How Much Does A Wind Turbine Cost?

Posted by Author on April 9, 2010

Wind turbines that generate electricity have been around for about a century now, and they’ve been improving all the while. Perhaps more importantly, their cost has steadily decreased. Wind turbines come in a few basic classes, each of which is designed to meet a specific purpose and will likely be more or less appropriate depending on the prospective buyer’s needs.

Since they were introduced about 1930, large,commercial wind turbines have improved significantly. Some of the ways in which they’ve gotten better include: blade design, which makes a massive difference with regard to how a wind turbine operates; reliability, which is crucial for a machine you expect to operate 24/7; and efficiency, generating more power even with less wind. Generally speaking, commercial-use turbines are made from heavier materials, in order to work with higher winds on a more regular basis.

Since the strongest and most relentless winds are mostly in remote areas such as shorelines, large-scale wind turbines normally have to be located in these areas. Being “out of the way” like this makes it inefficient to have to service them all the time, so it’s necessary that these units are built to last. Large-scale turbines are the most expensive of all modern turbines, usually starting at about $25,000, and often exceeding $100,000.

Residential-use wind turbines have become more popular in recent years. Early in their evolution, wind turbines used in residential environments were often impeded by the challenge of adjusting to the erratic wind patterns that are common to residential areas.

Most early residential-use wind turbines were too heavy to be appropriate for many locations. They would often require special support structures, and they could only really generate much power from very high winds. All told, the drawbacks and costs were usually too much for many homeowners to really consider.

The most recent variety of residential-use turbine to emerge is called the micro turbine. These turbines usually don’t require the use of a tower, as they are capable of generating good amounts of energy from even low winds. In some cases, it’s actually possible to set up a micro turbine directly on your roof. By turning constantly, even without the need for high winds, these small units provide a reliable stream of power. At a price range of about $600 to $5,000, these models are much more affordable than larger ones, but will still generate enough energy to provide huge savings on electrical bills over the long term

Wind turbines vary greatly in terms of their size and power, and the price tends to vary accordingly as well. It’s possible to reduce the cost even further by building your own wind turbine. Though it might sound like a serious project, anyone can learn to build a wind turbine with the right instructions, and this will give them the chance to save a lot of money and get free electricity for life.

To know about the pros and cons of solar energy, check outAdvantages and Disadvantages of Wind Power.

For the greatest guide to building your own homemade wind turbine, you can check out Earth4Enegry Review.

For another guide to building your own solar panel, go to How to Build a Wind Turbine.