How To Generate Wind Power From Home

Most of us were introduced to the Beaufort Scale for measuring the strength of the wind when we were at school – you know the sort of thing: Force 0 lets smoke rise vertically, Force 5 sways branches and small trees, and Force 12 is a hurricane.  But how strong does the wind have to be in order to generate wind power?

The answer is “not a lot.”  In fact, the original Sir Francis Beaufort developed his scale back in 1801 for use in the old sailing ships and man-o-wars, and the lowest level of the scale was originally described as “just sufficient to give steerage” – so the ship could actually move.  So if you only get Force 1s and 2s where you live, you probably have enough to generate wind power – for domestic use, anyway.  Wind power on a larger scale needs a slightly stronger breeze on a regular basis, as the turbines are proportionally larger (the turbine arms used for mainstream wind power generators look like someone has tried recycling an old jet liner). 

What You Need to Use A Wind Generator at Home

What do you need to make sure you have if you want to use wind power in your home?  After all, many people are turning to wind power as a source of clean, sustainable energy to generate electricity.

• You need a generator.  This is basically a standard windmill but instead of turning a pump (or a wheat grinder) the wind power provides the rotational motion needed to induce a current (the generator itself involves magnets and coils of wire – any good high school physics textbook will give the details and probably the formulae involved).  This generator will be wired to your house.  
• You need local knowledge of your area.  Where do the prevailing winds come from?  How strong are they?  How regular are they?  I’m afraid this article can’t tell you these things – you’ll have to get to know your area yourself, or else ask your neighbours.
• You need the right sort of generator.  Ask the manufacturer about how much wind power is needed to generate current with your particular generator.  If you only experience light breezes, then you will need something that is sensitive.  If you get a lot of strong winds, one of these more sensitive windmills will not be able to take it – a marine grade generator may be what you need.  Ask questions.
• You need a place to put the generator.  It should be on the windward side of the house. A trap for beginners to wind power is to put the generator up too high.  Yes, the higher a generator is, the more wind it will be able to “catch” and turn into electricity, but all machines with moving parts will need servicing and lubrication from time to time.  Lowering a tower is a bit of a fiddly process, and you don’t want to do this every time that you need to grease the ball bearings.  Wind power should be easier than this.  Make sure you can reach the wind power generator with a ladder.
• You also need to make sure that the place you put the generator is not sheltered by hedges or buildings.