From The Workbench - Alternative + Renewable Energy Blog Valuable information for do-it-yourselfers interested in the latest in alternative + renewable energy

When Italy meets Kansas, apparently everyone benefits.  Benefits how?  How about a 250 megawatt Wind Farm?  How about providing renewable, clean energy to people all over the area harnessing the power of the winds that rip through the flat land already?  How about genius?

That’s right, Italian wind energy company Enel SpA has announced that it has officially inaugurated its biggest ever wind power project, 250 megawatts, right here in the United States in the great state of Kansas.  What’s being dubbed as the Smoky  Hills Wind Plant will officially Open and begin operation by the end of this year.  The new plant is the largest ever built in Kansas.

The best news about all of this, as mentioned, is that the plant will provide clean, renewable energy to thousands.  When I say thousand, I actually mean that it will be supplying the power needs of 85,000 U.S. Households.  85,000!  The best part of all of this, to me, is the fact that this plant follows the news of two similarly huge plants in Texas.  If every state could find a way to open plants like this, can you Imagine the benefits we, and our beautiful planet would reap?  Come on folks, start pushing for wind energy!

Hello and Happy Monday fellow energy conservationists.  Right on the back of last week’s power-packed postings about Wind Energy and how you can get involved, today I’m coming at you with some great news about someone else that’s getting involved in this clean technology…Peru.

According to new reports, Peru is launching its very first major alternative energy project as we speak.  That’s right folks, those in the know of Peruvian happenings are saying that “Peruvian alternative energy company Iberoperuana Inversiones SAC has commenced construction on a 240 megawatt wind energy farm. It is Peru’s first major alternative energy project. “ It looks like $240 million will be spent to make this thing operable and once done it should provide clean, renewable energy for almost 80,000 families.

This new wind farm will couple up with a biodiesel installment in Peru and hopefully a lot of other new projects in the future.  It has been noted that Peru, with its abundant sunshine, wide open desert spaces and coastal access, could become a major source of alternative energy now, and in the future.  The best and most exciting news that absoultely made my day this fine Monday was the fact that “the San Andrés Wind Park is only the first of 15 alternative energy projects that Iberoperuana Inversiones has been licensed to pursue in Peru.”

Right on Peru, keep it up, and start spreading that infectious optimism everywhere in South America!

Ok, not exactly when the wind power goes wrong, but when the braking mechanism goes wrong on a wind turbine in a VERY windy area.  I thought this would be a fun way to end your week, prep you for the weekend and give you an explosion too!

I don’t know about you, but I love explosions.  Thankfully, no one was hurt in this video, but it does show you just how powerful the wind is on our planet, and how if we can harness it, safely, we really can do a lot of good for not only our environment, but our checkbooks!

Have a great weekend!

Ahh, the finale of our grand Wind Energy Buyer’s Guide.  Northern Tool put together a completely rad guide to just why you should do all you can to make wind energy a staple in Your life.  I don’t know about you, but I’m completely, 100% sold.  Now, to get my hands on some wind energy products!

That said, just as we did with the Solar Energy Buyer’s Guide, you know just about everything you need to know about Wind Energy, except for what you’re actually going to need to run your home with wind power.  That’s right, you’ve covered the when, the how, the why, and now, finally, we’ll get to the What.

So, without further ado, to let you get started, here is what you will need to start powering YOUR home:

What will I need to generate my own wind power system?

Whether you’re installing a stand-alone system or a hybrid system for your home, or connecting a system to a grid (an electricity transmission and distribution system) you will need quality equipment.

* Wind turbine—The wind turbine is the core of your system. Your energy needs will determine the annual energy output you’ll require and the size of your turbine. Using this information, wind turbine manufacturers and retailers can help you decide which wind turbine is for you, while also factoring in local wind speeds and your specific energy budget.
* Tower—Though you can choose either a self-supporting (free standing) or guyed tower for mounting your wind turbine, most home wind power systems use the second option. Guyed towers can be hinged at the base, making it easier to lower to the ground for repairs and maintenance, or to avoid damage during hazardous weather. Towers should be installed high enough so that the bottom of the rotor blade is at least 30 feet (9 meters) above any obstacle that is within 300 feet (90 meters) of the tower.
* Batteries—For a stand-alone system, you will need batteries to store excess power for use when the wind is calm. Deep-cycle batteries are preferable, because they can discharge and recharge many times.
* Controller—A charge controller will prevent batteries from overcharging, thus extending battery life and performance.
* Power Inverter—The power inverter converts the low voltage DC to the 120 volts AC. For a stand-alone system, unless you plan on using battery power exclusively, you’ll need a power inverter. If your system is grid connected, this is the only additional equipment you’ll need.
* Hybrid System—If you live in an area where wind speeds are low, a hybrid system (combining wind power with solar power or fuel generators) may prove most effective. In this case, you’ll need to add a generator and controllers that can automatically operate the system.

So there you have it!  Now all that is left, is to head over and stock up from Northern Tool on all your wind energy needs.  They have what you need, so lets go!

Welcome back and happy Wednesday.  No worries, you’re almost there and the weekend is in sight.  Today we’re going to hit you up with Part 3 of the Wind Energy Buyer’s Guide…The Benefits of Wind Energy.  Parts 1 and 2 were all about the how’s, then where’s and the origins; today we are going to cover the most important thing to you and your pocket book:  The WHY.

That’s right, we are fine learning about the how’s and the when’s and the where’s, but if we’re honest, the real reason we’re doing this is to help our planet, and help our wallet.  The good news is, implementing wind energy into your life will do both of those things brilliantly.  So, without further ado, here are some amazing benefits of actually using the wind that we so often complain about:

What are the benefits of wind power?

* Affordable—Wind power is one of the most cost-effective energy resources available, costing just 4-6 cents per kilowatt hour. Additionally, wind power can help homeowners reduce or even eliminate utility bills entirely.
* Renewable—Unlike fossil fuels, the wind is free and its supply can never be depleted, nor is it exclusive to any one region of the world, so it’s not subject to shortages, embargos, or price increases. It is a completely renewable form of solar energy created by the sun heating the atmosphere in combination with the earth’s rotation and surface irregularities.
* Eco-friendly—Wind power is a clean resource, creating no waste and no green house gases. What’s more, the more wind power used, the less fossil fuels will be consumed, keeping toxic byproducts created by those fuels from entering the atmosphere.
* Economically stimulating—Because the best sites for erecting wind farms are in rural areas, wind turbines can benefit local economies. Unlike drilling or mining, the land surrounding a wind farm can still be used for agricultural purposes, allowing farmers to lease land to utility companies while continuing to farm their land.
* Tax Incentives and Rebates—If connected to a grid, wind power system owners may be eligible for a tax credit for the electricity sold back to the utility company. In addition, some states offer rebates or other incentives to help offset the cost of purchasing and installing wind systems. For more information go to Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency (http://www.dsireusa.org/)

We’ll wrap things up tomorrow with Part 4 and final of our Wind Energy Buyer’s Guide! I hope this has been as inspirational as it has been informative!  Stay tuned!

So, you’re well versed on where harnessing the power of the blustery wind actually comes from, now you just need a bit more information on what different types of turbines there are that actually do the harnessing.  From the most ancient to the most recent, wind turbines have a long history and today we’re going to cover the “who’s who” of wind turbines.

It is no secret that wind energy is the number one fastest growing energy source in the whole world.  It is clean, it is renewable, it is readily available almost everywhere and it is not too difficult to actually capture and use.  What could be better?

So you know where it comes from, now you want to know how to capture it and what to use to actually do the capturing.  The age old question, are there different types of turbines?

Are there different types of wind turbines?

There are several types of wind turbines:

* Vertical-axis wind turbine—The main rotor shaft is arranged vertically, enabling the turbine to capture the energy of the wind without pointing directly into it. This works to the advantage of those who live in areas where the wind direction constantly fluctuates.
* Horizontal-axis wind turbine—These turbines have two to three blades and operate by facing the unit into the wind. An attached wind vane measures wind direction, enabling the turbine to best position itself to capture the wind.

Wind turbines are also available in several different sizes:

* Single, small turbines—These units are meant for individual use for homes, telecommunications dishes, water pumping or in remote areas where a grid connection is lacking. They can be coupled with batteries, solar power systems, or fuel systems to create a hybrid system.
* Utility-scale turbines—Typically, these large units (from 100 kilowatts to several megawatts) are combined with other large units to form a wind farm, providing bulk power to the electrical grid.

So while you might not be quite ready for the utility-scale turbines forming a giant wind farm, you’d be shocked, amazed, and pleasantly surprised by how much energy you can actually cultivate with just a small turbine or two placed strategically.  Again, combining the energy you store from the sun, with the energy you harness from the wind, the sky is the limit!

Hello and here’s hoping that you had an amazing weekend.  We’re back this fine Monday and starting right where we left off with Solar Energy, we’re here to help you answer all the tough questions when it comes to another form of alternative energy…Wind Energy.

Lucky for all of us, the brains behind the Northern Tool operation have graced us with their official Wind Energy guide, to accompany their amazing and in-depth Solar Energy Buyer’s Guide.  Both are packed full of amazingly helpful information that can get You on the right track towards converting your home, land and life into a wind energy powerhouse.  Between the sun and the wind, your entire life could be run by Mother Nature.  Let her foot the bill!

At any rate, for Part 1 of the Wind Energy Buyer’s Guide we are going to cover some basics.  In later Parts we will cover deeper areas of the alternative energy, but for now, here we go!

Wind Power + Wind Turbine Basics:
How does a wind turbine work?

As far back as 4000 years ago, the Babylonians and Chinese used wind power to pump water for crop irrigation. Obviously, technology has changed since then, but the wind power process is still the same. Most wind turbines are mounted on a tower at least 100 feet (30 meters) or more above the ground. In this way, the turbine can capture the faster, less turbulent winds. The power of the wind turns the turbine blades, which spin the shaft, which connect to a generator, which makes electricity. The electricity produced can provide power for a single home or outbuilding, or can connect to an electricity grid and be sold to a utility company for wider distribution.

Now that you know what it is, where it comes from, and the basics of how it works, tomorrow we’ll cover the different kinds of wind turbines you’ve probably seen around your state or country.

Ever wonder how those huge windmills you see out in the fields work?  No, not the Don Quixote windmills, but the ones that you KNOW are sucking up the power of the wind, and converting it into reusable, renewable energy to help power our lives.  Ever wonder how the smaller ones are made?  Well, if you’re at all like me, curiousity always gets the better of you and you just HAVE to know how it’s made.

Thanks again go to the “How It’s Made” crew of the Discovery channel, as I just found this awesome little video that shows just how they work, how they are made, and what goes into them.  Something about seeing “behind the scenes” always makes me happy, especially when it is for such an awesome, green invention that has been around for a long, long time

Check out this awesome video ( you only have to watch the beginning as the Wind Generators are the first up), and then have an amazing weekend!

Ahh, this little bit of news is near and dear to my heart!  As many of you may, or may not know, I am a Montanan, and as such must face more extremes in weather than you’d ever believe.  Snow on the 4th of July, got it…winter from September til May, yep…winds up to 100 miles per hour and temps dipping as high as 110 and as low as -42, check, all here.  That said, Montana State University, is also here and now the home to a Wind Application Center.  Bravo!

According to reports, “the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory has named Montana State the home for a new Wind Applications Center.” Yeah!!  By assigning MSU this title, $40,000 a year for 3 years will be rolling into the University to help put wind specific topics and courses into the engineering programs.  Robb Larson, a professor of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering says:

“We’re a land grant institution dedicated to outreach and engineering,…It makes sense to support this industry that will eventually help students find jobs in their own state and support this clean, renewable energy industry.”

The hope is that on top of the government grants, more supplemental grants come in to really provide adequate funds to launch a full-fledged Wind Technology division.  With some reports counting on wind power to provide up to 20% of the nation’s electrical generation by as early as 2030, more of these grants, and more of these programs need to start popping up soon!  Go Wind Power!

Happy Monday!  Just last week I talked to you kind folk about how immensely cool Oregon’s new “solar-highway” project was.  I talked to you about how more states need to start similar projects and start finding alternative means to power their lives and put a dent in the energy debts they create.  Turns out, other states ARE jumping on board, and while it might not be solar, it should be just as effective!

According to new reports, Texas is the latest in our great 50 to adopt a massive, and massively impressive undertaking.  Where Oregon went Solar, Texas is going Wind.  While Texas is already the nation’s leader in wind-energy, they decided that instead of resting on their laurels, they’d go bigger, and bigger, and bigger again.  How big?  How about allocating $4.9 BILLION dollars towards new transmission lines to send the energy created from windmills from rural and urban areas alike.

According to the article, “The upgrade stands to harness 18,000 megawatts from Texas’ 4,000 wind turbines - enough to power more than 4 million homes.”  Wow.  The best news, in my humble opinion, is that all of this could be up and running in as little as 3-4 years.  While Lone Star residents will see a $3/month increase in taxes, it will be well worth it for the huge reduction in overall energy costs, as well as a huge reduction in Texas’ actual energy consumption.

Kudos Texas, Kudos.