Do home wind turbines actually work? The answer is a very reserved "yes." With solar energy cruising into record territory, small-scale wind power for residential use tends to get lost in the sun (poor pun intended).There are several caveats, though wind power is not an altogether losing proposition. It really depends on the need and the scale of use. They even make compact turbines for powering RVs, so it also depends on your definition of "home."

It's important to note that a 1 kW turbine is a "peak" power measure, not necessarily what you'll get out of it. The more useful number to look at is annual or monthly energy production, measured in kilowatt-hours. In a carefully chosen position, a 1 kW turbine could feasibly produce 200 kWh per month, or about 2,400 kWh per year. That works out to under a quarter of the average US household's annual energy consumption.

None of this is to say that wind turbines are weak power producers — it just depends on the wind. If you live in an area with annual wind speeds averaging 14+ mph, this is something worth looking into. If not, or if windy days are sparse or even average, maybe not so much. A 1 kW system is feasible, but it's best to look at it in terms of supplemental power for an already efficient home.

A wind turbine for a home practically requires a high average wind speed that's consistent month-to-month. Homes with lots of trees, surrounded by other homes, behind hills or with large sheds need not apply.

Source link