| By :
Roger Brown
If you are of the frame of mind now to explore renewable energy sources around your house, then a do-it-yourself wind turbine is a great place to start. There are loads of savings available if you are willing to take on the task of constructing one yourself vs. buying it from a dealer. Otherwise, wind turbines can be very expensive these days. Because of their popularity, wind devices in general have attracted a large number of manufacturers, many of whom are intent on making the most money they can and not necessarily giving the public a good value. By making a do it yourself wind turbine, you are taking control of this process and making sure that you are getting what you pay for. However, there are three questions that you must ask in order to optimize your experience and get the best value for your investment: * What am I expecting out of my do-it-yourself wind turbine? You must get to get clear on this. There are many things you can do with a wind turbine - provide energy for a set of batteries to protect you in case of power outage or, export the power you make to the electricity grid and get paid for the kilowatt-hours. There is a broad range of opportunities but you must get clear on what task you have intended for the wind generator that you buy. * What kind of wind resources do I have on my property that will allow me to meet these goals? Just because you live in a state that has a lot of wind does not mean that you have enough wind on your property to create the amount of energy you expect to make. To know that for sure you got to take some time and collect data at several spots you think might work for the wind device. It's really easy enough to do, you just need to employ a small device called an anemometer to measure wind at those locations. Most experts say 9 mph average wind speed is enough to make a wind turbine purchase a recommendation. * Will your local community provide any resistance to the installation of your turbine? While it is not exactly true, smaller wind turbines like the kind you install around your house do carry a stigma created by the noise and shadow flicker of enormous wind turbines found on a wind farm. Therefore, there may be local rules that limit what and where you can install the device. It is easy enough just to check those out before you get started by calling your local city government and asking about permitting. Do-it-yourself wind turbine projects can be a lot of fun and provide you with a quick monetization of your investment. But, you have to take the time on the front end and make sure you know exactly what you are trying to accomplish.
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