Photos

This picture was taken at the top of the Tehachapi mountain range. These wind turbines provide energy to most small homes at Mojave Desert.

Wind turbines, mounted on towers between 80 and 120 feet tall, can generate electricity from the wind for home use. With on-site installations documented in at least 47 states, wind is a recognized renewable energy source for distributed generation of power on residential home sites. A wind-powered generator, or turbine, situated at the top of a high tower, has blades which spin to generate electricity. The electricity can either be used locally or sold to the utility company if an excess is generated.

In a typical residential application, the power from the wind turbine is connected to the main electric service wire to the home. Special interconnection equipment will allow powering the home, or sending the excess power generated by the turbine back to the utility grid. Otherwise, a distributed wind turbine can be designed as an “off-grid” type using batteries for storage of excess electricity. Many utilities credit the homeowner’s account for power produced by wind turbines that is fed back to the grid and require that special safety features be installed to assure the safety of line workers during power outages.

The amount of power generated by a wind turbine depends on the capacity of the turbine (rated in kilowatts, or kW) and the wind speed. Manufacturers will provide a power curve which shows the turbine’s output (in watts) at given wind speeds. For a typical home that uses 9,400 kilowatt hours (kWh) per year, a unit rated at between 5 and 15 kW will meet most of the home’s electricity needs.

Due to their height, wind turbines are best suited for remote or low-density residential lots of one acre or more. Developments that have adopted restrictive covenants may not allow wind turbines to be erected.

Nikon D200
2006/12/31 12:27:58.0
RAW (12-bit)
Image Size: Large (3872 x 2592)
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Focal Length: 95mm
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1/320 sec - F/9
Exposure Comp.: 0 EV
Sensitivity: ISO 100
Optimize Image: Vivid
White Balance: Preset d-0
AF Mode: AF-C
Flash Sync Mode: Not Attached
Color Mode: Mode III (Adobe RGB)
Tone Comp.: Normal
Hue Adjustment: 0°
Saturation: Enhanced
Sharpening: Medium high
Image Comment:
Long Exposure NR: Off
High ISO NR: Off