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The extreme weather events and global warming caused by burning fossil fuels have made switching to renewable energy sources a worldwide imperative.
Wind power is essential for the transition to clean energy, but generally at the utility grid or industrial level — far less so for people’s homes.
When it comes to residential electricity generation, photovoltaic (PV) solar panel systems are far more popular.
However, using a wind turbine to produce off-grid electricity for home use is possible — if rarely the best option.
Want to know how to do it?
Read on to find out.
Understanding and Planning for Home Wind Power
It’s technically possible to build a wind turbine out of spare parts and standalone components…
But unless you’re looking to kill time with a hobby rather than generate power, it’s not a viable option.
In this article, we’ll focus on the steps involved in planning and installing a small wind electric system at your home rather than building a wind turbine from scratch.
Before we get into measuring wind potential and other factors at your location, it’s essential to check whether any building codes or zoning ordinances restrict your ability to install a wind turbine at home.
Wind turbines that produce enough electricity to fully — or even partially — power a home are substantial in size.
Unlike many solar generators and photovoltaic panel systems, you’ll most likely require planning permission and permits to install a wind turbine for residential use — even if it’s on your property.
According to the US Dept. of Energy:
“The typical American home uses approximately 10,649 kilowatt-hours of electricity per year (about 877 kilowatt-hours per month).
Depending on the average wind speed in the area, a wind turbine rated in the range of 5–15 kilowatts would be required to make a significant contribution to this demand.”
The DoE also recommends using a professional installer to determine whether your location is suitable for a wind turbine and what size it must be to make financial sense.
(Source: Ryse Energy)
As a reference, the E-5 Hawt 5kW Small Wind Turbine from Ryse Energy has a rotor blade just over 14 feet in diameter with a swept area of almost 50 feet.
If your property can accommodate that kind of footprint, home wind power may be a viable option.
What Are the Main Components of a Wind Power System?
Believe it or not, wind power relies on the sun just like solar panels do — just not as directly.
According to the DoE, “Wind is created by the unequal heating of Earth’s surface by the sun.”
On a basic level, wind spins the blades of a turbine, and a rotor converts the kinetic energy into electricity.
Let’s zoom in for a closer look.
(Source: Green Mechanic)
The vast majority of wind turbines, regardless of size, operate using a horizontal axis.
Here are the basic components.
- Blades
- Rotor
- Pitch
- Brakes
- Low-speed shaft
- Gearbox
- Generator
- Wind vain
- Nacelle
- High-speed shaft
- Yaw drive
- Yaw motor
- Tower
What Are the Steps to Assess Your Wind Potential?
All clean, renewable energy sources like wind, solar, and hydropower are intermittent by nature.
Regardless of the size of the system, solar panels don’t work at night, and wind turbines don’t produce electricity on completely still days.
The rated power of solar panels and wind turbines measures electricity generation potential under ideal conditions.
How much power you actually produce depends on how much peak sunlight (for solar panels) or the wind resource (for a turbine) you receive at your location.
Many 5kW small wind energy systems require a turbine rotor blade just over 14 feet in diameter with a swept area of almost 50 feet.
The DoE estimates that you’ll require at least one acre of unobstructed land to install a wind turbine that significantly contributes to your residential electricity needs.
(Source: US Dept. of Energy)
Wind Resource
Wind may seem unpredictable — and hour-to-hour, it is.
However, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory diligently tracks wind power resources by location in the US.
Using historical data, you can estimate the amount of electricity you can produce at your location based on the size of your system and other factors.
The data in the Wind Integration National Dataset (WIND) Toolkit is free to use.
If you’re trying to forecast how much power you can generate and the amount you can save on your electricity bills, determining your likely energy production, given the wind resource at your location, is the right place to start.
If you’re not a fan of math, calculating how much power a wind turbine at your home can produce is easier said than done.
Fortunately, many small wind energy system manufacturers and installers have online resources like calculators that can help.
If you want to forecast electricity generation from wind for yourself, here’s how to do it.
How to Calculate Wind Turbine Power Output
The three primary factors that you need to account for are wind speed, swept area of the turbine’s rotor blades, and the power coefficient.
Once you have those figures, the formula for calculating the power output of a wind turbine is as follows:
P = 0.5 * ρ * A * Cp * v^3
P = Power in watts
ρ = Air density in kilograms per cubic meter
A = A is the swept area in square meters
Cp = Power coefficient
V = Wind speed in meters per second
The efficiency of the specific turbine you’re evaluating determines the power coefficient. Typically, it falls within the range of 0.25 – 0.45.
How to Determine the Optimal Turbine Location On Your Property
Deciding where to position solar panels on the ground or the rooftop of your home is relatively straightforward.
The same cannot be said for wind turbines.
Here are the primary factors to consider when determining the best location to install a wind turbine on your property.
Surface Area
A wind turbine that provides 5kW—15kW of electricity generation potential, as recommended by the US Department of Energy, requires a substantial footprint on your property.
The DoE estimates that you’ll require at least one acre of unobstructed land to install a wind turbine that makes a significant contribution to your residential electricity needs.
Distance From Obstacles
To maximize a wind turbine’s electricity generation potential, it should be installed as far away as possible from anything that obstructs air currents and wind.
If you’ve seen wind farms in your area, that’s a good sign that you may receive sufficient wind to justify an investment…
But notice that the turbines are typically far apart on large swathes of land free of obstructions, such as tall buildings and trees.
The future is difficult to predict, but consider whether any buildings that could obstruct the flow of wind are likely to be built near your turbine location.
Elevation
If your property is on uneven terrain, the optimal place to install your turbine may be on the top — or at least the windward side — of a hill.
According to the DoE, “Your turbine needs to be sited upwind of any buildings and trees, and it needs to be 30 feet above anything within 300 feet.”
Other Considerations for Installing a Small Wind Energy System
Planning Permission and Permits
Do local zoning ordinances permit tall towers and wind turbines at your location?
Do you require inspections and a permit?
Before you get into the weeds of optimizing your installation, ensure it’s allowed in the first place.
Utility Grid Connectivity
Because wind power is intermittent, the vast majority of small wind energy systems connected to the utility grid.
Grid-tied systems are bi-directional and toggle between on and off-grid power depending on your production and consumption of electricity.
Similar to solar batteries in photovoltaic systems, off-grid wind turbines require battery storage to provide electricity when you use more than you produce.
Small Wind Certification Council
The Small Wind Certification Council is an international organization that tests and certifies small and mid-sized turbines and wind systems based on safety and performance.
Purchasing and installing a certified system helps ensure that your wind generator performs safely per the manufacturer’s specifications.
Work With a NABCEP Installer
Unless you’re an electrician or trained installer, it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to safely (and legally) set up a small wind turbine and energy system alone.
The North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) is the leading organization for training and certifying renewable energy installers — including solar and wind power.
A reputable, certified installer will help ensure that you get the most out of your residential clean energy system.
Eligibility for the Residential Clean Energy Tax Credit
Often called the Federal Solar Tax Credit, the Residential Clean Energy Credit can save you 30% of the total purchase and installation costs of an eligible system as a credit applied to your federal income tax liability.
Even if you don’t owe taxes or the credit exceeds your liability, you can carry the credit over to subsequent tax years.
If you’re a US taxpayer installing an eligible clean energy system at your residence, you should qualify for the Small Wind Turbines (Residential) Tax Credit.
Alternative Ways to Power Your Home With Renewable Energy
Unless you live in a rural area on a large piece of property, a wind turbine system is unlikely to be the most viable option for generating electricity with renewable energy.
For the vast majority of US residents, a whole home solar generator like EcoFlow’s DELTA Pro Ultra is a far better option.
Solar panels can be installed on your rooftop or the ground with a much smaller footprint than wind turbines require.
EcoFlow DELTA Pro Ultra provides up to 21.6kW of AC output and is expandable up to 90kWh of LFP home backup battery storage.
EcoFlow DELTA Pro Ultra Charging Inputs
| Charging Method | Maximum Input (1 x Inverter) | Maximum Input (2 x Inverter) | Maximum Input (3 x Inverter) |
| Solar Charging | 5600W | 11200W | 16800W |
| AC Input (Wall Socket) | 3000W | 6000W | 9000W |
| AC Input Smart Home Panel 2 (Wired) | 7200W | 14400W | 21600W |
| AC Input EV Pile (Wired) | 7200W | 14400W | 21600W |
| Fossil Fuel Generator (Cable) | 7200W | 14400W | 21600W |
| EcoFlow Smart Generator (Dual Fuel) | 1800W | 3600W | 5400W |
| Multicharge | 8800W | 17600W | 26400W |
Unlike Small Wind Turbines, EcoFlow DELTA Pro Ultra offers multiple charging options, including up to 42 x EcoFlow 400W Rigid Solar Panels.
Photovoltaic solar power systems are not the only renewable energy option for your home, but they are by far the most popular solution for homeowners in the US.
Here is the complete list of residential clean energy alternatives that are potentially eligible for a tax credit from the IRS:
- Solar electric panels
- Solar water heaters
- Wind turbines
- Geothermal heat pumps
- Fuel cells
- Battery storage technology
Frequently Asked Questions
The US Dept. of Energy calculates that the average household requires a small wind turbine and energy system with a rated power potential of between 5 to 15kW (kilowatts) to significantly reduce electricity bills or go off-grid. Wind power is intermittent, so you’ll need a grid-tied system or battery backup storage for days when your consumption exceeds your electricity generation.
If you’re looking for a hobby or a complicated science fair project, you can certainly make your own wind turbine at home. However, if you’re looking to power your home with renewable energy, you’ll need to purchase a small wind energy system, including the turbine, and work with a professional installer. Most wind turbine systems are grid-tied and require installation by a licensed electrician or renewable energy professional.
Final Thoughts
Depending on your location and the size of your property, a small wind turbine energy system may be a viable option.
However, for most people, a whole home generator with solar panels makes far more financial and practical sense.
EcoFlow has a wide range of solar generators of all sizes — whether you need one for a camping trip or whole home backup power.
Check out our clean energy systems today.