs as well as bragging rights to all of your friends, and it is one step towards being more ecologically sensitive.

Saving The Planet

The recent trend towards environmentally sensitive living means that there are a whole range of things you can do to save energy that will not only help the planet but positively affect your financial health as well. Some things are fairly elaborate and may cost money in the short term, while others are very simple and require only an investment of time. No matter which option you choose, you should start today. Some of the simpler things you can do to help the environment are listed as follows:

1 Make sure that your car is regularly serviced and well tuned. Older vehicles tend to use more fuel, and are harder to keep running efficiently and with less pollution, so you may need to consider upgrading. Low tyre pressures can also negatively affect performance, so check them regularly.

2 Plan your trips so that you do not have to do multiple trips, but combine them. Consider walking or riding a bicycle when covering short distances as this will not only help the environment, but also it will help you to keep fit.

3 Recycle as much as you can. Most communities now allow and encourage the recycling of aluminium cans, glass, steel, paper and cardboard products. Changing how you dispose of these things will lower the pressure on land fill tips and make available these materials for new products, a win/win situation. Some recyclers even pay you for your rubbish!

4 Insulate your home so that you lose less heat through your ceiling and walls, which may be difficult for established houses, but well worth the expense if you are able, and a must for new houses. Resealing around doors and windows will also help achieve better insulation.

5 Reduce the thermostat on your heater, and be content to put a jumper (pullover) on instead and you will save money and maybe even suffer less colds and flu as well.

6 Consider generating your own electricity. The simplest of these is to build your own wind turbine. Modern designs look more like an abstract sculpture than a classical wind mill, and as such will blend into the architecture of most houses, often being mounted on the roof. One small wind turbine can cut the amount of electricity you need to buy from your utility company by up to 60%. That can add up to a very significant savings. Turbines can be build for around $200 in a matter of a couple of days.

7 Another approach where turbines may not be appropriate is to use solar panels which generate electricity from the sun and can supply a good proportion of household needs.

Being ecologically sensitive can be as simple or as elaborate as you want it to be. the important thing is that you decide on a course of action and then go for it. You will feel really good knowing that not only are you saving money, but you're saving the planet too.