Building a Wind Turbine in Your Spare Time

Have you ever thought about making your own wind turbine? It is not as easy as making your own solar panels but it is not hard either. Making your wind turbine look nice is a bigger problem than making electricity from it. The first thing you have to do is get a set of plans to make a wind turbine and then set about buying all the parts.

Assembling the parts is straightforward. The bits and pieces can be picked up cut-rate from vehicle scrap yards and your local DIY store. Just imagine being even only 50% self-sufficient in electricity? Add in a few solar panels or a second wind turbine and you could soon be off the grid altogether.

Everyone knows about the perpetually rising cost of electricity and that it would be a good idea to create energy from the wind and the sun just for the cost of the generators - the wind turbines and the solar panels - so you may be asking yourself why it is not a good idea to just go out and buy what you want from a professional installer.

Well, the answer to that is expense. Professionally installed wind turbines can cost tens of thousands of dollars and it can take 20 years to recover the cost. On the other hand you can make your own for between $200 and $500.

If the turbine saves you $200 a month then it is evident that you will have recouped your outlay within three months maximum, if you assemble the turbine yourself. This is a very good incentive as with a little regular maintenance it will last you 15-25 years. Let's just say 15 years or 180 months at at least $200 per month. That is $36,000 or an 7,200% return on capital.

Wind generated electrical power is very green as it takes practically no fossil fuels to produce it. I say practically none, because it may need a little engine oil to keep the blades turning efficiently. And that is it. You may have to replace a bearing from time to time, but that is the extent of your maintenance routine. It is not severe. You will also have to put some water in the batteries from time to time as well, unless you buy the sealed models, which you cannot fill up.

It really is not so difficult to assemble a wind generator. The average DIYer can complete this project with simple tools. There are detailed instructions and drawings available on the Internet or at DIY stores to manufacture a wind generator in your workshop at home.

So why not begin to make yourself a wind turbine today? Fix it on a roof or a pole and begin generating your very own free electricity. You could be off that grid faster than you know it and you will be doing more than your bit to help the planet too.

If you want to read more about home-made wind turbines and solar panels, there is plenty of advice on the Internet.

Owen Jones, the author of this article, writes on many subjects, but is currently involved with a favourite subject - the cost of solar power. If you are interested in Sustainable Energy At Home, please click through to our site.