This fully revised edition of includes the author's thoughts about wind turbine construction, thirty new additional illustrations and an expanded and vastly superior layout.
The book shows you how to construct aerodynamic efficient wind turbine blades using wood, match and connect the blades to a generator, build mechanical controls to direct and ensure the safety and efficiency of the blades and erect the turbine safely using a guyed tower. It helps the reader understand wind turbine technology without assuming prior knowledge but does assume a technical background - either in engineering or electronics.
1. A Wild Resource, 2. Safety, 3. Rotor Design, 4. Blade Making, 5. Generators, 6. Mechanical Controls, 7. Electrical Controls, 8. Towers, Glossary, Windpower Equations, Worked Examples, Further Resources, Index
Hugh Piggott has lived off-grid in Scotland since the 1970s. After graduating at Cambridge University (graduate MA) he went to live on the island Scoraig in North West Scotland where he built his own house and kept a smallholding with his wife and two children. He also taught himself to make small wind turbines. Today the whole population of Scoraig (about 100 people) get electricity from Hughs' turbines. In 1999 and 2000 Hugh was chosen as the renewable energy consultant to BBC's Castaway 2000 program. He designed and installed a wind and hydro system which kept the castaways supplied with electricity throughout the year. For the past ten years Hugh has been teaching workshop courses to individuals and companies all over the world.