Turbine Generators: Wind Turbines
harnessing wind for power
Wind turbine generators are basically used to convert the energy found within wind power into electrical or mechanical energy. There are many types of wind turbine generators and they are used for all sorts of reasons. Some consider wind generators to be an excellent use of the environment around us; however, there are those people who consider these types of wind power generators only to be an intrusion into their daily lives. Although if this type of device, a wind turbine generator, easily helps the environment by using a renewable source of energy, why not contribute to helping the environment? And not only is it a good source of energy, but using a wind turbine generator is among the top in cost effective ways to produce electricity.
As mentioned, there are all sorts of uses for a wind turbine generator. In some cases the mechanical energy that is produced from the kinetic energy from the wind is used in another mechanical use, e.g. a windmill. Indeed, a windmill employs the function of wind turbine generator. However, if the wind energy is transformed into electricity, most people directly refer to those uses as a wind generator or a wind turbine.
A couple types of generators that people use are offshore and onshore. The offshore wind generators are used on the ocean, however, are more expensive to maintain and keep up. The onshore wind turbine generators are less expensive, but careful consideration needs to be paid attention to. The exact placing of the generator must be considered or else the usefulness of the wind turbine generator can change. A slight miscalculation in the placing of the generator can mean more or less wind energy output, which means more money is being spent on less energy. The largest disadvantage of onshore wind turbines is generally aesthetic, and the public doesn't like the looks of them - this is of course avoided when they are placed out at sea, where they are out of sight and out of mind.
Maybe one day we will see decorative windmills in people's lawns that are not only beautiful, but cranking out a few watts as well!