Wind Turbines Power and Size

Small wind systems capable of generating most of a home's electricity needs are based on turbines with more than 1 KW (1 kilowatt) of power, or to be precise, often within the range 1,5 to 6 KW. 

 But there also:
- micro-turbine systems (below 1kW) and…
- large turbine systems (usually part of onshore and offshore wind farms)

Property size & Small Wind systems

Micro-wind systems – when applied to generate home electricity – may not demand a minimum property size, since they involve mini turbines with small towers (usually mere pipes of 2 or 3 meters high).

But this isn’t the case of other small wind systems. Small residential wind turbines of more than 1 kW aren’t as small as their name suggests. They can be high devices, demanding a property with a minimum of one acre. These wind turbines aren’t suitable for small-lot homes in urban and sub-urban properties. Many of the towers of these systems attain heights of 25m/80 foot or even 37m/120-foot (to raise the turbine above the turbulence of buildings, trees and other obstacles) which make urban and small properties inadequate.

Property size & Large Wind Turbines

Very large turbines (typically part of wind farms) demand even larger properties and space. Mega turbines should be sited well apart from each other and distances around 2500 feet/750 meters are becoming common in the case of the bigger turbines.

Home Average Needs & Wind Turbines Production

An average house may use between 4,500 and 11.000 kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity per year (this wide variation is largely dependent on climate zones). Take into account these values when sizing a small wind turbine for home electricity generation.

In practice, when assessing the right turbine capacity, manufacturers and installers take into account the power requirements of the homeowner and the wind conditions on its region and site.

To estimate the turbine power, the numbers below will help you:

- a 1,5kW turbine produces around 3,950 kWh per year
- a 5kW turbine produces around 13,000 kWh per year
- a 15kW turbine produces around 39,500 kWh per year

Obviously, these are just averages and references: the production depends also on factors as the wind loads or the height of the tower…

Mega Wind Turbines Power

Very large turbines respond to the electricity needs of hundreds or thousands of homes. A single 2 megawatt turbine can provide the electricity to supply the needs of 1,000 homes…

Some references (just references, since the production depends strongly on wind resources) may help you:  a 1,5 Mega Watt (MW) turbine may produce on average conditions 3,950,000 kWh per year, while the new 5 MW turbine may produce 13,000,000 kWh per year...

Number of wind turbines

The number of turbines in wind farms may vary a lot, but most small wind systems – applied to generation of electricity for home needs - are based on a single turbine.

Multiple turbine systems aren’t usually a good option in home applications: a single larger unit is much cheaper than two or more separate units and installations. Multiple turbine systems are used on village and large wind farms, involving mega turbines.

Since there are several turbine's sizes and powers, to choose the right one you should first assess your energy requirements and the available wind resources.





See also:
Basics on Wind electric generators
Wind Maps and data
Stand alone systems
On-grid systems


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