Customer Reviews

Wind Energy Basics: A Guide to Small and Micro Wind Systems

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copyright 1999 by Mick Sagrillo

Paul Gipe's latest book, Wind Energy Basics, was published just this month (June). It is meant to be a companion to two of Gipe's previous publications, Wind Power for Home & Business, and Wind Energy Comes of Age.

While Wind Energy Basics is much slimmer than Gipe's prior tomes, this one is dedicated solely to home-sized and micro wind turbines. The text is richly peppered with photographs, schematics, and diagrams, all meant to stimulate the imagination of the reader. While not strictly a "how to" manual, there is enough motivating information included to keep a do-it-yourself wind aficionado busy for years.

Gipe begins with the usual chapters on wind fundamentals: power available in the wind, estimating performance, and a brief review of the technology. Of particular value are the photos of the dozens of commercially produced small turbines available from manufacturers worldwide. While pictures of these turbines can be found elsewhere, they rarely appear with actual people in them. Gipe's photos lend a sense of scale to the reader, helping the novice get some idea of exactly what she or he is getting themselves into.

Gipe then proceeds to chapters on off-grid applications and utility intertie systems. Again, Gipe does a good job of introducing the reader to what is possible. But because of the detailed complexity of such installations, Wind Energy Basics merely whets the reader's appetite for these topics. Anyone interested in delving deeper into the how's and why's of off-grid and utility intertie installations should proceed to Wind Power for Home & Business.

The chapters on siting, safety, and actually making a purchase give the reader a number of good tips worth remembering. My copy of Wind Energy Basics was immediately highlighted and "red-inked" as I went through these sections. There are several tables with realistic costs for the turbines, towers, and balance of system components. Since the book is geared towards the do-it-yourselfer, installation labor costs, the most nebulous cost to pin down in any home wind system, are not included.

The chapter on installing a small wind generator focuses on guyed tilt-up towers, ignoring the more usual freestanding or guyed lattice towers used on larger wind turbines. This was judicious on Gipe's part since the widespread use of small wind systems, especially with the off-grid PV (photovoltaic) crowd is inversely related to the height of the tower that needs to be climbed. By including a good photo sequence of his own tilt-up tower installation, Gipe is sure to instill confidence in the installation of a wind system by the most squeamish of non-climbers.

Finally, the appendices, unlike those of many other renewable energy books, are actually full of useful information. Gipe details the design characteristics of dozens of small and micro wind generators. In addition, all of the manufacturers contact information is listed, saving the reader hours of hunting for addresses, phone and fax numbers, plus web sites and e-mail addresses.

Limited to only 122 pages, Wind Energy Basics is unfortunately restricted in what it can present to the reader. However, Gipe does a great job with the pages available. While I've only had Wind Energy Basics for two weeks, I've already gone through it three times. Wind Energy Basics is definitely worth adding to your summer reading list whether you are planning on installing a small wind system in the near future or just interested in knowing more about micro turbines.

It has been a pleasure reading such a clear and optimistic book on one of my favourite subjects Wind Energy.

Paul Gipe has over 20 years experience in the wind Industry both as a practitioner and a commentator. This is evident in the no-nonsense way he covers the various aspects of wind systems for the small user.

This book is a wonderful primer for all but the professional wind enthusiast; in which case the companion volume Wind Energy for Home and Business (1993) weighing in at over 400 pages is the book of choice.

The book covers everything from the fundamentals of wind energy; including lots of maths; through to the actual installation, operation and maintenance of the authors own wind system. In between are chapters on estimating the performance of the proposed wind system, on and off the grid applications and off course what to look for in buying a wind turbine for your home, weekender or boat. A very important chapter has been included on siting and safety. After all what is the point of having an environmentally responsible wind system if it is behind a tree or if you injure or kill yourself trying to install or operate the thing?

Through out the book the reader is constantly treated to excellent photographs from the authors extensive global travels with his wife and companion Nancy Nies in search of wind turbines. You have access to the inside of manufacturing premises and to the top and bottom of towers and wind turbines around the world.

In conclusion I commend this book to anyone who has an interest in the environment or Renewable Energy. Wind is the perfect companion to Solar Power and together they are changing the future for the better.

In Wind Energy Basics, Paul Gipe provides the reader with an informative and easy-to-understand guide to small and micro wind systems for the generation of energy. Gipe includes detailed information on planning, purchasing, siting, and installing a wind system, and explains the integration of wind power with solar photovoltaics for more cost-effective and reliable off-the-grid applications. Gipe also explains "net metering" and intertie possibilities, describing how homeowners and businesses in may states can now sell their excess electricity back to the utility company. Wind Energy Basics is a "must" for environmentally supportive advocates seeking to establish non-polluting energy resources for themselves, their families, and their businesses.

Wind Energy Basics: A Guide to Small and Micro Wind Systems by Paul Gipe is an excellent overview of wind power turbines both past and present. It also does an excellent job of acquainting readers with the major components of a Wind Renewable Energy (RE) system and the functions thereof. In the opinion of this reviewer, the book does what it is intended to do: provide an overview a wind-based RE system and give the reader a basic understanding of same.

However, as other reviewers have noted that Wind Energy Basics is not for the technical mind. The title does lack the step by step, do it yourself instructions that one would need to put his own wind-based RE into operation.

Those who are already familiar with wind-based RE systems and are in search of a complete nuts and volts guide will probably take little away from this title. A better choice would probably be the more complete, much larger "Wind Power: Renewable Energy for Home, Farm and Business", also by Paul Gipe. ISBN 1-931498-14-8. At nearly 500 pages, I have yet to come across a more complete reference on the subject of Wind Power.

All in all, Gipe's Wind Energy Basics: A Guide to Small and Micro Wind Systems is a good starting point for the homeowner who is considering the possibility of buying or installing an RE system for the first time. If you are not extremely knowledgeable about RE systems and are in search of a book that will introduce you to the components and technologies, Wind Energy Basics will serve you well.

From an individual's viewpoint (as opposed to an electrical utility), this is an excellent introductory text. I was surprised at how clearly presented the material was, while still mantaining enough of the technical formulas and rules-of-thumb to have substance. Mr. Gipe lays out the options open to anyone interested in implementing some sort of home-based electrical generation wind system and surveys a range of available products that fall into this area of the wind turbine market. Important decision-making parameters are discussed and the reader is given a good ball-park idea of how to proceed. I will be ordering the book "Wind Power For Home And Business" in order to fill in some of the details.

Paul Gipe has many years experience of keeping right on top of developments in this rapidly changing field. As always, he presents a thoughtful and detailed report. His independent perspective will be invaluable to newcomers to the subject, who may have been bombarded with sales propaganda by the small wind turbine industry. What wind turbines can do, how much it will cost, what are the other issues to consider... it's all there, in detail. This book prepares the reader to calculate how much energy he/she may harvest, from a planned wind installation. Then it spells out how to tackle the job of erecting the machine in a practical, down-to-earth way. Paul Gipe demystifies the unfamiliar world of small scale wind energy and makes it accessible to those who wish to enjoy it.

I'm sure this is a wonderful book. However, I, rather ignorantly, was expecting "small" and "micro" to actually mean small and micro! These are still huge systems on towers three times the height of a house! I'm glad it was just a library book, because I feel the title doesn't accurately describe the book.

As the title of Paul Gipe's text suggests, this book addresses the concerns of people who are interested in smaller wind turbines. Gipe fleshes out in careful detail the process of setting up a small wind turbine in many setttings (agricultural, residential, and even small wind farms), battery and conversion effeciency, how one can sell back excess electricity, what states offer tax incentives, etc. The writing style is generally pleasant, since Gipe avoids jargon and organizes his subjects well. Readers who want a scientific-based text on wind-power engineering should seek a different book.

I found this to be a good starting point to learn about wind energy. It starts out with basics and goes into a little theory, but if you're looking for a book that goes into a lot of depth, you may find this book a little disappointing. Just remember, it's Wind Energy Basics, and no more.

Additionally, it provides a background in the development of windmills and lists quite a few brands and their specs. You'll discover quickly that small or micro windmills won't make you energy independent and regulations make it almost impossible to errect one unless you have lots of land and understanding neighbors.

It's a good primer that I would recommend to people who are looking for a starting point on the subject.

THIS IS A LITTLE TECHNICAL TO UNDERSTAND, AND SOME OF THE GRAPHS AND CHARTS DONT HAVE ENOUGH EXPLANATION TO THE AVERAGE PERSON . I EXPECTED A EASY TO FOLLOW BASIC BOOK ON HOW TO , POSSIBLY MAKE YOUR OWN, IN A PICTURE OR ILLUSTRATIVE WAY . THE BOOK TOUCHED ON IT, BUT WAS TOO COMPLEX FOR A BASIC BOOK .. I SAW NO IDEA OF HOW BIG THE ELECTRICAL USE OF THE AVERAGE HOUSE WAS, SO I DONT KNOW HOW LARGE A WINDMILL MUST BE MADE OR PURCHASED.. PROBABLY A GREAT BOOK FOR ELECTRICIANS ,BUT NOT BASIC ENOUGH FOR ME .I WAS WANTING TO MAKE MY OWN ( FROM SCRATCH )AND HAVE THE BOOK TELL ME WHAT I NEEDED ..