Estimating Wind Resources at Your Site
Solar Energy Systems
Estimating Solar Resources
At Your Site
Estimating Wind Resources at Your Site
Wind Sources consist of
a wind turbine, wiring, controllers, inverters, and/or batteries. Home wind turbines have a motor, a
generator, and a tail. The rotor,
converting kinetic energy into rotary motion, powers the generator.
The diameter of
the rotor determines approximately how much energy will be produced. In order to produce the maximum amount of
energy, the turbine has to be raised to a certain height. This may be a problem because of zoning
laws. It is important to consult your
local government regarding zoning and the laws that are applied to it.
You should consult
your local weather bureau or airport for wind speeds in your area. The wind speeds at your site should be at
least nine miles per hour. You also
have the option of measuring wind speeds 
at your site on your own. Purchasing a recording anemometer and
placing it on top of the tower of the intended wind turbine can do this. For best performance, wind turbines should
be placed on top of a hills o that there is no obstruction for the wind.
Solar
Energy Systems
A PV System
consists of solar modules made up of PV cells.
A set of ten of these modules make up the solar panel, which can be
mounted to face south, or put on a tracking device to follow the sun. Ten to twenty PV panels can provide enough
energy for an average household.
Companies have
started advancing their technologies to make building materials more
productive. For example, windows that
generate electricity will soon be available on the market.
Costs for PV Systems
vary depending on location, solar resources, and available subsidies.
Estimating Solar Resources at Your Site
You have to
consider three factors in order to determine whether your site is appropriate
for a Solar Energy System.
1) In the Northern Hemisphere, Solar Systems
should be exposed to the sun as much as possible during the day.
2) Obstruction such as trees and shade in
front of the panel should definitely be cleared before setting up the system.
3) Unobstructed southern exposure should also
be at an appropriate position.
The production of
energy from PV modules depends on the weather conditions that you live in. The number of modules is determined by your
weather conditions. However, energy is
still produced even in bad weather conditions, although not as much as in good
weather conditions. You need to get
more information on this matter before installing it.
Microhydropower Systems
Mycrohydropower
Systems are very small energy systems (water) that produce below 300 Kilowatts
of energy. A system this small requires
only a small river running by your house.
The advantage of this system is that it rung continuously and the energy
produced by it is predictable. The key
determinants of available resources are the river’s head and flow. The vertical distance that the water falls
is head. The flow is the volume of
water.
The hydropower
system consists of the intake from the river, the penstock, the turbine, and
the generator. The turbine powers the
generator. The penstock delivers the
water to the turbine.
Estimating
Microhydropower Systems:
To measure the
head, you have to measure the vertical distance from the water intake to the
turbine. You can measure this by using
surveying techniques, altimeters, or water filled tube and pressing gauge.
It is a little bit
harder to determine the flow. Due to
river flow variances throughout the year, it is somewhat difficult to measure
flow. A hydrological study should be
performed, which includes checking records of regional rainfall and water
flows.
Hybrid Power Systems
Hybrid Power
Systems are a combination of renewable energy systems. A hybrid system, according to experts, has
its advantages over a single energy system.
For example, a PV System works well during the summer, while wind
turbines work well during the winter.
If weather conditions at times prevent this hybrid system from working,
a battery that accompanies the system is always available. Also, if batteries run low, an
engine-generator powered by fossil fuels can be installed to work while the
battery is charging. You should set up a
system that provides 80% or renewable energy, and 20% of fossil fuels.