I am absolutely fascinated by alternative energy. Solar, geothermal, pressure, bio and wind energy sources are all pretty amazing. Windmills are one of the oldest tools we've used to harness the energy around us, and they've come a long way from their grain-grinding origins.
Last weekend I got a chance to see a Windspire windmill. I had heard of vertical windmills before, but I had never seen one. I was surprised to find out that the design was actually inspired by an ancient Egyptian windmill.
The vertical design has a few advantages to the traditional horizontal windmill. It's vertical nature means that less space is need for each windmill. The blades move at a slower speed than traditional windmills, reducing the risk to wildlife as well as failure. The Winspire even has the capability to report energy production via WiFi on your home computer.In 12mph winds, the Windspire can generate about %30 of your household energy needs.
Wind is big in Indiana, with the Earl Park Wind Farm and the Fowler Ridge Wind Farm near Benton County promise bountiful and clean energy. And while wind isn't the solution to all of our energy problems, wind farms and personal windmills are definitely a part of becoming an energy independent and sustainable world..