Off the Grid Sustainable Housing Options

Common Technologies for Off-Grid Living: Wind Turbines

A wind turbine in conjunction with a solar system can provide the power needs for almost any residential application though sizing is key for optimum utilization. Make sure you first contact your local weather service to check on the average wind speed in your area, generating electricity from residential-sized wind turbines is another option for off-grid energy. Knowing the average and wind speed ranges, you can estimate how much electricity a given system will produce. Keep in mind, wind speeds on a specific lot can vary significantly from regional averages depending on local topography and placement of turbine.

When it comes to wind turbines, bigger is better as a 400-watt wind turbine which is big enough to account for a few appliances, uses about a four-foot-diameter rotor; a 900-watt turbine uses a seven-foot turbine; a 10,000-watt (10 kW) turbine, enough to power most or all of a house, uses a 23-foot turbine and is mounted on a tower often more than 100 feet tall.

As with solar, there are pluses and minuses to going with wind energy off the grid; the biggest, most obvious one is the need for breeze: if the wind doesn't blow, the turbine stays still and the electricity isn't generated. Wind turbines also have moving parts, which means more things that require maintenance and have the possibility of failure. But if you've got a good consistent stiff breeze blowing through the back yard, you can harvest its energy for years to come. The best option is a hybrid solar and wind power system where one system can take over if there is not enough wind or sun.(www.treehugger.com/sustainable-product-design/generating-off-grid-power-the-four-best-ways.html/ ", nod., Para 1-5).

Figure 1: (Right) An off grid home with wind turbine http://www.motherearthnews.com

Figure 2: (Left) An off grid home with wind turbine http://www.hubperfectlife.com/