Wind Turbine Types

When you decide to install renewable wind power to your home or business, you will have first calculated your normal and peak energy needs, as well as researched the regulations in your neighbourhood and city regarding what types of wind turbines and masts you’re allowed to have. Wind turbine technology of all types has advanced greatly in recent years, and there are many different kinds of wind turbines to choose from.

Generally, there are two main types and several criteria for evaluating different types of wind turbines. Firstly, they operate on either a horizontal or vertical axis. Horizontal turbines make up 95% of those used by the mid ‘aughts. This traditional windmill-type of turbine has been used for a very long time – as far back as 200BC by some estimates – they are proven, and their disadvantages are well known.

Vertical turbines have the advantage of being able to be hoisted up anywhere and get going with relative ease. The blades can be pitched back when winds are high and they are able to take advantage of the wind without causing a lot of drag in the process. Older designs had difficulty with bearing wear, but contemporary models are far less trouble prone and relatively quiet. They are, however, useless on the ground.

The other major type of wind turbine represents an important innovation in wind power generation, in the form of the Darrieus-type wind turbine. These can be used anywhere rural and windy – most often on ridges, hills or islands. They require far fewer materials to construct, but may require a motor to get going. Often looking like egg beaters, Vertical turbines can accept different wind turbine blade types, and can sometimes make

Once they begin to spin, vertical turbines are about half as efficient as typical three-blade horizontal wind turbine. However, they are very good in gusty areas and where a tower is not permitted. These have found use among the different types of big wind turbines favoured by power companies, who use them to harness the turbulent wind beneath existing horizontal turbines.

A very innovative type of turbine uses collapsible sails to expand the “blades” when they need to be. Though there are many types of wind power and turbine types, articles often fail to note that if your energy requirements are somewhat low, as in the case of driving a series of LED lights, you can use any different kinds of wind turbine design. Anything that turns in the wind will do, depending upon your requirements.