Turbines for the Home?

[Cobalt]

I just wondered if anyone knows much about wind turbines designed for home use? Do such devices exist, and if so, have they the potential to power the entire home or are they, like solar is in many parts, only likely to be able to supplement your homes energy usage?

Any thoughts or links are appreciated.

[Neutral Existence]

[QuietLunatic]

I'd like to know more about this myself, Cobalt. I live near the top of a hill and the wind blows here all the darn time. I'm sure wind power and solar would be good for my house, if I could afford to retrofit this old place.

[britjojo]

As interesting an idea as this is, I think it would be impractical for most homes. It would take large areas of space, and whilst it might balance solar by being likely to be operational on days when the sun is less bright, I think that the loss of garden would be too bad-you could use the garden for more productive things.

[adambeazley]

Actually depending on where you live a small whisper wind turbine can be verry efficient at generating some supplimental electricity.

You can see some of the different models and prices at this website.

[SingleAgain]

What height are these? I can't see it on the website. If they are tall enough it would be ok, but shorter could be a danger surely? And if they are tall-wouldn't you need planning permission before erecting them?

[anniegirl]

Very interesting information giving a homeowner the choice of alternative methods to produce fuel for their home. We some times think we are stuck using our local utility companies.

[Ken]

yes if you visit www.power-save.com they have a wind turbine for home use. It has a 500watt generator and uses jet turbine technology so far they are used in Germany and the uk and are being sold in America.
I seen another one on here to. the other one uses technology from ancient egypt here is the web page for that http://www.mariahpower.com/
Rght now I have a 1kw that I want to hook up to our home from http://www.magnet4less.com/index.php?cPath=8_83
The big problem is the inverter. So far small home wind turbines have trouble with inverter's grid tie inverters usually use 240dc volts and small wind turbines generate 12 ,24 , or 48 dc volts now in europe and germany grid tie inverters are everywhere because most of the power systems are government owned so when they had power problems they decided that by utilizing wind solar and other sources they could decrease the cost and increase according to demand. ( this stuff is just what I have read and came to this conclusion) Yet n America Power is a for profit buisness and the introduction to small wind turbines has been greatly discouraged. Now if they ever decided that instead of a detriment to buisness that it was actually a new marketing venture wind and solar would take off nation wide.
From what I have been told those grid tie inverters for smaller scale wind turbines will be ul listed in a month you can already buy them though for your small scale wind turbines but they need the UL listing before they will be approved.
http://tt-i.net/index.php?p=productline
http://mysite.verizon.net/res83zys/250wgridtieinverter/index.html
these are the two sites just for small scale wind turbines there is one more
http://www.mastervolt.com/products.php?section=solar_grid&prggr_id=1159
I hope this answers your questions I am a newby here but have been doing a lot of reading I have goals of finnishing my going green project in the near future. [/code]