Green Side Out - The green lifestyle

People are always looking for a way to cut down on their energy costs and one of the ways that some people are using to reduce the amount they pay for energy each month is by building their own wind generator. If you are able to find the right parts, and find a reliable guide to help you do the construction, then you could eliminate up to 75% of your electric bill and reduce your dependency on outside sources of energy. By taking the time to make sure you get the best deal possible on the materials you need for a good wind generator you could potentially build a working and efficient wind generator for between $200 and $300. Of course if you require a more industrial strength unit then you will need to make more of an initial investment, and those estimates do not include the cost of outfitting your home to accept the power generated by the wind, but when it is all said and done harnessing the power of the wind could be a project that pays for itself in six months or less.

Before you start laying the foundation for your new wind generator you need to do some research to see if you will be able to capture the energy of the wind while still within the confines of your own property. First and foremost you need to have a spot on your property that is raised above the level of the rest of your property and where the wind is allowed free access. Obviously it would be difficult to build a unit on a city lot but if you own a lot of land with a large backyard then you have good access to the proper wind flow.

The next thing you need to do is to be certain that you get sufficient wind power in your area to justify building a wind generator. Traditionally you need a reliable supply of 10 to 20mph winds to generate enough spin to help power a standard size home. You could look up the history of the wind speed in your area and see if you get that kind of wind flow regularly but the conditions in your backyard may be different than the conditions at the weather station where they made the measurements. Get a wind gauge and set it up in your backyard. Be sure to read it at least once a day and the catalog the results. From there you can determine what the average wind flow is on your property and then you can gauge whether or not a wind generator would be effective for your home.

There are still some drawbacks to using a wind generator at your home. If you have neighbors, or neighborhood children that would be able to see your windmill, then you run the risk of someone tampering with your homemade wind catcher and causing you a lot of problems. Another problem can be the lack of wind. While wind shows a pattern based on the weather patterns for your area there is always that chance that for one summer the wind barely blows. But for the rest of the time harnessing the power of the wind can help free up a large portion of your monthly expenses.