Shifting Solutions

You need all of the necessary components to have a functional system

System Components
The wind generator (or “turbine”) is only one component in a wind-electric system, and very often is not even the most expensive component. You need all of the necessary components to have a functional system. Plan ahead to buy quality components properly matched to each other and to your energy use. A complete wind-electric system includes:
• Turbine-generates electricity using the wind’s energy
• Tower-supports the turbine, getting it up out of the turbulent zone created by trees and buildings, and exposes the turbine to much more “fuel”
• Wiring and conduit-carries the electricity down the tower and to power-conditioning equipment
• Controller/Electronics-controls charging of battery or input to inverter
• Batteries-used for storage in off-grid systems or grid-tied systems with battery backup
• Inverter-converts direct current (DC) electricity from batteries or rectifier to alternating current (AC) for home use or “storage” on the utility grid
• Metering-allows user to understand and manage system operation.

If you want to look further into the possibilities of residential wind power, please click the highlighted link. You’ll find resources, such as books on home wind power, home solar systems, DIY kits for both and smaller solar products for around the home, such as garden lighting and more. Also you’ll find pages on Tax grants and government rebates, and then many interesting alternative energy articles.

Tomorrow, for part 2 we’ll delve into what a swept area is. Please check back.

Wind is more cost effective as you increase in system size

“Small wind,” in our definition, starts with turbines with rotors (turbine blades and hub) that are about 8 feet in diameter (50 square feet of swept area). These turbines may peak at about 1,000 watts (1 kilowatt; KW), and generate about 75 kilowatt-hours (KWH) per month with a 10 mph average wind speed. Turbines smaller than this may be appropriate for sailboats, cabins, or other applications that require only a small amount of electricity. But if you want a significant amount of energy, you need a rotor with significant swept area-it is, after all, the wind turbine’s “collector.”
On the other end of the “small wind” scale, it’s reasonable to include turbines with rotors up to 56 feet in diameter (2,500 square feet of swept area). These turbines may peak at about 90,000 watts (90 KW), and generate 3,000 to 5,000 KWH per month at a 10 mph average wind speed. Turbines of this scale are appropriate for very large homes, farms, small businesses, schools, or institutions that use a lot of electricity, or for heating applications, village power, and other major energy uses.
In between 8 feet and 56 feet are various sizes of turbines that can accommodate a variety of energy appetites. It’s crucial that you have an accurate idea of what your energy usage is and the wind resource available at your site, so you can match the turbine’s output to your energy needs.
Sizing a wind-electric system is quite different than sizing a solar-electric (PV) system. With a PV system, space permitting, you can add capacity either as your needs grow, or as you can afford it. With a wind-electric system, this is simply not the case. A wind turbine is not incremental. Nor do people typically add more wind turbines and towers as money becomes available. Because wind is more cost effective as you increase in system size, most people put up only one wind turbine, with the intent of offsetting a large percentage of their electric bill or, in off-grid systems, meeting most or all of their electrical energy requirements.

If you want to look further into the possibilities of residential wind power, please click the highlighted link. You’ll find resources, such as books on home wind power, home solar systems, DIY kits for both and smaller solar products for around the home, such as garden lighting and more. Also you’ll find pages on Tax grants and government rebates, and then many interesting alternative energy articles.

Tomorrow, for part 2 we’ll delve into system components. Please check back.

Over time, residential wind power will pay for itself.

As a stand alone or as an addition to a HOME SOLAR SYSTEM, anyone looking to further lower their energy bills should give some thought to residential wind power. Creating your own private windmill is not as difficult as it may sound, and when you are done you will be able to harness the wind to help you create electricity for your home. This power can help you lower your energy bills, and it can help you generate power when the commercial power lines go down.

A strong consideration on this type of decision is that you don’t figure on running your whole house at all time with the wind. Using residential wind power will help you reduce the need for commercial electricity, but it does not mean you will be able to severe all ties with the electric company. The reason for this is simple, given that wind is not always present to charge your homes power grid. If you live in in a part of the country that is constantly windy, then you could hook the system up to a row of batteries to store the energy for those windless days. Alternatively, hook the windmill up to a “NET METERING” system provided by your local Utility company, so that when you produce more energy than you can use on any given day, then you receive a credit back from your Utility company, on those days when the wind doesn’t blow, then you use power from the Utility’s system and at the end of the month, you only pay the difference. This will effectively reduce your monthly power bills substantially.

Another way to use a wind power generator, AND possibly eradicate your monthly energy bills totally would be to use the home wind power system along side a home solar system. This way when the wind is not present, your energy comes from the sun and vice-a-versa.

Over time this type of residential power pays for itself by the amount it lowers your electric bills each month. By supplementing your existing power supply from the electric company with your own wind source, you can reduce your reliance on commercial electricity by as much as 25 to 30%. The number could be more, or it could be less, but a savings like that on your electric bill every month should pay for the windmill in a relatively short period of time.

When a storm hits and the power lines go down, you would still have electricity to your home through your private wind turbine. You can make sure that all of your home’s essential functions remain running, and also be sure that you and your family can ride out the storm in comfort. It also helps to have wind power when you are waiting for the power company to repair the damaged power lines. Residential wind power is definitely the way to go.

” NET METERING” see the articles posted on this blog

http://www.shiftingsolutionsllcinfo.com/category/home-energy/about-net-metering/

Find resources, such as books on sustainable living, green construction and many others, plus solar products for in and around your home. Find DIY KITS, 5 to choose from for a build it your self renewable energy system. Click the high lighted link today and explore the possibilities.

Environmental in nature and cost free

As a nation we are consumed with the ever increasing demand for energy and conventional sources of energy are getting unreachable. Coupled with our economy woes more and more people are looking to renewable energy as alternative sources. Wind energy is one of those popular choices available as a means of powering your house. Residential wind power is a safe and cost effective energy system.

Consider her benefits; no impact on the environment, and the produced energy is cost free. It really is beneficial for those who live off the main grid. many homeowners are now finding that they are reducing their monthly electrical bills by as much as 100% and some are even make extra cash by setting up a “NET METERING” system with their local utility company.

There are step-by-step guides and video tutorials available for those who want to install their own residential wind power system . A very clear and precise guide for a very average do it by your self kind of person. Why would you ant to buy or hire experts if you can do it your self over a weekend. The guides explain clearly where you might find the materials you need locally and cheaply, who to assemble them and install the sytsem your self. It’s not rocket science. If you own a hammer and a screwdriver, maybe a ladder too, you’ll be set.

Click the link above for more information on where to get this kit, books on sustainable energy and green construction and much much more.

When our utility bills became almost too much for the family budget to bear, my wife and I laid down the law. We had witnessed all of our children at one time or another leaving the refrigerator door open, allowing light bulbs to burn all night long and otherwise being negligent about electrical use. But rather than playing hardball with them, I felt we should turn energy efficiency into an incentivized game.

Studying our electrical and heating bills, I came up with a practical target number to aim for in the next month. Then I explained the rules of the game to my three kids: If we managed to lower the bills by a given amount, everyone would be treated to a nice dinner at their favorite pizza place. I also challenged the kids to do some research into ways we could save money on heat and electricity – from ideas about home solar energy to wind turbine construction.

Michael Harvey, found out how horribly expensive it was to hire a company to provide and install home solar power systems.

He had been quoted over $28,000.00 for a basic installation in his own home. So, being a renewable energy professional for 15 years, he knew a good opportunity. when he saw one. He decided to build his system himself, from scratch. He kept meticulous notes, hired someone to video his entire process and with that he copied his notes and created a manual that is so easy to understand and follow along with that any novice could build one . After all it’s not really rocket science. He now sells his kit to the public, telling you where you can find each of the components locally and at the best prices. He shows you in meticulous detail how to assemble all the components to make an array and then to install the finished unit on your roof. He also shows how to hook the array up to your homes power gird or battery storage.

He knows that building and installing solar panels can be complicated for a beginner, but in his home solar kit he includes very clear instructions that make things really very simple. It’s a three part system:

1. An introduction to solar energy
2. How to build a solar panel
3. Solar help package which includes:

• Solar Panel installation And Mounting
• Electrical Wiring Plans
• The Solar Calculator
• Energy Consumer Guide
• Solar Tax Credits And Rebates

You’ll find that you can build your own 60-120 watt solar panel somewhere under $200.00. You can read many testimonials from happy customers who built their solar panels for under $50.00 apiece.

Michael throws in several bonuses as well:

• The Video Series.
• How to make a wind turbine.

Best of all the GUARANTEE!

They offer a 60 day full refund if you don’t like the course for any reason. All you do is send an email within 60 days and request a refund. No hassle or explanations.

Check Out DIY home solar power systems kits Here!

SCORE

Ease of building: 9.5/10
Time to build: 8/10
Amount of power: 9/10
Cost to build: 9/10
Ease of getting parts: 9.5/10
Educational value: 9/10
Refund policy: 10/10

Overall: 64/70

The production KWH meter is an additional component.

In many grid-tied PV systems, a single, bidirectional KWH meter measures net production from the PV system as well as electricity
consumption from the grid. In Kathleen’s case, her utility meter doesn’t deduct the PV-produced electricity from her utility electricity purchase. Instead, the designated production meter keeps track of the electricity produced by the PV system, which she is paid for.

From the production KWH meter, the two hot wires, a neutral wire, and an equipment-ground wire continue to the AC service entrance. The hots enter a standard household AC Distribution panel through a two-pole, 30-amp, 240 VAC breaker. There, the neutral and ground wires terminate at their respective bus bars. The energy produced by Kathleen’s PV system either contributes to the mix of electricity powering her household loads or, if thesystem is producing more electricity than she’s using, enters the electric utility grid through her utility KWH meter.

While Kathleen didn’t actually climb on her roof to install her PV system, she was definitely involved with the planning and paperwork of the process, especially the permitting and net metering agreements. “I was amazed and inspired,” she says, “with how patient and helpful everyone was.” Skagit County Head Electrical Inspector Dennis Patterson readily answered
technical questions in advance. Jake Wade, program implementer of the Renewable Energy Advantage Program at Puget Sound Energy (PSE), Kathleen’s electrical utility, walked her
through all the necessary paperwork to get her system signed up for production.

This topic will continue on till Sat. chronicling one persons journey installing home solar Power systems. Please tune in tomorrow for more information on this subject.

The owner referred to here paid a substantial sum to a contractor to have here home solar system built for her,and even with the many rebates and tax breaks she used ( see chart on sat. blog) It was still a lot of money. I’m here to inform you that if you are just the least bit handy, you can build one yourself all the panels you may need at once or one or two at a time, for just a fraction of the cost she paid. To underline the point, I’m a girl who previously new just of the existence of screwdrivers, hammers and drills. My husband used to always handle repairs that needed those tools. Well, with him being sick, I had to finish what he started. Granted, it took me about a week and half, where I am sure my husband could have done it in a few days. But the point is I did it!

With the home solar kits available today you can follow easy instructions that show you clearly how to make solar panels and build your own solar panel system that will work for you, with the easy to follow video’s and written instructions, detailing every little detail, from where to buy the materials cheaply in your neighborhood, to putting them together and where and how to install them on your roof. ( I did need the hand of a helpful neighbor to help me lift them on the roof!) as well as how to connect the whole thing up to the homes grid or battery packs if that is what you will use. I broke a few nails, but the thing now offsets a good portion of our electrical bills each month.

A few more panels, next summer should take care of the entire homes needs. Click the link above to learn more on how to build solar panel systems.