Vertical Axis Windmills - The 3 Critical Factors You Need to Know

With the current energy prices rising and the economy tanking more people are trying to find effective ways to lower their energy bills. One area that wise consumers are looking to is creating their own energy with vertical axis windmills and solar panels. I mean imagine the thrill of not getting an energy bill at the beginning of each month. For those of us who have bills of $200, $300, $400 or more a month this would be a windfall to say the least.

The good news this is not fantasy. Many corporations are turning to wind power, such as Nissan UK, Safeway Grocers, and Whole Foods Inc. But the savings aren't limited to big corporations, in fact there are some households who are creating so much energy that they have a surplus and are turning around and "selling" their extra energy back to their utility companies.

Will Wind Power Work For You: The Bottom Line Facts

People often get very excited when they hear that they can create a vertical axis windmill with a car radiator fan, or an alternator and some packing material. It is exciting to be sure but there are some real concerns that those who just want to sell you something are not telling you. However before I get into the concern I want to encourage you that if a vertical turbine will not work for you, there are other solutions, and I will cover some below.

Wind Turbine Energy Fact #1

Wind speed becomes a main factor as to whether your environment can support wind energy production. The fact is that even the most efficient vertical axis wind turbine cannot produce enough power to be of any use at wind speeds below 9MPG. And most models cannot be effectively relied upon until wind speeds are up to 12 MPH or more. And really this needs to be consistent wind speed. Not just the occasional gusts. You can research your local wind speed by visiting awea.org. But before you jump the gun, read on.

Wind Turbine Energy Fact #2

Even if you find that you have a high enough prevailing wind speed in your area to support wind power, your own property may not be able to give you enough wind to do you any good. The reality is that factors such as trees and buildings can have a tremendous effect on the wind flow in your property. There have been numerous cases where residents have installed wind turbines and neighbor's trees have grown up to block out the wind and decrease efficiency. So do your investigation to see if you have the wind flowing in an area that you can actually place a turbine, and that there will be no future impediment to that wind flow.

Wind Turbine Energy Fact #3

Zoning is a factor that very few people take into consideration. As hip as being green is becoming and as nice as vertical axis windmills can look, many neighborhoods do not allow strange contraptions that would be considered "eye-sores." This means that you need to check with your CC&Rs and local zoning. And if you live in an apartment or condo you will have to check with your housing organization to see if this type of home made power plant will be allowed.

The Best Solution

The bottom line best solution is to run a combination of energy sources such as wind and solar. But up until recently the only options for such combinations ran as high as $30,000 The good news is that there are plans available to construct your own solar panels and wind turbines with no mechanical skills required. These panels are very inexpensive, often under $200, so the ability to recoup costs is very fast.

For more information on wind turbine plans along with solar panel plans, click to http://www.residentialsolarandwindpower.com

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