Humans have been harnessing the wind's energy for hundreds of years. From old Holland to farms in the United States, windmills have been used for pumping water or grinding grain. Today, the windmill's modern equivalent— a wind turbine— can use the wind's energy to generate electricity.

Wind turbines, like windmills, are mounted on a tower to capture the most energy.  Turbines catch the wind's energy with their propeller-like blades. Usually, two or three blades are mounted on a shaft to form a rotor.

Wind turbines can be used as stand-alone applications, or they can be connected to a utility power grid or even combined with a photovoltaic solar system.

Stand-alone wind turbines are typically used for water pumping or communications. However, homeowners, farmers, and ranchers in windy areas can also use wind turbines as a way to cut their electric bills.

Curious if your site might be good for harnessing wind energy?  A good rule of thumb is:  Are you in the mountains or near the ocean?  If so, you might have a viable wind site.

Southern Energy Management offers a variety of services in wind power, from site evaluation to full system installation.  Call us to discuss your needs. 

To find out about NREL research from its National Wind Technology Center visit: 

http://www.nrel.gov/learning/ho_wind.html

For maps of wind energy visit:

http://www.eere.energy.gov/windandhydro/windpoweringamerica/wind_maps.asp  

Southern Energy Management proudly offers the Skystream 3.7™ residential wind generator that hooks up to your your home to reduce or eliminate your monthly electrical bill. It’s the first all-inclusive wind generator (with controls and inverter built in) designed to provide quiet, clean electricity in very low winds. This makes Skystream ideal for residential homes and small businesses.