Shifting Solutions

Solar in Safe Harbor

“It’s a double-edged sword with wind,” Mike says. “We like the wind, and we need the wind, but we also like to get out of the wind.” Before, anchoring in low-wind spots or seeking shelter in harbors meant that the couple had to rely on the diesel generator. For that reason, Mike chose to supplement the wind generator with a simple solar-electric system-two Shell 80-watt PV modules mounted horizontally on the bimini (awning) over the cockpit. He purchased the modules from Marine Warehouse in Trinidad, and sourced from a local hardware store the electrical cabling and other parts-stainless-steel tubing, mounting brackets, and nuts and bolts that resist the corrosive effects of salt water.
Because the position of the boat is always changing and shadows are inevitable, the placement of the modules is not critical to the system’s overall performance. “On a boat, it’s usually a matter of finding free space where the modules are out of the way and won’t get damaged,” says Mike, who chose not to tilt the modules, and instead, flush-mounted them to the bimini frame. “I probably could have gotten slightly better performance if I’d made the mount adjustable, but the sun is so strong and the days are so long here that the slight gain didn’t seem all that important.”

Have you got your plans made? Today’s the day! The big new decade, celebrations for new beginnings! Have fun, but please remember not to drink then drive, have a non drinking buddy around to be your driver or call a cab.

Resolve this year to clean up your space in the planet. Reduce the carbon footprint just a little, by learning how to build your own solar panel or wind generator. Click the link, and learn how to acquire a DIY Home solar system kits that explains all you need to know for the novice on where to find the supplies cheaply and locally, how to assemble them and install and hook up the renewable energy system to your homes power grid. I am not a sales person, so just click Hubbies link and read what you need to know on renewable energy systems, green construction, sustainable living ( not sustainable loving) and some great products you can buy to illuminate your yard and charge your battery ( which we all may need after tonight’s party!)

See you in the new year!

Sustainability at Sea

For cruisers, who generally sail in areas where the sun and wind are abundant, combining solar and wind power is a no-brainer-especially when the alternative is burning diesel fuel to charge batteries. “When you use the power of the wind to move your home,” Mike says, “you feel good. And when you can power the rest of your needs with renewable energy, it completes the picture.”
In 2003, after talking with fellow cruisers and observing different wind turbines at work, Mike purchased a wind turbine manufactured by Kiss Energy Systems (KES) in Chaguaramas, Trinidad. Designed for marine conditions, the KISS (Keep It Simple Sailor) turbine is durable yet quiet enough for the confined quarters of a sailboat. Elliptical blade ends minimize tip noise, while a 9-foot tower mounted to the stern provides plenty of headroom-nearly 7 feet.

Mike and Joanne saved on labor costs by installing the turbine themselves. Instead of using the mast mount kit offered by KES, they fashioned a mount from stainless-steel pipe-which cut costs some but added hours to the project. “Measuring, cutting, and fitting the turbine mount took several days. What made the installation more difficult was that we did it at anchor. It would have been much easier if the boat was on land or docked, but we managed,” Mike says.
Three blades make up the 58-inch-diameter rotor. The aerodynamic fiberglass two-piece housing is hand-molded in KES’s Chaguaramas shop, as are the blades. The manufacturing of the three-phase, permanent-magnet alternator is subcontracted to local fabricators. The alternator’s three-phase AC output is, in turn, converted to DC for battery charging. In typical 15-knot (17.3 mph) winds, the turbine can produce up to 7.5 amps for the 12-volt nominal battery bank. If batteries are full, the wind genny can freewheel or an electrical brake can minimize the rotation in winds up to 30 knots (34.5 mph). Stronger winds require the freewheel mode, and a thermal switch reduces the output and prevents the alternator from overheating.
Because the turbine does not include additional regulation other than the thermal switch, manually furling the turbine is necessary to prevent excessive battery voltages. Mike does not worry too much about overcharging the batteries, since he’s never far from the boat for long. On the rare occasion when the turbine needs a break or, in trade winds, makes too much noise, he stops the rotor manually by switch. “If we’re lucky enough to make that much energy, it’s time to do some ironing, use the microwave, or make some other use of it,” he says.

Geez..tomorrow comes around fast! Oh wait, it’s is still Sat. I’m writing ahead, so I can get to those parties this coming weekend and not have to worry about getting this article finished, while Jaye and I party under the cracker lit sky! Remember , don’t drink, then drive! Stay safe!

You’all getting those new years resolutions written down and etched into your memory? As you do, don’t forget your plans to make your own renewable energy system, click the link here and explore the DIY kits available that teaches you all you need to know on Home solar power systems and residential wind power generators. Learn to build your own solar panels, the fun, simple, easy and cheap way as shown clearly in those videos and manuals that come with the kits. Heck if this old lady can ( I’ve found ,not just a few Grey hair today and I’m freakin some here!) then you can too, if you can hold a hammer, and turn a screw driver and climb a ladder, your good a gold in proficient enough to assemble your home solar system! Anyway, just click hubbies link and find DIY home renewable energy system kits, books and sustainable living, green construction, green power solutions and many more. Try out the Solar Oven on the solar products page!

Have fun, be safe!

Tomorrow comes part 4

Testing the Waters

The first trip gave newbie cruisers Mike and Joanne the chance to get a feel for their energy needs. They left home with a diesel engine set up to charge a 12-volt, 366 amp-hour battery bank that powered the boat’s electrical loads. Though the engine worked well for cruising when winds were low and produced more than enough energy for battery-charging, it was less than ideal for generating energy for their day-to-day needs-lighting, refrigeration, and hot water, and for small household appliances, the navigation equipment, and communication radios.
Running the engine a few hours each day to recharge the battery bank burns about 1 gallon of diesel fuel-only about 90 cents on the islands-so it wasn’t the expense that bothered Mike and Joanne. It was the fumes and the noise. A diesel engine likes to be run hard and hot, preferably over long periods

with a heavy load. But when it’s used as a generator only, the engine doesn’t operate at its optimal temperature and burns inefficiently, producing more pollution per energy output.
To add insult to injury, the warm Caribbean temperatures doubled the energy requirements of the refrigerator and freezer-two of the largest and most critical demands on the batteries. Because they wanted to avoid paying for electric hookups at marinas, Mike and Joanne found that they needed to run the engine at least twice a day-about an hour during the day and an hour at night-to charge the batteries and meet their electrical loads.
“Have you ever heard or smelled a diesel engine?” Mike says. “There was no room in my sailing fantasy for a smoky, noisy diesel engine and all its pollution. The engine ruined one too many cocktail hours on the deck. I looked around and saw other boats with solar modules and wind turbines, and knew what I had to do.”

OK, looks like New years is going to be promising, for Jaye and I anyway. Friends a calling and parties a planning! Imagine, a whole new decade at your door presenting opportunities for new beginnings, resolving old issues, and finally sticking to what ever plan you have been struggling with the few decades. This is the year to become GREEN! The year to resolve to save money and build your own solar panels and a wind power generator! Click the link and explore whats available in DIY home solar and wind power energy kits, Books on sustainable living, green energy and wind and solar, and fun around the home solar products to light up your life, I mean your yard! ( a person has to have some fun, right? Hubbie is a little stiff for the both of us anyway) and besides I hate sales pitches, so just visit his darn site already…OK?

Tomorrow more on this fun sailing couple!

Some say home is where you hang your hat.

Every once in awhile I run across an interesting bit of fun and creative living life styles, I hope you enjoy this one as much as I did.

Michael and Joanne Young say home is where you hang your PV modules-and your wind genny. As they have found, you can travel and have all the comforts of home by bringing along your own power company.

When Mike Young imagined his dream home, his fantasy included one mast, two sails, a wind turbine, and a solar-electric system. “I pictured my wife and myself on a sailboat surrounded by blue water. I saw us enjoying sunrises and sunsets day after day, breathing in the salt air while listening to the ocean and watching the sails fill with wind,” says Mike, a native of Springfield, Vermont. “I saw us living independently.”
Fed up with Vermont’s cold, dark winters, Mike fell in love with the idea of escaping to the warm, sunny Caribbean for part of the year. An avid sailor who spent many years sailing on Lake Champlain and crewing on friends’ boats, he had the know-how to pull it off. All he needed was an ocean-worthy vessel and a good first mate. “When he first told me the idea, I thought he was crazy,” says Joanne, his wife of
40 years. “But he was serious.”

The couple bought Orion-a 37-foot sloop-and upgraded its navigational, steering, and safety systems for ocean cruising. They sold the family’s retail propane business and embraced the idea of early retirement at age 52. In 2000, Mike and Joanne made their maiden voyage to the Caribbean islands. From Shelburne, Vermont, they took Orion south to the Hudson River, which brought them to New York City. From there, they followed the coast south to Virginia, where they departed on the 11-day voyage to Virgin Gorda.

Well folks this is a seven part series, hopefully this will absorb your time a little over the new year! Remember don’t drink and drive, OK? I’ve done my civic duty! I found an article I really enjoyed and thought I would like to share this bit of fun application on Wind Power Energy and Home Solar Power Systems with my readers.

Remember of course to visit my web site, where you’ll find other interesting articles, DIY Home solar kits where you can learn to build your own Home Solar Power systems and /or Residential wind Power Generators, or buy fun solar powered solar landscape lights and more as well books on Sustainable living life styles and how to become a green aficionado. There are pages devoted to tax rebates And grants for those interested in pursuing an actual project and how to apply for them. Mind you, that this site is an on going project, when I have the time and energy to pursue, I’m new and learning, but again, arn’t we all in some way or another.

I hope you enjoy the piece of American ingenuity and have fun being creative in your own life!

Today’s quote: If we throw all our problems on one pile along with everyone else’s, we end up taking our own back!

Sunlight obviously performs a critical role in plant growth. The passive solar greenhouse take the idea to a new level.

Passive Solar Greenhouse

Passive solar greenhouses are excellent choices when it comes to maintaining the agricultural principles of affordability and durability. They are also an efficient way to use local resources. In passive solar design the sun’s energy is used for the heating and cooling of the gardening space. Passive greenhouse systems are simple. They do not require a lot of maintenance. They also are free of any mechanical systems or burdened by a lot of parts.

The two key elements in creating a passive solar greenhouse are south facing glass and thermal mass to absorb, store and distribute heat. The structure itself collects, stores and distributes solar energy. The structure will utilize up to 75% of the sun’s energy that strikes the windows. The passive solar greenhouse will be equipped with thermal mass walls and floors to absorb this energy. The thermal mass materials should not exceed 6 inches in thickness, and they should not be covered completely by planters or floor coverings.

Passive solar greenhouses are an effective solution for gardeners who deal with extreme temperatures or weather conditions. Conventional greenhouses tend to have a “fry or freeze” effect on plants when placed in inclement areas where growing seasons are short. The absorbed sunlight energy can be used even during cold, short days. The active venting and fan systems are powered by this absorbed energy, keeping the greenhouse cool and moist if needed. Most models of the passive greenhouse come with materials that will harvest and deliver water to the plants.

The building costs are slightly higher for a passive solar greenhouse than for a traditional unit. This is because the ground needs to be prepared and a foundation is laid. The foundation may cover the entire floor or it might just outline the perimeter, depending on the gardener’s goal. If only the perimeter is used, then the gardener can plant directly into the soil throughout the year, as this system keeps the ground from becoming frozen or parched.

Despite the higher costs of the initial build, the passive solar greenhouse will be less expensive to maintain. In addition, the year-round yield can keep fresh vegetables on the table. Unlike traditional greenhouses, the passive solar greenhouse does not come as a kit. It will require some carpentry skills and the ability to read a schematic. The builder/gardener will also need to research the codes of their location as well as whether they will need/want a full thermal floor.

The sun is a great FREE resource when it comes to energy supply. There is no end to it and it’s FREE ! The source at least is, however it does cost to tap into this free energy source. Home Solar System Suppliers still charge a substantial sum to provide and install solar power for your home. However, residential home solar power systems can be built rather cheaply by comparison, if you build your own solar panels. The DIY kits you’ll find at the web site by clicking the highlighted link provide clear and precise instructions through video and diagrams showing you step by step , where to find the cheapest materials locally, how to assemble them and install the completed units on your homes roof. It’s fun, it’s esay, and takes about a weekend to assemble and install one solar panel.

A step-by-step guide to building sun-capturing solar jars

Creating outdoor lighting at a fraction of the cost!

Our searches for retail sun jars turned up prices ranging from $30-60 per unit. We were able to create all four sun jars for $44. Our total outlay:

• 4 jars @ 3.99
• 4 lamps @ 4.99
• 1 can frosting spray @ 7.99

We had the following construction supplies on hand:

• Pliers
• Large flat-head screwdriver
• Small Phillips-head screwdriver
• Packing tape

The construction of the jars is simple. The first one took about 15 minutes because we were being extra cautious during the disassembling process, but after that we ripped through the remaining three in another 15 minutes. Check out the gallery below for a step by step tutorial. If you’d prefer to see all the steps on a single page instead of a gallery format, just click here.

The construction of the jars is simple. The first one took about 15 minutes because we were being extra cautious during the disassembling process, but after that we ripped through the remaining three in another 15 minutes. Check out the gallery below for a step by step tutorial. If you’d prefer to see all the steps on a single page instead of a gallery format, just click here.

First, the supplies you’ll need. I purchased the items I needed from Lowe’s, the big box hardware store, and from Meijer’s, a large grocery chain. You could use any solar light if you took it apart carefully enough, but the ones we used were extremely simple to take apart and were the cheapest ones, by far, on the shelf. Look in the lighting section at Lowe’s for the “Portfolio Solar Black Pathlight” item#190519. The jars were just generic canning jars. The size of the lid, which is the important part, seemed to be nearly identical on every model so we bought the cheapest kind. You want hermetic, flip-top canning jars both to remain authentic to the original design and because you need the lid to be glass to allow the solar panel to charge. Regular mason jars won’t cut it.

We experimented frosting the inside and the outside of the jars to see what kind of effect it yielded. Our recommendation would be to frost the outside. Frosting the inside was a horrible pain, the coating was inconsistent, and it took way longer to dry. Frosting the outside was simple, the coat was even and smooth, and it keeps the glass from shining which adds to the glowing effect. One critical element: Do not frost the lid! The lid has to remain clear for the solar panel to work effectively.

Here is the matte finish of a jar frosted on the outside. As mentioned in the notes on the previous photo, it looks nicer and was ten times easier to apply.

Taking apart the solar lamps is a simple affair. Use a screw driver or a skinny chisel to gently pry the solar panel loose from the aluminum housing. The wires and important stuff are nearly dead center so as long as you don’t shove the screw driver in deep or jerk it up hard, you’re very unlikely to damage anything.

Once you have the panel pried away from the housing you’ll see three glue-like smudges underneath. These smudges are some sort of silicone-like paste used to cover the screw heads. We didn’t bother to scrape it away, just push the head of a small Phillips head screw driver into it and start unscrewing. It isn’t very thick and scrapes away when you pull up the screw.
Gently wiggle the electronic guts free from the aluminum case. The guts are pretty simple and sturdy, if you need to gently pry with the same screw driver you used to pop off the solar panels, everything should be fine.
Unless you want to have to resolder everything, you’ll need to cut the aluminum housing to keep everything intact without the hassle of repairing all the wires. We used a small pair of snips to snip the aluminum and then two needle nose pliers to pull the metal apart and slip the panel and guts free. If you don’t have snips you can use two pairs of pliers to gently flex the metal back and forth until it snaps.

Here is the assembly free of the housing. Nothing fancy, a plastic case for the battery, a small circuit board, the LED, and of course the solar panel and the light sensor. On three out of the four we took apart the light sensor worked its way free-it’s only taped in-just place it back into the hole in the solar panel and secure it with some tape.

If you’re working outside on a sunny day, by the time you’ve taken your first lamp apart the frosting spray has most likely already dried. The solar panel is a nearly perfect fit and slips right into the hollow in the lid of the canning jar. The battery and circuit assembly can be pushed gently behind it and secured in place with packing tape.

Why packing tape? Since this was our first run constructing them, we didn’t want to deal with the mess or added expense of using silicone or hot glue to secure them in. It has been a week since we constructed them and so far the tape hasn’t been an issue. If the heat inside the jar causes any adhesion problems we’ll upgrade by caulking them in place with some clear silicone bathroom caulk.

If you want to have colored lights, now is the time to add the “filters”. We used the labels off of water bottles and sports drinks to tint the light coming from the white LED. We used Aquafina labels for blue tint and Gatorade labels for the reddish orange tint. As long as the label from your bottle is very translucent you should notice little to no drop in the brightness. We cut a 1″ or so square from the label and taped it in place. Make sure to tape the edges down securely or you’ll have “hot spots” where the label crinkles and white light escapes.
The first jar is completely assembled and ready to charge in the sun. The particular lamp from Lowe’s that we selected has a removable rechargeable battery inside rated at 600mAh. We opted to keep the original battery and see how it performed but if you’re looking for extended life right off the bat you can upgrade the battery to a higher mAh rating with a better Ni-Cd AA battery.
After charging them for a few hours after construction, we put them out on the desk for a test run. Here you see all four. The white one has no filter, the two blue ones have the tint made from an Aquafina bottle, and the red tint made from a Gatorade bottle. They were much brighter than we anticipated; after all, the lamp was only $5.

The sole white lamp, isolated to show what a basic job looks like.

All four on table, clustered around the umbrella pole. The dollar was added for scale and to show the amount of light cast off. It’s difficult to tell from the picture but at the table we had no problem reading even the tiniest print on the dollar.

The sun jars shot from a second story window, throwing enough light to illuminate a circular table with a diameter of six feet.

The project was fun, it took no advanced soldering or technical tricks, and for $44 and about a half hour of time we ended up with some cool DIY garden lighting for around 80% of the retail price. Special thanks again to cre8tor, the author of the original tutorial, and MagiWG for directing us towards the cheapest and easiest to use solar lamps available. As always, if you build one of our DIY projects we’d love to see pictures of the results!

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I hope you found this article interesting!

Learning how to build your own home solar power systems is not all that difficult! It would make a fun weekend project to enjoy the savings benefits year round on those ever increasing utility bills. The DIY home solar system kits availalble are easy to understand with clear precise directions and diagrams, both in manual form as well as in Video form. Now is the time to get involved in helping to reduce the carbon footprint large utilities leave behind during big production energy creation. Click the blink and explore the possibilities of solar!

Beer and sunshine land farmer in hot water

While I was searching for ideas to blog about, I ran across this little tid bit of information!

A Chinese farmer has made his own solar-powered water heater out of beer bottles and hosepipes.

“I invented this for my mother. I wanted her to shower comfortably,” says Ma Yanjun, of Qiqiao village, Shaanxi province.

Ma’s invention features 66 beer bottles attached to a board. The bottles are connected to each other so that water flows through them.

Sunlight heats the water as is passes slowly through the bottles before flowing into the bathroom as hot water, reports China Economy Network.

Ma says it provides enough hot water for all three members of his family to have a shower every day.

And more than 10 families in the village have already followed suit and installed their own versions of Ma’s invention.

Just goes to show, just how easy building home solar power systems for your home is NOT all that difficult! If this farmer can build his solar hot water unit with beer bottles, then, really….

DIY Home solar systems are becomeing more popular than ever, mostly due to the latest economic crunch we were in. The DIY home solar kits are really quite descriptive in how they show you through video and drawings, to find the materials you need locally and cheaply, how to assemble them and install the units to your homes roof. They make it so easy to follow that many not so handy around the house people can even do it. It makes for a fun weekend project where you end with tons of savings in construction and much lower if any utility bills.

Be creative but have fun! click this link to learn how to build your own solar panels and residential wind power systems today!

This win-win formula also applies when you refinance

When you buy, sell, refinance, or remodel a home, an Energy Efficient Mortgage (EEM) will save you money while making your home more energy efficient and comfortable.

An EEM offers additional leverage to buyers of energy efficient homes by increasing the debt to income ratio to 30% from 28%. This qualifies you for larger loan on a better home. Your mortgage payment will be slightly higher, but you will actually save money because your energy bills will be lower.

This win-win formula also applies when you refinance or remodel your home to make energy saving upgrades.

How do I determine if my current home or a new house I’m looking at is energy efficient?

A Certified HERS (Home Energy Rating Systems) Rater can provide an evaluation of your home or a prospective home purchase. The RESNET web site provides a Certified Rater Directory.

A HERS report includes the overall score of the house as is, recommended cost effective energy upgrades, annual total energy cost before and after upgrades, and the improved rating score.

A HERS rating usually costs between $100 and $300. This could be paid for by the buyer, seller, lender, or real estate agent. Sometimes the cost of the rating may be financed as part of the mortgage. No matter how the rating is paid for, it is a very good investment because an EEM could save you or your buyer hundreds of dollars each year.

Energy Efficient Mortgages are offered or guaranteed by various Federal agencies. The FHA (Federal Housing Administration) covers upgrades for new and existing homes and is now available in all 50 states. The loan amount is $4,000 or 5% of the property value up to $8,000.

The FHA 203(k) program enables a home buyer or investor to obtain a single loan to finance both property acquisition and complete major improvements after the time of loan closing. This can be used in conjunction with the FHA mortgage mentioned above but the total cost of improvements must exceed $5,000.

The VA Energy Efficient Mortgage is available to qualified military personnel, reservists and veterans in all 50 states for energy improvements when purchasing an existing home. This program is also available for VA refinance. Upgrades of $3000 may be financed based solely on documented costs and up to $6,000 may be financed if upgrades are deemed cost effective.

You may get a larger tax deduction with the EEM because the interest on mortgage payments is tax deductible. This can save you more money than paying for energy upgrades with a credit card, bank loan, or cash, none of which are usually tax deductible. Your lender will be your best source of information on your own EEM benefits.

Now that you’ve started to shovel money back INTO the window, let me show you two more piles of cash just waiting to be scooped up.

Many utility companies offer rebates on selected Energy Star Appliances. PG&E of California offers a $75 rebate on clothes washers, $300 to $600 for evaporative cooling systems and $200 to $400 on natural gas furnaces.

On top of that, the Federal Government wants to give you a $300 tax credit for a new central air conditioner or heat pump. How about $500 for insulation and sealing?

Tight windows and doors are one thing, but Home solar Power Systems can make all the difference in applying for that cheaper mortgage too. Learn to build your own home solar power system, and save big dollars, it’s fun, it’s easy and you can save more money on your monthly utility bill too. Check the link highlighted above for further information on this and a lot more!

For those of you who are still looking for that special gift to give this season!

Why not a gift of solar?

Solar gift giving solutions for Do It Yourself home solar systems can make a fun weekend project for any home handy person to accomplish. The directions included in both video and manual forms are easy to follow and include such things as showing where to buy the materials you need locally and cheaply. It tells you step by step how to assemble those materials and install the completed project on your homes roof and hook it up to your buildings power grid. What a way to save money, both in the home solar panels and in your monthly utility bills…. a PERFECT gift! Check out the highlighted link for more information on this and other gift giving ideas!

Click this link HOME SOLAR POWER SYSTEMS AND RESIDENTIAL WIND POWER. DIY Kits, books and home solar products

Other gift giving ideas are good resources in reading materials!

We have a whole library of books and articles on home solar power systems, residential wind power, sustainable living, green construction and renwable energy.

Learn how to make your home, energy efficient, build green project around the home, and a lot more on this up coming wave of “going green”!

Click the link above for more information and details

Give the gift of Illumination !

We have so many solar products to choose from for in and around a home, such as solar garden lights, christmas light strings, back packs, battery chargers for cell phones and GPS units, shed lights and security lights. Many mopre items too numerous to mention here! Click the link above, for more information on these perfect gift giving ideas!

What are the requirements for a viable wind powered system?

1. Zoning laws that enable the installation of wind powered systems. The first place to start is your town’s building department. Here’s a link to a short but instructive zoning
overview for small wind turbines. (PDF)

2. Sufficient land and open space. The land requirement will depend on zoning laws but the suggested minimum is one acre. As far as open space goes, the tower and generator should be sited in an area free of obstructions for 500 feet around the tower.

3. Wind – the minimum requirement is 10 mph average annual wind speed. As the monthly energy chart above shows, a seemingly insignificant increase in wind speed
pays big dividends. The most cost effective method to increase wind speed is to increase tower height.

Find your local wind speed in 2 easy steps
1. Click on your state (click again to enlarge) on this wind resource map. Look at the color coded Wind Power Classifications and determine if you live in a Class 2 or better area. If your area is designated Class 1 you should consider solar power instead.

The one drawback to the maps you just viewed is the wind speed measurements were taken at 50 meters, or 164 feet, and don’t accurately reflect the wind speeds at the top of shorter towers used for home wind generation.

2. A more accurate, though still imperfect solution to this problem can be found at this table of average wind speeds. This resource lists the wind speeds at elevations closer to standard tower heights. Choose a city or town closest to your own and look at the far right column labeled ANN for the annual average wind speed. Your best chance for meaningful power generation lies in areas where the wind speed exceeds 10 mph.

Wind power production calculator
Once you estimate wind speed it’s easy to predict the power output from any size turbine by using our exclusive Monthly kWh Calculator. The only other piece of information you’ll need is the length (also referred to as diameter) of the generator’s propeller.

Related Articles:

Federal Energy Tax Credits
The NEW schedule of Federal energy tax credits.

State Energy Tax Credits
Database of State incentives for renewable energy.

Do It Yourself Energy Audit
The first web based do-it-yourself energy audit tool.

Energy Efficient Mortgages

OK, folks, this is the end of this article, I hope the information was useful. Residential wind power is a powerful tool, if you use it in the right application. A wind power generator can be fun to build over a weekend and quite easy to build your self as well. The DIY home solar power systems kits avaialble at the above link, show you how to build your own residential wind wind power system , it also shows you how to build your own home solar power systems as well. The kits are easy to understand with lots of video footage of each step, and easy to follow diagrams in the manual. The kits show you where to find the cheapest materials locally and how to assemble, install and hook the system up to your power grid.

Now is the time, These kits make solar and wind power affordable, fun and cost affective!