The use of wind power has been around for thousands of years in different forms and nowadays is mainly used to generate electricity. Take a look at our wind energy facts page for some of the ways wind power was used in days gone by.
The proper name of a wind generator is actually “Wind Energy Converter” which is a device that converts the potential energy in the wind to another form of Wind Power energy. This can either be mechanical or electrical. When the wind blows, the rotor blade stops a percentage of the wind. That percentage is converted into energy. According to physics, the maximum amount of wind energy that can be converted is 59.3%. This is known as the Betz Limit.
There are a number of types of wind generators and research has been done on virtually every possible concept with the objective of producing the maximum amount of power for the lowest cost at the highest possible reliability. Experiments have found the horizontal axis upwind or down wind design to be the best concept. The most common designs include:
- Horizontal Upwind - The generator shaft is positioned horizontally and the wind hits the blade before the tower.
- Horizontal Downwind - The generator shaft is positioned horizontally and the wind hits the tower first then the blade.
- Vertical Axis - The generator shaft is positioned vertically with the blades pointing up with the generator mounted on the ground or a short tower.
Wind power is proportional to the cube of the wind's speed, so relatively minor increases in speed result in large changes in potential output. Individual turbines vary in size and power output from a few hundred watts to two or three megawatts (as a guide, a typical domestic system would be 2.5 - 6 kilowatts, depending on the location and size of the home). Small domestic systems cost as little as £2,000 installed, although these small turbines may not contribute significantly to your energy needs. Visit some of the pages in the menu below for more information on domestic wind power.
British Wind Energy Association has more information on wind power.
For information on grants available for Wind Power click here
For further Information on Wind Power click on the links below
