Wind power is considered a renewable energy source because it will be with us as long as the sun beats down on the planet. Wind is a creation of heat produced by objects warming up under the relentless rays of the sun. Certain objects warm up faster than others. When this occurs, wind is created. As hot air rises off the hotter objects, cooler air rushes in to fill the gap. This rushing process is, of course, wind.
Wind power has long been of interest to scientists and energy companies. It is relatively cheap and can easily be tied into the current utility grids that feed power to nations. The question with wind power has always been how to generate enough energy from wind power to make it feasible. The entire discussion comes down to wind turbines.
Wind turbines are the devices that catch the wind and convert the inherent energy into electricity. The process works exactly like a hydropower dam. As the wind hits the turbines, the blades catch it and spin. The spinning motion then cranks a turbine, which kicks out electricity. The only difference between the two processes is we are talking about wind instead of water.
A single hydropower dam can produce a lot of electricity, but a single wind turbine cannot. Why? Well, the water rushing through a dam is condensed under the weight of itself. When it is released into the generator shutes, it also runs at a near vertical angle to maximize the speed of the water and generator cranking output. With wind, both of these factors are non-existent. One cannot really harness the wind to really power up a wind turbine. Instead, one has to install dozens and even hundreds of turbines to generate significant amounts of electricity. As you might imagine, this can cause problems.
The biggest problem with wind power is the number of turbines needed to produce enough electricity. While the turbines have grown more efficient and larger, one still needs significant numbers to produce enough tangible energy. The two primary solutions are old and new. The old solution is to find great swaths of vacant land for the turbines. With growing populations, this is still relatively difficult and expensive. The new solution is to build wind farms at sea. This makes much more sense since the wind on the ocean is nearly constantly there and the “land” isn’t costly.
At the end of the day, experts estimate wind power will account for upwards of 20 percent of all our energy needs in the next two decades. With further refinements and the use of offshore platforms, the number could be much higher.
By: Richard Chapo
Posts Tagged ‘Electricity’
Understanding How Wind Turbines Generate Power
April 28th, 2010Homemade Wind Power – Two Secrets About Home Wind Power
April 17th, 2010
Homemade wind power is absolutely exploding not only in the United States, but all over the world. There is the option to buy electricity made from windmills, but many people are realizing that building their own windmill is a better option and investment.
In this article I want to explore two secrets that are not very well known by the general public about homemade wind power.
The first of these secrets it that truly anyone can afford to build their own windmill and start using the great renewable energy created by it. The total cost of building a windmill will be around $200. Keep in mind, however, that this cost is accurate when the right plans are used.
The key to making a windmill within your budget is using the best windmill making plans. Without them, you can end up spending way more than you want. I highly recommend buying homemade wind power instruction plan.
Yes, it is a few extra dollars, but it is a very important small investment if you want to make your windmill the right way.
The second secret is that a person’s power bill can be entirely eliminated by a home windmill. While results between 50-80% are more common, there are some windmill users who are powering their homes and businesses entirely with wind energy. Many people do not realize just how much power, and money, can be saved by using this great method.
These are just a couple of things that I wanted to share about homemade wind power. My website which is mentioned below reviews the top 3 home energy products available.
If you are serious about saving money and helping the environment by using windmill power, then I encourage you to take the next step and start building!
By: Cory Sanders
Power Probe 3
March 29th, 2010
The Power Probe 3 is the latest iteration of one of the most popular automotive tools on the market. What started out as a basic circuit tester, and won fans for its simple to use design and rock solid reliability has become one of the most advanced products of its type that is currently available, and now includes a number of additional features that will make it even more useful than ever before.
While the original Power Probe I, which is still available, was intended to simply offer auto engineers the ability to check whether circuits were live, and determine what the current flow through the system was, the all new Power Probe 3 takes its functionality to a whole new level, and includes plenty of additional features to make it even more indispensable to a modern auto workshop.
The most immediately obvious addition to the Power Probe design is the presence of an LCD screen on the device. This is where the Power Probe 3 displays voltage. For the first time, rather than simply indicating whether there is electricity present in a circuit, the Power Probe 3 now tells you exactly what the power in the circuit is. This means that you no longer need to use a digital multi meter in conjunction with your Power Probe when assessing the circuit strength in a car while it is being repaired.
Another feature that has been built into the Power Probe 3 is a flashlight. With this high intensity beam of light, which is generated by a tiny bulb right next to the probe, you can see directly into the area that you are testing. This means that you will never have the problem of not getting the right location for the probing, due to darkness or shadows getting in the way and obscuring wires from view.
The Power Probe 3 comes with all the accessories that you will need in order to ensure that you are able to get the job done properly. Reliable and hard working connectors are used on all wires to prevent them popping apart at the wrong moment, and the Power Probe 3 also features a 19 foot long extension lead to ensure that it reaches from one end of the vehicle to the other, and allows you to check circuits throughout.
With connectors for both hooking it up to a battery, and plugging into the standard cigarette lighter outlet available in most vehicles, Power Probe 3 is ready to go as soon as you are. The whole kit also comes in a hard wearing blown plastic case to protect it fully whenever it is not in use, and this is added at no extra cost.
Power Probe 3 includes a flashlight, built in voltmeter with a number of functions including the ability to test a bad ground, and measure voltage drop across a circuit. If can also be utilized to test relay switches and all other aspects of circuit continuity and assist the engineer in finding any problems quickly and easily.
As with its predecessors, the Power Probe 3 has been designed to be as simple to use as possible, with a single button operation, and all the functions available as soon as it is turned on. Rather than having to wade through loads of complex menus as you do on some systems, the Power Probe 3 simply works. The whole system is as elegant as can be, and nothing useless has been added. This means that the whole tool fits straight into the palm of your hand, and can be held comfortably during any job when it is needed.
The only problem with the Power Probe 3 comes in the form of the previous models. These devices are so hard wearing and easy to use that they will last for years. Thankfully, the build quality of the new model is exactly the same, and you can therefore rely on it to provide you with years of service, and reliability straight out of the box.
By: Jason Miller
