With energy prices soaring as fossil fuels on our planet are diminishing, alternative fuels must be sought. Many energy resources come naturally, and wind power is one of them. You have the ability to build your own wind turbine to produce your own electricity. Savings of up to 80% are a real possibility with the use of wind power. Believe it or not, the use of wind power goes back centuries. As far back as the Vikings, wind was harnessed to move their ships from place to place with great efficiency and speed. Early civilizations also used wind-powered mills to grind grain or pump water. The windmill is the first generation of the wind turbine that is used to produce energy for both large-scale applications and simpler home applications. Charles Brush created the first wind turbine in 1888. He used pieces of a picket fence to create a rotor. At this early stage tying the unit into a local power grid was not possible, however today it is. To begin with, setting up your own wind farm or turbine will take a great amount of time, but an 80% decrease in energy cost will be well worth the trouble. First item on the agenda is to find a suitable location. You will need to be able to harness wind speeds of at least 17 miles per hour. Lower wind speeds will decrease your success rate. In order to find the perfect location you will need to do a little research. There are records kept recording winds speeds around the world and a quick search of the internet should render some good meteorological data and research. Your next move will be to contact your local electric company to determine how close you are to the grid. This is important because you will likely want to hook on to the grid. Large-scale turbines will have to be machined and are often available in kits. Smaller wind turbines that generate about 1000 watts are easier to make, it is possible that you could build your own. You should know that the larger your rotor is the more wind you can harness. The important thing to remember is the lower the wind speed the less power output you would have. Again, this is why your location is vitally important. Around the world the use of wind, farms are drastically reducing the cost of energy. The UK currently uses 150 or more wind farms to produce energy for their population. In the United States, progress is slower but states like Massachusetts and Texas are using this alternative energy source with many other states looking to follow their example. We have been lulled into thinking that energy independence is too complicated. The truth is harnessing this natural energy source is not that difficult, you can power your home with green electricity and may even produce enough to sell back to your power company. When is the last time they sent you a check? If all this is not enough of a reason to take another look at wind power then consider the health and environmental problems we will be solving. Once all the steps are complete and you are self sufficient, producing your very own clean electricity, you will feel a great sense of accomplishment. Watching your wind turbine turn as it heats and cools your home will make you instantly feel good about what you are doing for yourself and the planet. Every turn of the blades decreases your carbon footprint on the earth.
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