| By :
Roger Brown
First, a couple of definitions: Vertical Wind Turbines - A low profile wind turbine that's axis of shaft rotation and blade symmetry is vertical. Horizontal Wind Turbine - A wind turbine that's axis of shaft rotation is horizontal or, parallel to the earth's surface. This is the traditional Dutch windmill design we all know. Here are the most important pros and cons of each: 1. Size The vertical axis wind turbine has a much smaller profile than the horizontal. Verticals can be only a few feet high and can be mounted inconspicuously on a roof.
Horizontal axis wind turbines are much bulkier and can weigh several thousand pounds for the larger power production units and, of course, have larger blade systems. 2. Flexibility With Wind Direction
Because their mounting is agnostic to wind direction, vertical wind turbines can take advantage of all wind in an area.
Horizontal wind turbines have a tail assembly that "steers" the rotor path into the oncoming wind. So, they are constantly hunting and seeking the optimal wind. 3. Power Production The actual realizable power that can be produced by a windmill is dependent on several factors - most predominantly, the speed and size of the blades. Vertical systems are smaller and therefore produce a smaller surface area of blade path to capture the available wind. Typically, they produce less power than horizontal. Horizontal systems rely on a huge rotor path to harvest the wind. These devices can convert a much larger amount of wind to power over the same period of time - hence, their higher kW or instantaneous power rating. 4. First Cost Both vertical and horizontally mounted wind turbines can be expensive. Depending on whether you buy components and assemble the wind turbine from plans or, you purchase modularized components in kit form, the systems can range from a few hundred to tens of thousands of dollars. Getting wind turbines installed and producing power is also a huge part of the question that must be carefully considered. Mounting on the roof or on a tower requires the ability to lift something that heavy (even the light ones weigh several hundred pounds) and expensive up that high. 5. Ecosystem Impact Birds and bats love to commit hari kiri fly into wind turbines of all varieties. Vertical windmills tend to be more bird/bat friendly though because they have less rotor for them to run into. The vertical wind turbine has the brightest future because it is smaller, more modular, and can be mounted just about anywhere.
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