Small Wind Turbines Complement Architecture

The arrangement of these turbines gives this gas station a good greening. The operator wins directly because he did not purchase much of the power he needed to run the pumps and lighting. There is never a worry about having enough power because he can always supplement from the utility, since the system is grid-tied.

Architects and designers are using wind turbines on structures designed to hold them.

Yet the design of Swift will make a lovely retrofit on an historic building. There is one on the Scottish Parliament Building and one on the Corning Tower on the Empire Plaza in Albany, New York.

So far, about 500 have been up and running for some time.

Vertical Axis Wind Turbines vs. Horizontal Axis Wind Turbines

Wind turbines can be positioned various ways to operate. Generally, The two major ways energy is harvested in wind is either vertically or horizontally. The terms refer to which way the turbine "blades" run in relation to wind direction and the ground surface.

Vertical axis turbine blades are situated vertically to cross wind, at an angle perpendicular to the ground. Horizontal wind turbines face the wind horizontally, parallel to the ground.

Vertical axis wind turbines are often referred to by the acronym as VAWTs. "V, what?" to many folks. Most other wind turbines people are familiar with are horizontal axis, meaning they must be directed properly toward the wind. Vertical axis wind turbines are multi-directional, accepting wind from all directions.

The debate about the superiority of either design revolves around the amount of time the turbine will exposed to to appropriate wind speeds for the design against the drag created by the motion of the turbines. Which type will catch more wind for the longer period given any power reduction due to drag forces?

If this sound a little like a decision one faces on skippering a sailboat, you have the ideas in hand. In order to keel for speed, where shall I set the sail, at what angle to the wind, or is this the spinnaker run?

The real answer to small wind turbine selection may have much more to do with location, wind variables and averages, location, the particular building, location. Did I mention location?

This is not to say that other designs have not approached the difference by integrating aspects of each standard directional wind turbine. Helix Wind is one example, or the designs that like DNA strands wound about .

Looks aren't everything, naturally. Old farm windmills have pumped water for centuries without being too pretty. But whether it is horizontal, vertical, or DNA-ish, the new designs in small or micro wind turbines are architecturally pleasant and work horses to boot. Building mounted, and grid tied, economically one cannot lose.

You can do nothing and pay crazily unstable electricity rates (and they only go up), or you can replace power you already buy, hedge the future rates and have the turbine pay for itself before the warranty runs out. I haven't heard a deal that good since phone calls were actually a dime, directory assistance both both free and manned by humans.

Its a no brainer, like having a 401k or never saving a dime, given the option.