Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Micro Wind Turbines

       Did you know that a single wind turbine can generate enough electricity to power a small town? These massive propellers can be up to 160 meters (525) in height and have blades that are 40 meters long. That makes the diameter of the blades longer than a football field! However, there is a problem with these enormous energy making machines; they simply take up too much space. Not only do they require room for the turbines themselves, they also need to be spaced far enough apart that each turbine gets enough wind to turn its huge propellers. Recently, experts have invented a smaller, more practical version of these colossal turbines known as micro wind turbines. These are, as their name suggests, mini wind turbines small enough that they can be placed in areas such as the top of a roof. A micro wind turbine, on a windy day, can provide enough energy to light an average household. They can also generate power with wind speeds as low as 2 meters per second. Although these new turbines are becoming quite popular in great Britain, many people do not like them because they are "unsightly" and make too much noise. However, with a little time, micro wind turbines could become a common appliance in our every day lives.


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