Wind power has been taken up by many countries across the globe as a cost efficient way of supplementing the electricity generated by coal and nuclear power plants. Most of the commercial wind turbines are based on the traditional design and have a horizontal axis, ie they are shaped like a traditional windmill.

However, an alternative design for wind turbines utilizes the vertical axis to generate power. Both designs have their advantages and disadvantages. Here’s a brief outline of the main differences.

The reason that horizontal axis wind turbines are chosen for commercial applications is that they provide more mechanical efficiency compared to their vertical counterparts. This means they will be able to generate more power in a given set of wind conditions.

A vertical axis turbine ( VAWT) however, have other advantages. Their construction is such that the main rotor shaft runs vertically. This means the gearbox can be sited at the bottom of the turbine. The benefit of this arrangement is that you don’t have lots of heavy machinery at the top of your mast, making construction and maintenance much easier. The are safety aspects too. Vertical axis turbines are lees likely to cause damage if they fall over in a storm, because all the heavy stuff is at the bottom of the mast.

VAWTs have other advantages. They are better at performing in conditions of turbulence. This is because they don’t have to be facing the direction of the wind. So if the gusts are prevailing form many directions, the VAWT will still perform just as well as if there was a single wind direction.

Also, with VAWTs you don’t always need a high tower to get the benefits of wind power. A vertical axis turbine can be mounted much closer to the ground that a traditional axis one, this make it more practical for ordinary consumers to consider constructing one for their own homes.

there are many different designs of vertical axis wind turbines. The most common ones in use are the Darrieus and Windstar turbines. The Darrieus design is quite efficient but because of their size, over time the cyclic stress on the tower can cause undue stress and wear and tear becomes an issue.

Windstar turbines have several aluminum blades and more than one rotor. A complex system of dual braking allows the design to be used in situation where there are very high wind conditions.

Running a VAWT compared to a standard horizontal turbine is cheaper, easier to maintain and can be a great alternative for generating wind power in all weather conditions.

Sally is an online journalist and writes for many websites. One of the best ways to improve your chances of getting a peaceful night’s rest is to get a sound machine for sleeping such as the Marpac Sleep Mate 980.