| In the United States wind energy is the second | | | | rooftop wind turbine or mounted on its own small |
| biggest source of new energy outpaced only by | | | | tower. The recommended tower height is about 30 |
| natural gas. At the end of 2007 wind turbines were | | | | feet. These are relatively expensive but will pay for |
| producing over 16000 megawatts of electric power | | | | themselves in the course of time. |
| and nearly one third of that capacity was installed in | | | | If you know how to build a wind turbine your home |
| 2007. In 2008 about 1% of the united States electric | | | | wind turbine will cost much less and fortunately this is |
| power will be supplied by wind energy. Most of this | | | | fairly easy to do. Plans and instructions showing how |
| of course is from large commercial wind turbines but | | | | to build your own wind turbine are readily available |
| an ever increasing amount is coming from small wind | | | | and thousands of people have built their own home |
| turbines installed by individuals. The home wind turbine | | | | made wind turbine. You will often be told that strong |
| is definitely coming into its own as more and more | | | | winds are needed for wind power generation. This is |
| people realise that something must be done to | | | | absolutely not so. Even gentle breezes will produce |
| decrease our dependence on electric power supplied | | | | power which is stored in batteries till needed. |
| by fossil fuel burning generating stations. Gas and coal | | | | If you live far from electric power lines you either |
| powered electric power production has increased | | | | get by with no electric power or generate your own. |
| dramatically over the years and emissions from the | | | | Gasoline powered generators will do the job but they |
| fuels burnt in these facilities is a major source of | | | | are expensive to run and heavy polluters. You may |
| atmospheric pollution. | | | | be fortunate enough to have a stream which can |
| Wind power by comparision is absolutely clean and | | | | generate power for you using a water power |
| the only objectiion to it,voiced by some people,is | | | | system but these are usually difficult to build and |
| visual pollution from the arrays of wind turbines | | | | expensive. In most situations a wind turbine is the |
| necessary for large scale power production. However | | | | best answer. You can in fact build your own wind |
| the residential wind turbine poses no such problems. | | | | turbine for much less than the price of a commercial |
| Relatively small and unobtrusive home wind turbines | | | | model. You could install two or three of them and |
| including vertical axis wind turbines are the key to | | | | have plenty of power for all purposes. Building your |
| small scale wind power generation. A combination of | | | | own home wind turbine is a fairly simple project |
| home solar panels-wind turbines can produce much of | | | | which the average home workshopper can easily |
| the power required by the average home. Small wind | | | | manage. Wind power is the coming thing and will save |
| powered turbines are manufactured by a number of | | | | you money as well as reducing atmospheric pollution. |
| companies and can be readily set up either as a | | | | Why not try it? |