Has anyone tried a Vertical Axis Wind Turbine for their home?
I have seen a lot of YouTube videos on how easy these are to make and don’t take up nearly the space needed for a normal "windmill". Has anyone had experience with these? Do they work as efficiently as the normal designs?
My husband use to work on the commercial wind turbines . We also did a lot of research on homeowner grade wind turbines, as we want to take our farm to being totally off grid as we can afford it.
Vertical axis turbines have problems with their braking systems (both the commercial and the homeowner sized ones). Also because of their design, they are usually down too low to take advantage of the most sustained winds.
For homeowner ones, we have not found anything better than the Skystream 3.7. Here’s a link to their website: http://www.skystreamenergy.com/
My husband liked the Skystreams so much he even thought about becoming a dealer selling them, and installing them for homeowners. (We do not sell them and are not affiliated with the company in any way shape or form)
We did a lot of research, and my husband REALLY understands wind turbines and how they function. Hubby is also a helicopter mechanic, and worked on the Prowlers in the Navy. So a great deal of understanding of how turbines function/work on my husband’s part.
He believes the Skystream to be the best design for homeowners.
I like them, because of their great design, which allows the average homeowner to work on them. A cement pad is poured for the Skystream. When it’s installed, it’s bolted down, but it’s also hinged.
So if the turbine, or the blades have to be worked on, the bolts are undone, and the Skystream is laid on the ground, via the hinge, so you can work on it, on the ground, not on a freaking tall ladder, or boom truck.
It also means if you live in an area which gets really bad storms (hurricanes) you can lay your Skystream down, and protect it from being ripped apart by hurricane force winds. You cannot do that with any other wind turbine system.
~Garnet
Permaculture homesteading/farming over 20 years
Hi! A small wind turbine for your house is a great investment and if you do it right you will laugh at your energy bill... 
